KITCHENER, ON, September 29, 2026 – Marillac Place, the only 24/7 staffed, trauma-informed transitional shelter in Waterloo Region dedicated to women who are pregnant, parenting a child under two, or planning to parent, regardless of age, racial identity, citizenship, or the circumstances that led to their experience of homelessness, has received a $600,000 investment over three years from the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation. The funding will help Marillac Place sustain its essential shelter and wraparound supports while also supporting research and planning for a new housing and supportive care continuum for families living in deep poverty. 

Based in Kitchener, Marillac Place has provided safety, dignity, and support to women and children at one of the most critical moments in a family’s life for almost 40 years. 

With capacity for 10 women and 11 children under two, Marillac Place offers more than transitional shelter. Its wraparound, trauma-informed supports help mothers and children navigate periods of profound instability and begin building a more stable future. At the heart of this work is a simple belief: a woman’s past does not have to become her child’s future. 

The need is significant. In 2025, Marillac Place received 204 inquiries for service and was able to support 19 mothers and their babies. The organization had a wait list of up to 11 women each month. 

The Hallman Foundation’s investment reflects its commitment to supporting the well-being of individuals, families, and communities in Waterloo Region. As a Kitchener-Waterloo-based charitable foundation, the Foundation invests in local organizations and initiatives working to create meaningful and lasting change. 

Of the $600,000 commitment, $150,000 each year will support Marillac Place’s annual operating costs, helping sustain the staffing, facility, and supports required to keep its doors open safely. An additional $50,000 each year will support research and development of plans for a new housing and care continuum. 

“I want to sincerely thank the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation for this extraordinary investment in Marillac Place,” said Julie Walder, Executive Director of Marillac Place. “This is the largest gift in our history, and it recognizes both the importance of the work we are doing today and the need for us all to think differently about how we support vulnerable families in the future. With the right support through pregnancy and her child’s first years, a mother is better prepared to build a strong bond with her baby, stay healthy, and then try to find safe and affordable housing. The earliest years lay the foundation for a child’s entire life, and this is exactly where we can begin to interrupt the cycles of generational trauma, poverty, and homelessness.” 

Walder noted that the investment will also help address a significant gap in Marillac Place’s annual operating budget. 

“We have to raise 65% of our operating budget this year. That is the gap between what it costs to keep our doors open and operate safely, and what government funding covers,” said Walder. “The Hallman Foundation’s commitment helps close that gap while giving us the opportunity to invest in a reimagined future and long-term planning.  

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW. DIRECT MEDIA INQUIRIES TO: 

Julie Walder 

Executive Director, Marillac Place 

julie@marillacplace.ca