The Beausejour Family Crisis Resource Centre which serves southeast New Brunswick is now officially known as the Courage Centre.
The name has been sponsored by Shoppers Drug Mart and stems from the organization’s Courage Campaign which raised $4.3 million to build their new home in Shediac.
“This project stemmed from one horrific evening when our community almost lost another woman to domestic homicide,” explained executive director Kristal LeBlanc.
“This new space is a beacon of hope for the more than 700 women and their children yearly who enter these doors escaping unimaginable terror in their own homes, as well as for more than 30 families in New Brunswick who continue to grieve a loved one killed by an act of domestic homicide. Without the donation from Shoppers Drug Mart for this new building, as well as their annual support through the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart Run for Women, we simply would not be here today.”
Since the pandemic began, the centre has been seeing more clients seeking refuge from domestic violence.
“We have the highest rate of domestic homicide in the Atlantic Provinces right here in New Brunswick – and that’s not a stat we should be proud of. So we’ve seen a 30 percent spike in women seeking services,” she said.
The Courage Centre has six emergency beds, an emergency housing program and nine apartments and LeBlanc noted the facility is nearly always at full capacity.
Shoppers Drug Mart contributed $250,000 to the Courage Campaign to support construction of the new facility.
LeBlanc said the Courage Centre has a long-standing relationship with the national retailer and added the company really believes in putting women’s health first.
