It is a safe residence for you and your children to go to if you are in an unsafe home environment, in an abusive relationship, homeless or at risk of homelessness or simply in need of a place of safety. Transitional Homes are NOT emergency shelters, we do not operate 24/7 and recommend contacting 911 or 211 for immediate help. Transition homes are usually regular houses, however the address is not available to the public to ensure the safety of the women and children staying there.

The duration of stay is determined on a case by case basis, however it is usually between 1-3 months.

Accommodation at Nisa Homes is free, however if you are receiving a shelter allowance through Income Assistance, that amount must be paid to Nisa Homes.

Residents are required to cooperate and work with their case worker to achieve the following:
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Safety Plan – Develop a safety strategy for yourself and your child/children addressing the safety issues of living independently within the community and other situations.
Housing Plan – Secure permanent housing which is sustainable, safe, and affordable.
Self-Sufficiency Plan – Secure income assistance and/or employment, as well as develop day-to-day skills that will assist you in taking financial and psychological control of your life.
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Additionally, residents are required to cook for themselves and participate in the chores and overall upkeep of the house.

You DO NOT need to stay at Nisa Homes to get support, information and referrals to other services that you may want.
If you want support, information or referrals you can reach us at 1 888 456 8043. You can also apply for financial assistance with the National Zakat Foundation.
Additionally, if you need emotional support and someone to talk to, you can call the NISA Helpline. However, we ask you to ensure the safety of yourself and your children above all else.

Availability of rooms changes frequently; however, you can apply online here and we will be in touch within 48 hours to let you know.  
If the Nisa Homes you contact for help is full, if or when you are ready to leave, staff will help you to make other arrangements such as helping you find room for you (and your children) at another transition house.

For a full list, check our Safety Plan Checklist
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It is best to try and be prepared before coming and having the following all or at least most of the following documents with you:
1- Important Documents: IDs, Passports, birth certificates, citizenship/immigration papers etc. for all family members
2- Prescriptions, medical and vaccination records for all family members
3- School records
4- All social assistance (Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Plan) documentation
5- Marriage certificate, divorce papers, custody documentation, court orders, restraining orders, or other legal documents
6- Lease/rental agreement, house deed, mortgage payment book
7- Picture of spouse/partner
8- All cards you normally use e.g. credit cards, bank cards, phone card, Social Insurance Number (SIN) card, health card
9- Clothes for yourself and any children with you
10- Toiletries

You might also want to consider keeping the following items in a safe place to take with you:
1- Money
2- Jewelry
3- Sentimental objects
4- Laptop

Those interested in coming to Nisa Homes or needing assistance must fill out our application form. A case manager will then contact them within 5 business days to discuss their application and conduct a brief phone assessment. Once the intake process is completed, when and how they will come to the house will be discussed with their case manager.

Yes, you can bring your children but they must also be able to follow the rules and responsibilities of the house.

To ensure complete safety and security, our location and address are confidential and are only given on a need-to-know basis to those who have signed a confidentiality agreement.

Our regular hours are 9am-6pm. For after-hours you can email us at homes@nisafoundation.ca or leave a message at 1 888 456 8043.

Nisa Homes provides six main services:
Basic Necessities – Shelter, food and assistance with transportation.
‍Counselling, therapy and emotional support – Identify positive life changes and explore strategies that help build independence and confidence by regularly setting goals and meeting with a counsellor.
‍Referral Network Case Management – Job search, securing long-term housing, legal assistance, referrals and sustainability planning.
‍Financial assistance – Through the Financial Assistance Program. program, Nisa Homes provides clients with direct financial assistance to cover immediate food, bills and rent, help them move in and out of shelters, and assist them in making ends meet until they can receive their first paycheck.
Spiritual empowerment – Regularly participate in an Islamic environment with prayers, halaqa, and counselling on their journey towards empowerment.

Yes, as a project of Nisa Foundation, a registered Canadian Charity (79931 0289 RR0001) we are able to provide tax receipts for your charitable donations. Tax receipts are sent immediately for online donations, and at the start of each year for all other donations.

Each location has a different list of items they are accepting depending on need and storage space. You can find a full list, as well as a form to fill out of what items you have so the corresponding home can get in touch: https://nisahomes.com/support-us/.

Nisa Homes is lucky to have such an incredible community supporting us and allowing us to not only keep our doors open but also expand to help even more women and children, all through their donations. We have also secured several key sponsorships and partnerships and are in the process of applying for government grants.

Our volunteer application is open 4 times a year and can be found here.

Nisa Homes accepts monetary donations online or in person (cash or credit). These donations are zakat eligible. For in-kind donations, we post a list of items needed at the houses on a regular basis on our website. We require items be new or like new and require pictures prior to drop off or pick up.