Michael Young’s only desire was to find a unique way to honour the memory of his beloved mother Toto by asking friends and relatives to make donations in her name to Canada’s oldest shelter for abused women and their children. Little did he know it was just the first step on what he calls the most rewarding journey of his life. “It’s been the most emotionally gratifying thing I’ve ever done,” Young, 58, says. Last winter Young agreed to take on the role of Chair of Interval House’s Capital Campaign aimed at raising $5 million to build a new and improved home for the shelter. Young says his involvement was galvanized by his initial exposure to Interval House, which introduced him to an organization that for three decades has succeeded on a shoestring budget in being a solace for women and children in desperate need. “I had no knowledge of Interval House before my mother passed away.”

But when Toto Young, 95, died of a long life in late 2001, Young and his brother David and their sister Shelagh were looking for a charity that would strike a chord with their mother. Playwright David Young had been a regular contributor to Interval House and the brothers agreed the shelter’s work would have resonated with their mother. “She was an orphan. She came to Canada alone at 17. A lot of the struggles women faced were embodied in my mom,” Michael Young says.

He went to visit Interval House for the first time last January after he was invited by staff members who were curious about the flurry of donations they were receiving in the name of the deceased Toto Young. “I listened to the story of Interval House’s history and everything I heard and saw persuaded me to get more involved. It’s an enormously compelling story.” Young, a successful real estate executive, who has never forgotten his humble beginnings, says the goals of Interval House quickly captured both his head and his heart. “With my business head, I listened to how many years they’ve been in continuous operation, never operating in a deficit. I saw a highly focused, results-driven program and process.” The other side of Young’s brain saw the real difference Interval House was making in the lives of women in need. “For some of the women it’s life-changing.” Although Young has never led a fundraising campaign, he decided to jump in with both feet and bring along as many as his friends and colleagues as possible to join in a partnership with Interval House.

“(Violence against women) is not an issue that just women need to solve. This is an issue that is every bit about men and families. “Everyone is aware of the problem. Everyone is aware the need is way underserved. There is no secret it’s a significant issue,” Young says. But he says many people are not aware of how they can get involved in supporting those helping women flee abuse. “You can be involved in the creation of a miracle,” Young says.

Young says he has been extremely gratified at how everyone who has toured Interval House has stepped up to the plate in some way and offered to lend a hand. Most are inspired by the stories of women striving to overcome great obstacles. “You hear the story of people walking in there with a green plastic bag full of stuff. You hear about the life-changing stories. You hear about what happens when someone finds a safe passage at a place like Interval House.” Young says he has also been struck by the creative ideas people have come up with to support Interval House in its goal to create a new safe haven for women and children.

But Young said the enthusiastic response is a testament to the dedication of staff and volunteers over the last three decades in building Interval House into such vital organization. “What I have been doing in the last year, couldn’t have been contemplated if the hard work hadn’t been done over the last 32 years. The place and the people are both very engaging.” “The people at Interval House have great integrity and energy and they’ve created a huge tail wind for the Capital Campaign,” Young says.

He doesn’t foresee his relationship with Interval House ending even after the new shelter becomes a reality. “I’ll help out Interval House in any way I can. I’ve had 90 meetings on Interval House in the last 12 months. It’s a priority for me. You can’t do this in what spare time you have left from everything else.” Young says everyone involved in Interval House and the Capital Campaign has a high level of commitment. “We’re serious and we’re going to get this done.” At the end of the day, Young says his involvement with Interval House continues to revolve around honouring his mother’s memory. “I couldn’t be this involved in something that didn’t resonate with me emotionally,” he says.