The executive director of Nellie's shelter says a sudden influx of young children and babies arriving with their moms has changed the organization's focus "completely." In the last three months, the number of children at the Toronto women's shelter has more than doubled — a change that came so fast, said executive director Margarita Mendez, that staff have not had time to look into what prompted it. Nellie's, a shelter for women who are fleeing violence, typically caters to single women, hosting fewer than 10 children a year. Now, almost half of the 34 beds are occupied by children and toddlers — and they've had to buy more cribs for the infants. Staff at Nellie's haven't met with staff from other Toronto women's shelters recently because of the summer, but Mendez believes that sitting down with them might provide more clarity as to whether the trend extends elsewhere.

Source: CBC News August 31, 2017 16:03 UTC