‘Important aspect of a woman’s healing journey’: Saskatoon YWCA’s Auntie Suite receives Cree name

United Way Saskatoon and Area announced the Cree naming of the ‘Auntie Suite’ in YWCA Saskatoon’s Hopeful Heart’s program.

The name - Iskwêw Otêh - was revealed Friday during a ceremony at the new facility.

“This space will be home to respected members of the Indigenous community, and many of the women supported by the program are Indigenous,” said Gary Beaudin, United Way director of community impact and strategic partnerships.

“Taking the time and care to properly name the space was important to us.”

Iskwêw Otêh, meaning “a woman’s heart,” was identified by Mary Lee, a local nêhiyawak elder and knowledge keeper, through a traditional process.

“Providing opportunities for connecting and interacting with culture and tradition can be a critical factor in a woman’s path to recovery,” said Cara Bahr, CEO of YWCA Saskatoon.

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In 2024, United Way invested $100,000 into the YWCA Saskatoon Hope Lives Here campaign to support the naming of the suite, which is reserved for a live-in elder or knowledge keeper who’s available to provide cultural guidance and comfort to women living in the new transitional housing wing.

“We thank United Way for their support as we provide space and programming for this important aspect of a woman’s healing journey,” added Bahr.

YWCA Saskatoon opened the Hopeful Hearts transitional housing wing in April. The expansion adds 75-beds, across 35 second-stage housing units, to the existing facility — providing more long-term housing for women and children.