Gloria Baylis Foundation

Gloria Baylis Foundation Supports IWSO With Funds for Critical Programs

Ottawa, ON – May 26, 2025. Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO), today announces receiving a grant from Gloria Baylis Foundation in the amount of $15,000. The funds will be used to strengthen access to crisis counselling, settlement support, and language services for immigrant and racialized women and their children. Funding will help expand culturally responsive, trauma-informed care, reduce barriers to essential services, and promote safety, well-being, and successful community integration for over 3,500 immigrant and racialized women.

“Immigrant Women Services Ottawa plays a vital role in supporting immigrant and racialized women as they navigate complex and often challenging transitions in life,” said Valerie Baylis, Director, Gloria Baylis Foundation. “We are proud to support their work through this grant, which will help to expand access to culturally responsive, trauma-informed services that promote safety, dignity, and long-term well-being for women and children in our communities.”

“We are deeply grateful to the Gloria Baylis Foundation for its generous support and encouragement of IWSO and our work supporting immigrant and racialized women and their families across Ottawa and the surrounding communities,” said Mercy Lawluvi, Executive Director of IWSO. “At a time when demand for our services continues to grow, this $15,000 grant will help sustain our essential programs, ensuring women and children have access to critical services, safety, and resources as they rebuild their lives. We are truly thankful for the Foundation’s commitment to the well-being of the families we serve.”

“Women and children arriving in Canada after experiencing violence at home or the trauma of war rely on compassionate, ongoing support to rebuild their lives,” said Josephine Basudde, Manager-Crisis Intervention and Counselling services at IWSO. ”We are grateful to provide culturally responsive services that help newcomer women feel supported, safe, and empowered as they work toward healthier and more stable futures for themselves and their families.”

About Immigrant Women Services Ottawa:

The mandate of (IWSO) is to empower immigrant and racialized women in the City of Ottawa and surrounding areas to participate in the elimination of all forms of abuse against women; to provide culturally responsive services which will facilitate their access to community and mainstream services and provide other services/programs which will assist immigrant women in their journey to attain their full potential. Immi-grant Women Services Ottawa is a community-based agency serving immigrant and racialized women. We create opportunities for women as they integrate into a new society, rebuild their lives free of violence, and achieve their personal goals.

About Gloria Baylis Foundation:

The Gloria Baylis Foundation collaborates with Canadian charities annually to sup-port initiatives that expand access and opportunity. The Foundation honours the legacy of Gloria Baylis, a Barbados-born Canadian trailblazer who made history in 1964 through a landmark racial discrimination case, advancing workplace equity in Canada. She later founded Baylis Medical Company, guided by a patient centred philosophy rooted in her nursing career.

Today, the Foundation continues Gloria Baylis’ legacy by supporting organizations that advance equity and strengthen communities across Canada. Guided by the values of community, respect, integrity, leadership, and opportunity, its mission is to enhance lives by expanding access to education, healthcare, and opportunities for community advancement.