Harmony House breakfast generates record support for women and children escaping violence

Chrys Munroe and Lauren Bays, former residents of Harmony House, hug after sharing their stories of resilience and rebuilding at a fundraising breakfast held this morning. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Harmony House breakfast generates record support for women and children escaping violence

Published On: March 2, 2026By Caroline Phillips

For 40 years, Harmony House has provided women and children fleeing violence with not just shelter, but the stability and dignity needed to begin again.

To mark this milestone, community leaders gathered this morning at the Infinity Convention Centre for Hope & Promise: A Breakfast for Women’s Futures, a charity event supporting Ottawa’s only second-stage shelter.

The event was emceed by Catherine Clark, who, along with running her own strategic communications firm, is co-founder of The Honest Talk podcast and media platform dedicated to elevating and amplifying women’s voices.

Among the attendees were Harmony House supporters John Sicard and his wife Pina, who last fall offered to match up to $120,000 in donations and, this morning, added another $40,000 to that total in honour of the charity’s four decades of assisting women and children in crisis. Sicard, who for nearly 10 years ran Kinaxis, a publicly traded company, told the audience: “My favourite two words were record-breaking. I would love to be part of a record-breaking day.”

Harmony House has never seen this level of engagement and support before, said Francesca Davila, director of development and communications. Through ticket sales, sponsorships, and event-day donations, the breakfast alone raised $60,500, with more gifts still coming in. “It was an extraordinary morning,” Davila later told CiTC.

Or, in the words of volunteer fundraiser Sue Finlay, it was “a room full of doers. People who care enough to show up for others who are not so lucky.”

From left, event emcee Catherine Clark with Harmony House director of development and communications Francesca Davila and Pina Sicard and John Sicard, who are generously matching up to $160,000 in donations to Harmony House, a second-stage shelter for women and children fleeing violence. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The presenting sponsor was DOCS Dentistry on Catherine Street, represented by Dr. Eugenie MacKay, who delivered compassionate remarks. “Second-stage housing is not just about shelter; it is about stability; it is about dignity. It is about the space and time required to heal, to rebuild confidence, to secure employment, to help children settle into school, and to rediscover what safety feels like,” said Dr. MacKay from the podium.

She spoke about community and its transformative power. “When a community steps forward, when neighbours choose to care; when resources are aligned with need, the trajectory of a family can change permanently.”

She also pointed out that there are between 60 and 80 women and their families on the waiting list for Harmony House, which currently has 16 dedicated, furnished living units for women and children.

Among the community leaders to help dish out the eggs and bacon were MPP Catherine McKenney, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Councillors Ariel Troster and Tim Tierney, Ottawa Community Housing CEO Stéphane Giguère and Deputy Police Chief Patricia Ferguson.

Later, McKenney, who ran against Sutcliffe in the 2022 mayoral race, joked from the stage that she’d been more generous with her portions than the mayor — perhaps proof that some campaign promises never die. The two are clearly aligned in their support for Harmony House, which received a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and for which the mayor raised funds last year while completing the Ottawa Marathon.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Ottawa Centre MPP Catherine McKenney served breakfast side by side at Harmony House’s Hope & Promise: A Breakfast for Women’s Futures, held at Infinity Convention Centre on March 2, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Harmony House fundraising volunteer Sue Finlay, seen with her husband, Windmill Developments CEO Jonathan Westeinde, at a fundraising breakfast for Harmony House held at Infinity Convention Centre. Photo by Caroline Phillips

The two-hour event was packed with programming, including a panel discussion featuring professional perspectives and personal experiences to help the audience understand both the needs in the community and the work that remains to address gender-based violence and housing instability.

Speakers included Anuradha Dugal, executive director of Women’s Shelters Canada; Isabelle MacNider, clinical manager of Crossroads Children’s Mental Health Centre; Kaite Burkholder Harris, executive director of the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa; and Chrys Munroe, a former resident of Harmony House and lead volunteer for the breakfast.

Munroe spoke about the hope she felt simply from being in a room filled with so many caring individuals. “Every single face in this room gives me hope,” she said, also crediting her daughter’s resilience as an ongoing inspiration.

Chrys Munroe (centre), a former resident of Harmony House and lead volunteer for the breakfast, shared her personal story on stage while emcee Catherine Clark and Anuradha Dugal listened at the Harmony House’s Hope & Promise: A Breakfast for Women’s Futures held at Infinity Convention Centre on March 2, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips

While the morning’s mood was overwhelmingly positive — in keeping with the themes of hope and promise — Clark reminded attendees why Harmony House exists. “Because there are women who have not yet managed to escape abusive situations and are still going to need this help,” she said, sharing a few stories she aptly described as “unimaginable” to illustrate her point.

Lauren Bays spoke about how Harmony House helped her and children after she fled an abusive relationship that left her “physically injured, and emotionally and spiritually broken.”

“Harmony House is not just a shelter; it’s a safe landing space,” said Bays, describing the warmth, dignity and respect she received. Nobody judged her for staying in a bad relationship for as long as she did. “At a time when I felt stripped of my identity and confidence, they reminded me that I was still capable, still worthy and still strong.”

