You can also choose to apply your donation to a specific fund.

General Donations

By donating to Cowichan Women Against Violence (CWAV) Society you are helping people impacted by violence re-build their lives. Our core funding is not enough to fully fund our programs. Your donation adds to what we can do. 

CWAV Building Fund, Safe Housing for Women and Kids

We are raising money to build twenty "second-stage" or supportive housing apartments for women and families leaving abusive situations. 

Children Who Witness Abuse (CWWA) Programming

CWWA provides one-to-one and group counselling to children (3-18) who have been hurt and/or who have seen their moms hurt by an abusive partner or spouse. It gives a safe space for young people to talk about the troubles in their families. Our CWWA program is only funded for 15 hours and the society uses donations to provide another 5 hours a week. Your support to this program means we can continue to see more kids.

Shelter Enhancement Fund (Somenos House)

Somenos House, our place of rest, provides temporary accommodation for women and kids who are in immediate danger from violence. It's an older home that needs constant repair and maintenance. This fund allows us to keep the house in great shape and to upgrade it as needed. Occasionally, this fund helps us provide extra supports to enhance the safety and comfort of our residents.

By donating to Cowichan Women Against Violence (CWAV) Society you are helping people impacted by violence re-build their lives. Our core funding is not enough to fully fund our programs. Your donation adds to what we can do. 

Jane Sterk became Executive Director of Cowichan Women Against Violence Society on January 1^st 2014. Sterk has a Ph.D. in Counselling Psychology. She spent the years between 2003 and 2013 in politics, six years as leader of the Green Party of BC. Jane has extensive background in education, health care, business and organizational development.

Jane’s work in the public sector included consulting to non-profit organizations in the health, education and social service sectors on team building, case consultation and creating healthy work places. She offered training and continuing education courses in communication, consultation and counselling skills and improving self esteem.

Jane co-owned a retail business for 10 years, which created 60 full-time jobs. She served on the founding Board of the Alberta Women’s Enterprise Initiative. She conducted courses in for aspiring women entrepreneurs in how to plan and run a successful and profitable business. 

Jane served one term on Esquimalt Municipal Council. She led the Green Party of BC from Late October 2007 to August 2013. She ran in the 2005, 2009 and 2013 provincial elections and the 2004 federal election.

From 2006 to 2009, Jane taught the Business Environment course for the Bachelor of Business Administration program and Business Environment and Organizational Behaviour courses for the MBA program at University Canada West.

Jane crewed from New Zealand to Australia (1997) and South Africa to Brazil (1999) on Tethys, an all woman boat. From 1998 to 2001, she and her husband circumnavigated Vancouver Island twice and then sailed to Mexico on their 39-foot sailboat Gaia J.

Jane has been married to her husband John since 1967. She is the mother to grown sons Darryl (Joey Su) and Lindsay (Nicole Burgess) and proud grandmother to Sam and Timothy (Lindsay & Nicole) and Julie Amber Margaret (Darryl & Joey).

Faye is a retired social worker with a Masters degree in social work. She spent the last thirty years of her career working in the area of First Nations child welfare, mostly with Cowichan Tribes but having a few contracts with other First Nations groups as well. She found a good deal of satisfaction in having the opportunity to work with the whole community and being able to have a focus on community development in the context of child welfare.

Over the years, Faye has been involved with a number of non-profit societies in the Cowichan Valley, including service on the boards of Arcadian Day Care Centre and Providence Farm.  For a number of years she has also been on the executives of the local NDP constituency associations.  Aside from these involvements, she loves to sing, read, play Mah Jong and be a political observer. Faye is in her second term on CWAV Society's Board of Directors.  

Patricia is a family law lawyer. She went back to school as a single mom and received her B.A. from Vancouver Island University and her law degree from the University of Victoria.  Prior to returning to school, Patricia was a piano teacher and an organic farmer as well as a barista and a retail worker at a local organic grocery store. 

Patricia loves time with family and friends, music and good books, gardening, swimming in the river and snowboarding with her daughter. She has been involved with CWAV Society Board of Directors since 2008 and served as board chair for four years before moving in to her current position of past chair.

Anne has a long background in community development, including assisting immigrant and women’s outreach programs in Saskatoon, coordinating the Women’s Centre at the University of Victoria, crisis counselling at Somenos Transition House, and organizing music events, artisan fairs, anti-racism workshops, and radio shows.

Believing that the personal is political, she has volunteered on many community action committees (Take Back the Night, Dec 6, International Women’s Day).

An outdoor enthusiast, Anne spends as much time as possible in the garden, hiking, swimming in the river, dancing and building clay creations. She loves to travel and explore new cultures, customs, foods and experiences. She teaches English and Student Study Skills at Vancouver Island University and does program coordination with their Community Extension and Contract Services department.

Anne is pleased to bring her work and life experience to CWAV Society's dynamic board and society. Anne is chair of the board.

Chris Mazur was born in Port Alberni but grew up in Victoria. She attended the University of Victoria and graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Education degree and Note of Distinction.  Chris has lived in the Cowichan Valley and worked for the School District since 1990. 

Known for educational leadership and as an innovative and creative teacher, Chris' passion is fueled by her daughters and the potential of the young people she works with every day. Chris is dedicated to nurturing strong, healthy, happy educated children.  She believes working with families to promote healthy environments for our children is a positive force that can foster progressive social change.

As a parent, teacher and activist, Chris believes the social impacts of violence against women and especially, its negative effects on the children who witness it, is a serious global concern.  

A survivor of domestic violence and aware of the disturbing effects witnessing violence had on her two daughters, Chris was inspired to work for social change. She found solidarity and support with the knowledgeable, compassionate people at CWAVS and decided to pursue the opportunity to work with the dedicated women who seek to change and improve the reality for girls and women.

Chris is honoured to sit as a board member for CWAVS and serves on its Social Action Committee.

Angela is a member of the Cowichan people and is the Community Safety Coordinator, Lands, Governance & Fisheries Department of the Cowichan Tribes.  She has a Bachelor of Social Work. 

Through the years Angela has provided much support to women and children in the aboriginal communities dealing with forms of abuse and trauma.  She finds her strength and joy with her family, youth, elders and prayer.  Angela enjoys taking part in Cultural Ceremonies. She practices Coast Salish Weaving with wool, and cedar. 

Angela was appointed to the CWAV Society's Board of Directors in 2013. She is on the Resource Development Committee.

Cowichan Women Against Violence Society is incorporated as a Society in British Columbia and is a Registered Charitable Organization (#118878339RR0001). CWAVS is governed by a board of dedicated women who provide oversight and who participate in setting the strategic plan for the society. Officers of the society are Chair Anne Hilker, Past Chair Patricia Blair, Vice Chair Brooklyn Mann, Treasurer Talitha Soldera and Secretary Jeanette Kimm. Directors are Faye Griffith,  Chris Mazur and Angela Underwood.