Closure of Elizabeth Fry Society in Hamilton 'heartbreaking,' says former inmate and volunteer

A Hamilton organization dedicated to providing support for women involved with or in conflict with the justice system will be closing its doors at the end of March.

The Elizabeth Fry Society Southern Ontario Region, formerly the Hamilton Branch, said Monday it was ceasing operations on March 31 due to "concerns about the ongoing viability of the organization."

The organization was established in Hamilton in 1971, at 987 King St. E, as a charitable organization providing help for women that have been recently or are currently incarcerated. It focuses on advocating for prison reform and supporting women at risk of being criminalized. 

The Hamilton branch changed it's name to the Southern Ontario Region in 2014 to reflect the surrounding areas the branch covered. The branch is one of more than 20 across the country. 

"This was a very difficult decision to make and we remain committed to minimizing disruptions of service to our clients and stakeholders," the organization said in a statement posted to Facebook.

'Another resource that people coming out of incarceration don't have'

Emily O'Brien is a former inmate turned business owner, who expanded her popcorn business Comeback Snacks to Hamilton in 2021.

She told CBC Hamilton on Tuesday when she was incarcerated at the Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener, Ont., the Elizabeth Fry Society had given her information about women's rights while in prison and helped inform her where she could ask for help. 

After her release, she developed a strong relationship with the society's Southern Ontario Region team in Hamilton and often volunteered for the group including packing Easter-themed care packages in 2022. 

When she found out about the Southern Ontario Region closure she said, "it felt like somebody just died.

"It's heartbreaking, because it's another resource that people coming out of incarceration don't have," she said. "There's no education being told by the prisons about what your rights are, so often people would get taken advantage of."

O'Brien worries that without the Hamilton branch, women at risk of incarceration or women coming out of prison will lose a precious support system to deal with their trauma. 

"It's gonna be hard, it's gonna be difficult and it's gonna be painful," she said. "But I believe that something new can be created... and something can remain in place so these women have somewhere to go."

The organization said in its statement it is "working closely with the ministry, funders and non-profit service providers in Hamilton to ensure suitable arrangements can be made for women," but specific details were not included.