DONATEEMPOWERING CARE PROGRAM
The Empowering Care Program (ECP) offers one-time, direct support to women* and gender-diverse individuals facing urgent needs due to gender-based violence, systemic racism, and other institutional barriers.
ECP provides immediate relief to help meet emergency needs, enhance safety and well-being, and reduce barriers to support.
Our support is personalized and unconditional, recognizing that people are best placed to decide what they need to rebuild their lives with dignity, safety, choice, and independence.
The Empowering Care Program (ECP) is a one-time, case-by-case humanitarian relief initiative that provides direct assistance to women* and gender-diverse individuals facing urgent basic needs. Designed for those affected by gender-based violence, systemic racism, and institutional barriers, the program helps restore safety, dignity, and agency by reducing obstacles to support and enabling individuals to rebuild their lives on their own terms.
Rooted in trauma-informed and anti-oppressive care, ECP centres community voices and rights, and promotes gender equity through resource redistribution and advocacy. It aims to offer immediate relief to help cover essential living costs, foster a sense of stability, and invest in each participant’s well-being.
Our approach is personalized and community-led. We believe that people are the experts of their own lives, which is why we provide support without conditions and honour each person’s self-determination.
Priority is given to individuals from our key communities, such as Black, Indigenous, and racialized women and gender-diverse people experiencing abuse, violence, housing instability, income inequality, immigration challenges, or limited access to essential services.
All applications are reviewed by our program team and assessed based on eligibility factors like urgency, need, and overall circumstances. Please note that support is limited, and not all eligible applicants can be accepted as participants. We encourage you to review the program policy to determine your eligibility.
To view the program policy, click here.
Contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone or Text: 647-503-4663
Please note: This program currently has a waitlist, and submitting an application does not guarantee support. While GOOD TO BE GOOD is actively working to expand financial resources, we are only able to support a limited number of applicants at this time. Please also note that financial assistance is not available to applicants who have stable income and access to safe, adequate housing.
All completed applications are carefully reviewed by our program team. If we are unable to offer support during the current round, your application will be placed on our waitlist for future emergency and relief funding.
We encourage you to visit our Resources webpage for additional support options while you wait. As our capacity grows, we aim to reach and assist more community members through this program.
MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS PROGRAM
Through the Empowering Care Program, we provide access to free, clean, safe, and culturally appropriate menstrual products for people with high needs in our priority communities. This initiative helps ensure that individuals who have been denied equitable access have the resources they need to take part in essential activities without facing barriers or exclusion.
This program provides access to reusable and sustainable hygiene products to help reduce ongoing costs and support comfort, dignity, and everyday well-being.
Program’s Priority Community:
– Black Women, Indigenous Women, Women of Colour, Racialized, Transgender, Non-binary, 2-spirit, and gender-expansive community members who menstruate;
– Low-income individuals who are over 18 years of age, if not parents or guardians can apply on behalf of their child who menstruates.
– Residing in Canada
The service operates on a need-to-need basis without heavy administration or policing of bodies and needs.
To connect about this program, please email our team at [email protected].
GENERAL HELPFUL INFORMATION
At GOOD TO BE GOOD, we are committed to supporting those most impacted by systemic inequities. As an equity-driven nonprofit, we prioritize women, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals from historically marginalized, underserved, and under-resourced communities. This includes people who identify as Indigenous, Black, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, survivors of violence, newcomers, refugees, immigrants, low-income, provisionally housed, unemployed or underemployed, living with disabilities, and others facing intersecting barriers to safety, well-being, and opportunity.
Our priority community encompasses those who experience systemic exclusion from full participation in economic, social, cultural, and political life—often due to real or perceived identity. We recognize that marginalization can occur at the individual, community, and institutional levels and are committed to addressing these layered inequities through trauma-informed, intersectional, and accessible support.
We work to ensure equitable access to our services by identifying barriers to participation, providing reasonable accommodations, and grounding our decisions in disaggregated data and community-led insight. In all that we do, we strive to create safer, inclusive spaces where diverse voices are respected and valued—and where dignity, autonomy, and human rights are upheld.
Who do we serve?
Our programs and services are open to women, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals over 18 years old and are from communities that have been marginalized or underserved in Canada. Each program or initiative may have its own focus and specific eligibility, but all are rooted in our mission and vision.
Is there a cost?
Thanks to the solidarity of our partners and supporters, GTBG programs and services are offered at no cost to eligible participants. Some programs are funded for a limited time or have a capped number of participants.
We recommend signing up early and checking program pages for availability. If space is full, you can join a waitlist or be contacted about future cohorts.
We are intentional about the language we use. On our website and in our program materials, we use terms like “women*” or “women and gender-diverse people*” as inclusive umbrella terms. These words are meant to encompass a wide range of identities, including but not limited to: Two-Spirit, gender non-conforming, genderqueer, trans, cis, femmes, non-binary individuals, gender-diverse people, and people of marginalized genders who identify with the term.
We understand that gender is not homogenous, fixed, or defined by biology. When brevity is necessary, we may use these broader terms to refer to the communities prioritized in our work—but always with care and the intention to be as inclusive as possible.
We also use the terms “marginalization” or “marginalized” to refer to the systemic inequities faced by individuals and groups due to social, cultural, economic, and political power imbalances. We recognize that marginalization is intersectional, meaning people can experience multiple and overlapping forms of oppression based on their identities and lived experiences.
Using thoughtful, inclusive language is one of the many ways we aim to reflect the communities we serve, and we remain open to learning and evolving as language shifts over time.
We are committed to creating accessible, inclusive, and welcoming environments for all team and community members. Across all areas of our work, we aim to reduce barriers and provide reasonable accommodations or adjustments as needed to ensure meaningful participation.
