Shoppers Drug Mart raises funds for women's shelters, including Sudbury's Genevra House

Shoppers Drug Mart is raising funds for women's shelters across Canada, including Genevra House, in Sudbury, Ont.

The chain's LOVE YOU campaign focuses on improving women's health. This year, it plans to achieve that goal by supporting shelters across the country.

"We know that more than 6,000 women and children in this country sleep in shelters every night because it isn't safe at home," said Paulette Minard.

Customers at Shoppers Drug Mart locations across Canada will be prompted by their cashier, or by self check-out, to donate to the campaign.

Minard said the campaign, which ends on Oct. 14, has already raised $300,000. The goal is to raise $2 million before it concludes.

In Sudbury, stores will raise money directly for Genevra House, a women's shelter with 32 beds that has helped around 250 women and children in the last year.

Marlene Gorman, the executive director of YWCA Sudbury, which operates Genevra House, said one third of women in Canada have reported that they've experienced violence in their lifetime.

And reported cases increased during the pandemic.

"Having companies like Shoppers Drug Mart giving to the shelter campaign brings in additional supplies and resources for the women and the children that are living in the shelter," Gorman said.

"And those are things that help with basic needs food, clothing, shelter, down to laundry detergent and transportation. Because that's a big need, especially in the geography that we live in."

Gorman said that in past years, Shoppers Drug Mart has raised about$5,000 for Genevra House's operations.