In the early 1980s a group of Brant County citizens became concerned that there were no facilities for abused women and their children in the City of Brantford and the County of Brant. Supported by the results of a needs study, a local community group led efforts to open a transition home for abused women and their children.
A board of directors was formed and became incorporated under the name "Nova Vita Women's Shelter Inc." in October 1982.
Nova Vita's women's shelter was opened on June 1, 1983. On that day a woman and her two children were admitted to the shelter on Chatham Street in a large renovated house.
In February 1995, we moved into our new facility at 59 North Park Street. This expanded operation, with 18 beds, allowed Nova Vita to better serve residents and the community. The building was (and still is) completely wheelchair accessible, with large children's play areas.
In 1996, we changed our name to Nova Vita Women's Services, and again in 2005 to Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services, which better reflects the diversity of programs and services that we offer. Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services is the only organization in Brantford and Brant County dedicated to helping both the victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse.
In 2003, Nova Vita completed a $2.8 million addition and renovation to our building on North Park Street. We added 12 residential beds (for a total of 30) and started offering shelter to homeless women and their children.
In addition to our shelter, Nova Vita officially opened Maria House – A Home for Families in Transition – on May 6, 2005. Maria House was named after Maria Hacking who retired after more than 20 years of dedicated service to Nova Vita. The house, conveniently located next to Nova Vita, offers longer term residential services in a safe, comfortable setting for up to eight women and their children.
Women and children living in Maria House benefit from an appropriate blend of support and independent accommodation to ensure that their transition to violence free living in the community is a long-term success.
A Maria House resident may, for example, be an immigrant who doesn't speak English or have family and friends in the area to support her. She could be a young woman with infants or an older woman who is escaping an abusive marriage and has never lived independently in the community. Counselling, life skills training and referrals to other community resources are among the transitional support services available to these residents.
Fuelled by the success of this project and demand for services, Nova Vita once again expanded Maria House in the summer of 2007 to accommodate an additional 18 to 20 women and children. If you'd like to keep up with what's happening right now, feel free to visit our News & Events page or "Support Nova Vita" on Facebook.
In the early 1980s a group of Brant County citizens became concerned that there were no facilities for abused women and their children in the City of Brantford and the County of Brant. Supported by the results of a needs study, a local community group led efforts to open a transition home for abused women and their children.
In 1996, we changed our name to Nova Vita Women's Services, and again in 2005 to Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services, which better reflects the diversity of programs and services that we offer. Nova Vita Domestic Violence Prevention Services is the only organization in Brantford and Brant County dedicated to helping both the victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse.
Fuelled by the success of this project and demand for services, Nova Vita once again expanded Maria House in the summer of 2007 to accommodate an additional 18 to 20 women and children. If you'd like to keep up with what's happening right now, feel free to visit our News & Events page or 