Closed captioning is available for all online programs, meetings, and internal and external webinars. We also offer technical assistance and tailored support to meet specific access needs—including for community members who identify as neurodiverse—so that everyone can engage in ways that feel safe, supported, and affirming.
Our accessibility efforts are ongoing. We continuously assess and improve the physical, virtual, and learning accessibility of our programs through community feedback, reflective practice, consultative partnerships, and shared learning. We proudly uphold the standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and align our efforts with guidance from the Ontario Human Rights Commission wherever possible.
If you are accessing our services or participating in our programs, we encourage you to let us know how we can better support your access needs. Your feedback helps us grow and do better—together.
We aim to make accessing our programs and services as welcoming, respectful, and low-barrier as possible.
If you're new to our programs, the first step is completing a confidential intake or sign-up form—specific to each service. You can find instructions for starting the intake process directly on each program’s webpage or by reaching out to our team for support.
We collect only the information needed to provide you with safe, affirming, and appropriate support—such as your name, gender, country, and date of birth. We do not collect biometric data or information from minors. All personal information is handled with care, stored securely, and shared only with essential team members in accordance with our privacy policy. You may request to update or delete your information at any time.
To foster a safer and more inclusive experience, each of our programs has its own participation guidelines or code of conduct. By engaging with our services, you agree to uphold these values. We reserve the right to revise these guidelines as needed to protect our community.
We recognize that formal processes can sometimes be a barrier. That’s why we’re committed to reducing repeated intake requirements, expanding eligibility, and offering alternative verification methods—including video or verbal options—when needed. We do our best to meet community members where they are.
All services are confidential, within the limits of the law. Outside of a closed program, no one will know you’ve accessed support unless you choose to tell them or give us your consent.
If you have questions or need assistance with intake, accommodations, or access, we’re here—just contact us at [email protected] or 647-503-4663.
Each program page includes clear steps to help you get started. You may be asked to:
Complete a short intake or sign-up form depending on the program requested.
Contact our team to schedule a conversation.
Join an info session to learn more about the program.
- Join an intake call so our team can learn more about your needs and goals.
Need support getting started? Contact our main lines: [email protected] or call us at 647-503-4663.
When and how do programs run?
Programs are offered in online, in-person, and hybrid formats. Each program listing shares:
Session format (Zoom, in-person, etc.)
Upcoming start dates or registration periods
Expected time commitment (e.g., weekly sessions, drop-ins)
Please check individual program pages for specific details or reach out to us if you need flexibility or clarity.
When processing and handling information for a program or service, we uphold consent and adhere to applicable laws and regulations
We aim to uphold the right to free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples in Canada accessing our programs and services and when we take actions which impact them and their rights, including their lands, territories and resources.
At GOOD TO BE GOOD, we are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of everyone who engages with our programs and services—whether online or in person.
All of our online programs, workshops, peer support groups, and community sessions are delivered via Zoom, a secure video conferencing platform. We take every precaution to ensure these virtual spaces are safe, respectful, and accessible. Zoom is compliant with relevant federal and provincial privacy laws, including PIPEDA (Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act), PHIPA (Personal Health Information Protection Act), and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) where applicable.
Any information shared during sessions is kept confidential within the limits of the law. Our team is trained in trauma-informed and privacy-respecting practices to ensure that your participation is treated with the dignity, care, and discretion it deserves.
If you have any questions about your privacy, participation options, or how we handle data during virtual programming, we encourage you to reach out. Your trust and safety are central to everything we do.
Your safety and privacy matter.
All of our programs are confidential, within the limits of the law. We never share your information without your consent.
We also have community agreements and participation guidelines in place to ensure that everyone is treated with care and respect.
We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information.
When you visit our website, you can browse freely without being asked to share personal or health information. In cases where we do need to collect information—such as when you apply for a program or service—we only ask for what’s absolutely necessary.
Any time we collect personal information through our website, you’ll see a clear privacy notice explaining why the information is needed and who to contact if you have questions. We follow all applicable privacy laws and take steps to ensure your information is secure and used responsibly.
If you have any concerns about your privacy while using our website, please feel free to reach out to us.
View our Web Privacy Policy here.
Your safety and security are a top priority at GOOD TO BE GOOD. We take your trust seriously and are committed to protecting our community from misinformation, scams, and unauthorized contact.
Our team will only communicate with you through verified channels—such as our official email addresses (ending in @goodtobegood.ca), our website, phone line, and trusted partner platforms. You may also hear from us through our verified social media accounts.
If you ever receive a suspicious message, email, text, phone call, or social media request claiming to be from GOOD TO BE GOOD, and you're unsure of its legitimacy, do not respond or click any links. Instead, contact us directly at [email protected] to confirm.
To help keep your information secure:
Always verify the identity of the sender before sharing personal details.
Refer to our website for a current list of staff and contact information.
Hover over links before clicking to preview the destination.
Avoid opening attachments or links from unknown or unsolicited emails, texts, or social media accounts.
When in doubt, reach out—we’re here to help ensure your interaction with us is safe and trusted.
View our Web Privacy Policy here.
If you have ideas or suggestions for our programs and services, or feedback on your experience with any components of the organization or this website, email [email protected] or call 647-503-4663. We welcome your comments, concerns, and suggestions.
To submit a formal complaint or compliment, download the General Complaints Policy (opens in new window) and follow the steps accordingly.
Need other kinds of support? If you need help that’s outside the scope of our programs or outside of what we can provide at this time, we have a Resources page with links to:
Emergency shelters and crisis services
Legal, health, and mental health supports
Culturally specific community organizations
You can also join our Peer Support Services for personalized referrals and support.