Frequently Asked Questions
The Emily Murphy Centre (EMC) supports women and children who have experienced violence. We also run the Supervised Access Programs of Huron Perth (SAP), which provides the children of families who are separated or divorced, have visits and exchanges with their non-custodial caregivers.
EMC offers a variety of programs geared to helping women and children live violence-free and to manage and move forward from the after-effects of having experienced violence.
We can’t do what we do without the generous support of community partners! We accept donations of non-perishable food, hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies and small household items. We sometimes even need furniture (please call ahead if you have larger items to donate)! Monetary donations are always welcome and can be made by cheque, cash or e-transfer to info@emilymurphycentre.com. Please make sure that you leave your name and address in the message field of an e-transfer so we can issue you a tax receipt. Tax receipts are issued for all monetary donations over $10.00. Unfortunately, we no accept used clothing donations but we ask that you consider donating your used items to the Goodwill as we have a partnership with them which allows our clients to receive Goodwill Bucks to spend at their stores.
Physical violence.
Verbal violence.
Psychological violence.
Sexual violence.
Socio-economic violence.
Domestic violence or in intimate relationships.
Harassment and sexual harassment
Technology- assisted violence – stalking, intercepting emails, creating fake accounts, posting intimate pictures without consent, etc.
EMC is funded through the City of Stratford, The Ministry of Community, Children and Social Services and the United Way. We also fundraise to provide essential services for our clients.
We love to have folks talk to one another about the importance of our program, the declared epidemic of Intimate Partner Violence in Perth County and how our program assists women and children in our community. For more information, please reach out to us at 519-273-7350 or info@emilymurphycentre.com
Are you interested in becoming a volunteer with us? We love that! EMC volunteers help out with maintenance, cleaning, child-minding, Board of Directors and more. You will need a recent police records check (less than 3 months old) and an interview with our volunteer coordinator, Hannah. To reach Hannah, please call 519-273-7350. If you are interested in joining our Board of Directors, please call Lisa (at the number above) for more information.
Yes! EMC is part of Perth County Social Housing and our mandate is strictly for women and children who have experienced violence. In-house clients sign a Service Agreement and pay rent-geared-to-income based on the standard RGI calculation. We have 20 units, ranging in size from 1 bedroom to 4 bedrooms.
Yes! EMC offers outreach services in the community for women who are not wanting/able to reside with us.
Great question! Shelter is a vital service that provides immediate, short-term, and safe housing, typically for up to 4-8 weeks, along with support services. Second-stage housing offers longer-term, more independent living arrangements, often in the form of apartments or townhouses, for women who need continued support and a safe environment to rebuild their lives, typically for 1 year.
Depending on circumstances, non-binary individuals may qualify for our services. If you have questions, please call!
EMC has a waitlist which is ordered by Special Priority and date of application. People are selected for residence at EMC based on those two things as well as the availability of the apartment size they require.
No. We are a safe place for women and children only.
The Emily Murphy Centre has 6 full-time employees. We also run the Supervised Access Programs of Huron Perth, which has 2 full-time employees and up to 11 relief staff.
Small pets are welcome at EMC with appropriate vaccinations. We limit the number of pets in each apartment. Large animals and farm animals are not permitted.
Male children are welcome at EMC, up to age 16.