In January 2012, family, friends and community came together to establish a fund, in memory of Jessica Martel, a young mom murdered by her spouse on April 29, 2009. Co-founded by Lynne Rosychuk, Jessica’s mother, the Jessica Martel Memorial Foundation (JMMF) set out to raise money to address a nation-wide shortage of emergency shelter beds. Soon after they set to work, community members living in dire circumstances reached out for immediate support. To meet the growing needs, the JMMF developed Outreach and Education programs to increase safety and supports for individuals and families navigating abuse. By September 2018, we broke ground on Jessie’s House, the Sturgeon Region’s first emergency shelter, on land gifted by the Town of Morinville. 

Jessie’s House, a 35-bed emergency shelter opened to serve the community on May 19, 2020. Proudly funded almost exclusively through fundraising, corporate donations and individual gifts, it is the first new emergency shelter build to be undertaken in Alberta in 22 years and is only one of a handful of Canadian emergency shelters serving individuals of any age or gender, and large families. 

More than just a bed, Jessie’s House provides a broad range of services including family violence outreach, case management and court support.  Built to accommodate even the largest families, we are committed to providing specialized supports for children who’ve lived through the trauma of abuse.  As a trauma-informed shelter, we meet residents where they are, reducing as many barriers to support as possible.   Our person-centred approach promotes healing and empowers individuals to break free from domestic abuse, permanently.