Nelson House of Ottawa-Carleton
P.O. Box 5381, Merivale Depot
Ottawa, ON K2C3J1
Phone: (613) 225-0533
Fax: (613) 225-4578
Web: http://nelsonhouse.on.ca

About Us:

What We Do:
Nelson House exists to provide safety for women and children who are being abused and to work with other groups and individuals toward ending violence against all women.

Background:
Nelson House is a non-profit shelter, established in 1992 following three years of planning and effort by a large number of women in the city of Nepean and across the region. Nelson House provides emergency shelter and social services for women and children who are fleeing abuse in their lives.

Our Clients:
Our residents come from diverse backgrounds. Often they are disadvantaged economically or are new Canadians who often lack access to the support of extended family and friends. They truly are reflective of Ottawa’s diverse community and are at Nelson House to build for themselves and their children a life free of violence.

Programs & Services:
The Board and staff run a facility known as a first-stage emergency shelter where women and children benefit from transitional housing and programs for up to 10 weeks. The core of Nelson House's service is the Residential Program, which serves on average 150 women and children per year. The 15-bed residence offers a warm home-like setting with accommodation for women with and without children.

The Crisis line answers more than 1500 calls annually, responding to the needs of women in crisis by providing support and information on safety planning, access to community services, and advocating for women to find a safe place to stay.

Nelson House also offers a variety of essential services to its clients, including financial support, information and referrals to services such as police, housing, child care, medical services, and legal services. Nelson House also offers a Children’s Program that encompasses parenting support, respite care and activities for children. A Transitional Support Worker ensures that each client is connected to the appropriate community services when she moves out of Nelson House.

If Nelson House is not able to provide housing or a needed service, the agency is able to help clients access other community services. When the shelter is filled to capacity, Nelson House turns to its network of sister agencies such as Interval House and/or its partners such as Immigrant & Visible Minority Women Against Abuse, to assist a woman in crisis. No woman or child is ever turned away, though due to the acute shortage of beds, women are sometimes sent out of town.