YWCA International Boutique

It started with small events run by women aimed at raising funds to support the YWCA’s “World Service Objectives,” such as an art sale at the North York YWCA in 1964, and an annual card game and bazaar at the Willowdale YWCA in the 1960’s.

These small events grew into more formal sales, selling greeting cards and gift items in a YWCA Toronto program centre. This was the beginning of the YWCA Toronto International Boutique.

In the early 1990’s, the Boutique outgrew its space, and moved into its first storefront.

Throughout the late 1980's and early 1990's, the Boutique and YWCA Toronto together co-hosted panel discussions, public speakers, and exhibitions on world issues including the environment, prejudice and discrimination, women's equity issues, and the importance of fair trade goods. The Boutique has also sup­ported other charitable organizations throughout the years, including UNICEF, Ten Thousand Villages, and Amnesty International, among others.

Proceeds from the Boutique have always gone to support YWCA World international development projects.

Projects that have been funded by the International Boutique in recent years include:

Purchase of a poultry farm at the YWCA Bangladesh that would employ local women, teach farming skills, provide nutritional benefits to the village, and provide a source of income (2007).

Help was also given to build a Women’s Shelter in Honduras (2010).

And in 2016, we helped build a Women’s Empowerment Centre for Iraqi and Syrian refugees in Eastern Amman, Jordan.

We are dedicated to continuing the important work of the International Boutique and its generations of dedicated volunteers, notably Anne Wood and Marcia McKay.

The funds raised by the lnternational Boutique will continue to sponsor and support women-led community programs in developing countries. The International Boutique will be missed, but the spirit of its purpose will live on.

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