On March 7, the Niverville Event Centre will be decked out in purple in celebration of the Agape House’s Purple Gala fundraiser.

Agape House is a charitable organization in southeast Manitoba that operates a 16-bed shelter for victims of domestic abuse and gender-based violence. Last year marked its fortieth year in operation.

“It’s so much more than a fundraiser,” says Lisa Fast, outreach coordinator. “It’s a night where our community comes together to stand against domestic violence and show survivors that they are not alone.”

Purple is the recognized colour for domestic violence awareness. The gala is organized to run in conjunction with International Women’s Day as a way to celebrate the resiliency and strength of all women, especially those dealing with domestic abuse.

The Saturday night event will include a dinner and cocktails, some thoughtful storytelling, a silent auction, and keynote speaker Nicole Dubé, a former CBC morning show host.

“The funds raised at the gala help ensure that we can keep our doors open, respond to crisis calls, and offer not just an emergency shelter but ongoing support,” says Fast.

Last year alone, Agape House registered 2,100 overnight stays by adult clients, and another 1,300 overnight stays by children. These clients all needed a safe place to get away from a violent situation.

The centre also responded to nearly 1,500 crisis calls.

“These aren’t just numbers. They represent real people in our communities that are needing safety and support.”

But Agape House is about far more than providing a warm bed and a meal. The nonprofit offers wraparound services to ensure that every client is taken care of in a holistic way.

From the time of their arrival at Agape House, the client is provided with a professional counsellor. That counsellor stays with them throughout their stay and continues to offer support after they’ve moved on.

Agape House also provides a community closet where clients can obtain clothing for themselves and their kids while they’re away from their home environment.

Thanks to annual provincial funding through the Department of Family Services, Agape House is able to provide a tangible place for clients to shelter until they get things sorted.

The organization relies completely on donations for the balance of the important services they provide.

Funds raised through events like the gala allow them to develop educational resources for the communities they serve. Those resources go a long way towards creating awareness, abuse prevention, and empowerment for women in abusive situations.

If all goes well, gala donations will reach somewhere around $20,000 this year. Agape House’s catchment is not small one, running from Beausejour to the U.S. border and Winkler to the Ontario border. On occasion, Agape House also provides shelter for clients coming from outside the catchment area when their home community feels unsafe. They’ve seen clients from out of province and even south of the border.