Bays recounted being given the tools “to rebuild my life,” encouraging her not to remain stuck in victimhood but “to reclaim ownership over myself, my story and my future.”

Harmony House also provided her children with support through daycare, field trips, celebrations and friendships. “They experienced laughter and normalcy in the middle of all the chaos we were living in,” she said.

“Harmony House helped me remember who I was before fear,” Bays added. She now has her own place, has earned a Master’s degree in social work and has a daughter in university.

Professionally, she works as a counsellor for youth and young adults dealing with trauma, housing instability and violence. “Lived experience allows me to sit with them in a deeply authentic way, not just from a place of theory, but from true understanding,” she said.

At the end of the breakfast, you couldn’t have asked for a better gesture of hope and promise than the warm hug shared between Munroe and Bays, both of whom rebuilt their lives with the support of Harmony House.

Francesca Davila (centre), director of development and communications at Harmony House, is flanked by guest speakers Lauren Bays (left) and Chrys Munroe, two former residents of the second-stage shelter who shared their inspiring stories of resilience and rebuilding. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Dr. Eugenie MacKay, from DOCS Dentistry on Catherine Street, reminded the room at Harmony House’s Hope & Promise: A Breakfast for Women’s Futures how Harmony House provides more than just shelter for women and children. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Harmony House executive director Marilyn Matheson, Ottawa Centre MPP Catherine McKenney and Ottawa city councillor Ariel Troster (Somerset Ward) at the Harmony House’s Hope & Promise: A Breakfast for Women’s Futures. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Anthony Scaletta, vice president of private equity at CLV Group, and its chief talent officer, Amanda Gordon, were out supporting the Harmony House charity breakfast in support of women and children fleeing violence. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Lauren Bays shared how Harmony House helped her and her family after she fled an abusive relationship that left her “physically injured, and emotionally and spiritually broken” at the fundraising breakfast for the second-stage shelter for women and children. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Michelle McKendrick, senior account executive (real estate and professional services) at Altis Recruitment, and Catherine Proulx, vice president of marketing and client development at Colonnade BridgePort, were out supporting the Harmony House charity breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Stéphane Giguère, CEO of Ottawa Community Housing, serving breakfast alongside Ottawa Centre MPP Catherine McKenney and Ottawa city councillor Ariel Troster (Somerset Ward) at a fundraising breakfast for Harmony House, a second-stage shelter for women and children fleeing violence. By Caroline Phillips

Jennifer Murray, senior partner at Kadus Group, and Melissa Reeves, COO of Linebox Studio and board chair of Ottawa Community Housing Foundation, at a fundraising breakfast for Harmony House, a second-stage shelter for women and children fleeing violence. By Caroline Phillips

Ottawa business leader John Sicard took to the podium to announce that he and his wife Pina were adding another $40,000 to the $120,000 in donations they had previously agreed to match in support of Harmony House. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Christine Irvine, former fund development manager for Harmony House, and Linda Bruce, a former board vice president of Harmony House, a second-stage shelter for women and children fleeing violence. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Ed Hansen, chair of TEC Canada, TouchStone Interiors founder and designer Nathalie Auger, The Ottawa Cancer Foundation’s director of communications and public relations, Angie Poirier, and Jennifer Madigan, COO of Syntax Strategic, at a fundraising breakfast for Harmony House, a second-stage shelter for women and children fleeing violence. By Caroline Phillips

Harmony House board member Honorata Bittner and Deputy Police Chief Patricia Ferguson at a fundraising breakfast for Harmony House, a second-stage shelter for women and children fleeing violence. By Caroline Phillips

From left, Isabelle MacNider, clinical manager of Crossroads Children’s Mental Health Centre, and Kaite Burkholder Harris, executive director of the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa, were part of a panel discussion at the Harmony House fundraising breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Ottawa city councillor Tim Tierney (Beacon Hill-Cyrville), Harmony House board member Tamara Taub, and Ottawa city councillor David Hill (Barrhaven West) at a fundraising breakfast for Harmony House, a second-stage shelter for women and children fleeing violence. By Caroline Phillips

Chrys Munroe (centre), a former resident of Harmony House and lead volunteer for the breakfast, was all smiles after sharing her personal story at the fundraising breakfast. To the right is Anuradha Dugal, executive director of Women’s Shelters Canada. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Colin Morrison, general manager of the Marriott Ottawa, Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association president Steve Ball, and Chris Pierce, general manager of Les Suites Hotel, were out supporting Harmony House at its charity breakfast. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Harmony House supporter John Sicard and his wife Pina in the audience at the fundraising breakfast held at Infinity Convention Centre on Monday, March 2, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Francesca Davila, director of development and communications at Harmony House, and fundraising consultant Sandra Pedersen at a fundraising breakfast for Harmony House, a second-stage shelter for women and children fleeing violence. By Caroline Phillips

Lauren Bays (left) and Chrys Munroe, two former residents of Harmony House, seated in the audience at the fundraising breakfast, held at Infinity Convention Centre on Monday, March 2, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Syntax Strategic, RBC, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, Welch LLP, and Brazeau Seller Law.

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