Mama Bears for Change: 300 Futures without Fear

March 1-31, 2025

A mama bear will do whatever it takes to protect her cubs. So will we.

This International Women’s Day, WINGS is calling on mothers, aunties, daughters, sisters, and allies to take a stand. Mama Bears for Change isn’t just a campaign - it’s a movement. A movement to protect women, support survivors, and create safe futures for those escaping domestic violence.

Fierce. Protective. Unstoppable.

300 Futures Without Fear

Every year, WINGS Shelter supports over 300 women and children as they move from crisis to safety, from fear to empowerment. In 2023/2024, 98% of the families we served did not return to their abusive partners.

Each night in safety is a step toward a future free from fear. Together, we can help 300 women and children wake up knowing they are safe, supported, and ready for a new beginning.

Our Journey to 300

How You Can Help

Donate to the Campaign

When women support women, lives change. Every dollar helps a mother and her children find safety, counseling, and a path forward.

Join the #PawPrintsForChange Challenge and help us to Spread Awareness

Draw or paint a bear paw on your hand, share a photo with a message of support, and tag three friends to do the same using #PawPrintsForChange.

Check out our Tool Kit Below and help Spread Awareness throughout the month of March.

Get Informed

Watch the powerful video ads produced by Hoopla Media (launching March 8, 2025). These real-life stories reveal the strength of women surviving domestic abuse - and the critical role WINGS plays in their journey to healing.

Or start your own fundraising page - as an individual or with a team - and rally your friends and family to support WINGS. We’ll give you all the tools you need to succeed.

The Need for Safe Shelter is Growing

Domestic violence does not discriminate. It affects women from all backgrounds - our neighbours, our friends, our coworkers, even ourselves.

In 2023/24, over 779 women in Edmonton area sought safety in domestic violence shelters.

More than 900 children fled with their mothers, seeking a life free from fear.

The need for safe shelters is far greater than the current capacity, with turn-aways increasing by over 40% compared to the previous year.

WINGS provides 20 of only 42 second-stage units in the Edmonton area, along with 29 affordable housing units, giving women and children the time, stability, and support they need to rebuild their lives. But with minimal funding, these safe spaces only exist because of supporters like you.

This International Women’s Day, we stand together to ensure every woman has the chance to reclaim her life.

Will you stand with us?

Stand With Us

FAQ’s

  • Absolutely not! We all have (or had) moms. Let’s join together to help mamas in need.

  • No! Spreading awareness can go a long way! If you don’t want to start a fundraiser but still donate, consider contributing to another Mama Bear’s fundraiser.

  • We have a simple bear paw drawing you can practice with. Click here to download!

    We also recommend using a dry erase marker, or paint…they wash off easier :P