Donation helps women’s society’s plans to open daycare

The Yellowknife Women’s Society, set to open a daycare, received a big boost to its plans from charitable group 100 Men Who Give a Damn this week.

The society was chosen to receive at least $10,000 from the group, which sees 100 or more local men donate $100 each to a good cause selected at each of its meetings.

The new daycare will include an outdoor play space, to be funded in part through this week’s donation.

“It’s been really helpful to think outside the box of government funding,” said Bree Denning, executive director of the Yellowknife Women’s Society.

“We are hoping to have the playground built by the fall, before the snow hits the ground.”

Garrett Hinchey, co-founder of 100 Men Who Give a Damn, told Cabin Radio: “It’s really great to provide a significant impact.”

Hinchey added: “We’re always looking for more people to kind-of keep that number up nice and high, right? Because the more people we have, the more money we can give.”

The women’s society hopes its daycare will fill a gap created by the closure of Kids Corner last fall.

Separately, the society is working on plans to transform Yellowknife’s Arnica Inn into transitional housing – and a new base for its operations.