Phoenix Rising looking for community partners

Phoenix Rising looking to branch out The women's drop-in centre in the Sault is hoping to partner with other agencies with similar aims.

A Sault Ste. Marie-based support group for women is hoping to work with other groups to provide more inclusive services.

The Phoenix Rising Women’s Drop-In Centre hosted an open house this week to show off its space to potential community partners.

Phoenix Rising describes itself as a community of women who recognize the importance of determining, designing and delivering support services from a woman’s perspective.

The centre offers a range of services and also acts as a referral agency.

“A lot of it, especially in this economy, has been around food security,” said Danielle Morin, centre coordinator.

“So, we do food security on Wednesdays, we serve lunches on Thursdays, and then we do programming throughout the month, as well.”

“I think today will be very beneficial because agencies change their programming and their positions and everything so often,” said executive director Kristine Lalonde.

“So, we’ll get a little bit more of a refresher about what’s out there.”

The topic of intimate partner violence is front-of-mind for the staff at Phoenix Rising, and they say more awareness and dialogue is needed.

“I personally think it’ll be an ongoing work-in-progress kind of thing to get it out there more than what it is,” said Morin.

“We’re kind of at the beginning stages of bringing awareness to it, so it’ll be nice to add more supports and that as things move forward.”

“I think with the recent declaration that it is an epidemic now, it definitely is starting the conversation,” said Lalonde.

“I think we need to continue the conversation and I feel that we’ve had more and more conversations around it at work and with women. But I think it definitely needs to be brought up and continue to be brought up.”