In the past seven years, The Panty Schmooze has supported over 15 shelters and organizations by raising funds, collecting donated goods and, most importantly, creating awareness. All of the organizations we have supported do wonderful, necessary work in their communities. Providing counseling, shelter, legal services, and much more.

This year we are working with the Yorktown Shelter for Women and the Assaulted Women’s Helpline.

Yorktown Shelter for Women provides a safe, supportive and healing environment for women and their children leaving an abusive relationship behind. The Shelter is staffed 24 hours a day by a multilingual and multicultural team, and is committed to the well-being and empowerment of women who have suffered abuse. YSW continues to be available to support these women and the healthy development of their children in their time of need. The Shelter offers residents a range of programs to help them regain their self-esteem, independence and reintegrate into the community. To find out more about the Yorktown Shelter for Women, visit their website.

The Assaulted Women’s Helpline provides a 24-hour telephone and TTY service to women who have experienced abuse. A counsellor provides immediate crisis counselling, safety planning, as well as referrals to local agencies and support for the ongoing struggle to name and act against abuse. Counsellors never meet clients face to face – this is a telephone service only. Counsellors use a supportive approach that encourages women to look at their needs, and make their own informed decisions. To find out more about the Assaulted Women’s Helpline, visit their website.

Both of these organizations have been working for a long time in their communities and the Panty Schmooze is pleased to be able to support them in out 8^th Annual event.

The Panty Schmooze is about a lot of things: Having fun with your friends, drinking Pantinis, listening to great live music and gazing at our hunky host but we can’t forget the purpose of the event – to support courageous women who have left abusive situations to start new lives. Panty Schmooze operates on a ‘zero budget’, which means every raffle ticket you buy, every dollar you bid goes directly to the Shelters.

 In addition to the wonderful support we receive at the event, the organizations we partner with are always in need of additional items, such as clothing, linens, dishes, baby supplies – everything you use everyday, that’s what they need!

 Whether you are planning to come and Schmooze with us or not, consider making a donation of items from the Yorktown Family Shelter’s Wishlist. To assist you with any donations you would like to make, we have provided a printable list in PDF format.

Do you have clothes that don’t fit anymore? Do you have gently used baby items that your own child has outgrown? Looking for a new home for that computer you just replaced? The Panty Schmooze will take them!

 To make donations, please call 416-696-2215 to arrange for drop-off. You can make cash donations directly to the Shelter by calling (416) 394-2424 or visiting this link .

It is with great pleasure that The Panty Schmooze team announces that Jully Black and Great Lake Swimmers will be joining us for our 8th annual event. Jully Black will be acting at the Schmooze’s auctioneer for the evening’s live auction – which will include a live, personal performance by Aaron Pritchett, the evening’s host. Great Lake Swimmers will enliven the evening with a performance. A special thank you to Aaron, Jully and GLS for their support of this important event.

The 8th Annual Panty Schmooze takes place on Monday, May 3, 2010 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m at the Hot House Café (35 Church Street, Toronto). Admission is $20 or 10 pairs of new panties. Mark you calendars today, because you won’t want to miss this special evening!

Running on a ‘zero budget’ isn’t easy, which is why our volunteers are so important. Our volunteers are passionate about our cause, dedicated and, well, we couldn’t do it without them. Are you our kind of volunteer? If you are, then don’t hesitate to head to our volunteer page and express your interest!