Esther’s Place.

When women and children flee abusive homes, The Salvation Army’s Kate Booth House in Vancouver offers immediate shelter and support.

But that’s only a temporary solution and after 30 days they have to move on. One of the next stops for some is the Army’s Esther’s Place, a 4-apartment safe house where families can stay up to two years.

Esther’s Place — which receives no government funding — is where women who became homeless, single parents overnight can get the support to find a job, get training and find a new place to live. Captain Jennifer Hillier heads both ministries. “Kate Booth is crisis intervention and Esther’s Place is a bridge from an old life that was damaging to a new life of safety and security.”