Groundbreaking Housing Initiative for Young Women Announced by Safe Haven and Dolce Real Estate Ahead of International Women’s Day
(Calgary, Alta. – March 5, 2026) Ahead of International Women’s Day, Safe Haven Foundation of Canada, in partnership with Dolce Real Estate, is announcing a first-of-its-kind housing initiative, Haven’s Rise. The program is designed to help young women without traditional family financial support break the rental cycle and move toward home ownership. In Canada, 41% of first-time homeowners rely on gifted down payments to enter the housing market. Until now, young women without access to parental wealth have largely been excluded from that pathway. Traditional mortgage structures assume access to family support. Gifted down payments are typically recognized only when provided by parents or immediate relatives. For young women who have experienced family breakdown, violence or homelessness, that safety net does not exist. The result is a structural barrier to ownership and long-term financial security. Haven’s Rise challenges the inequity. The initiative reimagines who gets access to capital by formalizing what has historically been reserved for those with generational wealth, a gifted downpayment. Media are invited to join us at Safe Haven’s Community Hub (2016 27 Ave SW) on March 5 at 10:00 a.m. to learn more. The announcement marks the first major milestone in Safe Haven’s 30 anniversary year, which will include events and community activations throughout 2026, including Pearls and Prosecco Rooftop White Party on May 29 and Pearls of Tide Gala on October 3, marking a year-long campaign Calgarians are invited to participate in. RSVP to Kristina Wheeler at kristina@parkerpr.ca.
Current down payment rules typically recognize financial support only from parents or close blood relatives, excluding the mentors, caregivers and chosen family members who often provide critical support. As a result, women without traditional family backing are disproportionately locked into long-term renting, with limited pathways to build stability or assets. Safe Haven Foundation of Canada and Dolce Real Estate have partnered to address this gap by creating Haven’s Rise. The initiative combines financial education, coordinated down payment support and professional guidance to help participants move from renting into secure, long-term home ownership.
Grounded in Safe Haven’s wraparound care model, the program positions housing stability as a foundational element of safety, independence and wellbeing. For 30 years, Safe Haven has provided supportive housing, coaching and programming to ensure participants develop the life skills, wellness tools, education and employment pathways to be successful. Now they can offer support for the next step of housing. Participants are supported to save money for home , gain financial literacy, have regular financial check-ins and, when they are ready, apply for downpayment funds through the partnership with Dolce. The Dolce Real Estate team contributes a portion of every home sale to a dedicated Haven’s Rise Down Payment Fund. These funds are accumulated and structured as gifted down payments for qualified participants.
Education is a core part of Haven’s Rise. Before anyone buys a home, they receive practical preparation, including how to budget for maintenance, build emergency savings, plan for unexpected expenses and understand the real responsibilities of ownership. Support continues after purchase to help ensure long-term stability.
One critical piece of making this program possible was finding a lender willing to accept the down payment as a legitimate gift. Until this program, banks would only recognize gifted funds from immediate family members. A lender who understands that community-backed support should count too is needed and has been identified. That step recognizes what these young women have already built. They are doing the work. They are qualifying on their own strength. This simply ensures their hard work is supported and allows them to move forward with confidence into homeownership.
Financial education is a core component of the program. Participants receive practical training on budgeting, mortgages and the responsibilities of home ownership, building confidence and long-term financial literacy. The program also emphasizes preparation for long-term success, supporting participants to sustain their investment and build stability over time.
“For me, this is about women empowering women,” says Alicia Ryan, Founder, Dolce Real Estate. “Access to homeownership can change everything about the choices a woman gets to make and the independence she gets to claim. Haven’s Rise is about backing young women who have already proven their resilience and determination, and helping them break cycles that were never meant to define them. When a woman becomes a homeowner, she doesn’t just change her own future, she shifts what’s possible for the next generation.”
Haven’s Rise exemplifies what happens when organizations identify gaps and work together to address them.
“Haven’s Rise represents a profound evolution of Safe Haven’s wraparound model – it is the ultimate cycle breaker,” says Krystyna Lloyd, CEO of Safe Haven. “For 30 years, we have helped young women find safety, stability and education. Now we are going further — maximizing opportunity and supporting futures where young women with lived experience and resilience become asset owners, decision makers and leaders in our community. When we elevate women who have overcome adversity into positions of financial independence and ownership, we strengthen our entire community. Empowering women in this way doesn’t just change individual lives – it reshapes communities.”
The announcement kicks off Safe Haven’s 30th anniversary year, which will include events and initiatives throughout 2026 highlighting three decades of service, advocacy and innovation. The 30 Anniversary campaign is a year-long celebration of impact and a movement whereby the Calgary community is invited to invest in the next generation of women leaders. To get involved, Calgarians can attend anniversary events, donate to Safe Haven via their website and amplify the 30 anniversary campaign on social media.
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For Media Inquiries, Please Contact
Kristina Wheeler, PARKER PR
kristina@parkerpr.ca 403-819-0732
Sierra Beaulieau, PARKER PR
sierra@parkerpr.ca 250-864-4952
About Safe Haven Foundation:
Established in 1996, Safe Haven Foundation of Canada was born from one couple’s personal mission to develop a program dedicated to keeping homeless and at-risk teenage girls safe, off the streets and in school. An extensive study confirmed the need for a comprehensive program that provided a long-term home and all the necessary supports for girls who would otherwise be calling the streets ‘home.’
