Welcome to the YWCA Saskatoon's Hopeful Hearts Home program.

The program takes place in a four-story building that opened last year and is a transitional housing wing attached to the main YWCA building.

The Hopeful Hearts Home program provides women and their families with a safe home in a nurturing environment to heal from experiences of interpersonal violence. There are 35 suites in the building that can house up to 75 people, and it is truly making a difference in the lives of the women and children who call it home.

Mirna Funes-Klaasen is the Manager of Hopeful Hearts, and as you will hear in this episode, is passionate about helping women and children in need access the many services provided by the YWCA.

Whether it’s the Employment and Learning Centre in the YWCA, or the cultural supports offered within the Hopeful Hearts Home that you will hear about in the episode, Mirna wants women to feel supported and cared for when they enter the program.

I first heard of Hopeful Hearts Home in October of 2023. That’s when I interviewed Kim Fisher for the podcast. Kim is the Director of Residential Programs at the YWCA, and in her episode, she talked about looking out her office window and imaging a building that could meet the transitional housing needs of the community. It took years of fundraising and hard work behind the scenes, but that dream is now a reality, and Kim is so happy that her long-time colleague, Mirna, is managing Hopeful Hearts Home.

A big thank you to Mirna for taking the time to share her passion for the Hopeful Hearts Home program with me on the podcast. If you want to learn more about the program, and how you can become a volunteer, please visit the YWCA Saskatoon's website.

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Cheers...Eric

• Host, Producer, Editor: Eric Anderson
• Theme Music: Andrew Dickson
• Website: https://www.yxeunderground.com
• Recorded: On Treaty 6 Territory and the traditional homeland of the Metis