Street Haven at the Crossroads
Making Help More Accessible.
Overview
Street Haven offers pathways for women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness through a variety of integrated services. Having worked with the organization on social campaigns and outreach, I saw an opportunity to redesign their website to better serve their core audiences. While the site should clearly communicate available programs to women seeking support, the primary goal is to convert visitors into donors—Street Haven relies heavily on donations to operate. Since most women access services through referrals from social workers or the court system, focusing the site on donor engagement was both strategic and appropriate, while still ensuring program information remains accessible.
That being said, the main goals of the redesign were to modernize the organization’s web presence, improve clarity and accessibility of information, and create a site that effectively drives donations through clear, well-placed calls to action.
Services
- Web Design
- User Experience
Personality
- Compassionate
- Approachable
- Warm
Typefaces
- Grenette
- Polymath
Completed
- April 2025
Process
Analyzing the current website.
The original Street Haven website presented several challenges that limited its effectiveness. Much of the content was outdated, including past newsletters and event listings, which risked making the site feel neglected. The homepage didn’t clearly communicate the organization’s mission or value, making it harder for visitors to understand what Street Haven offers.
Website re-design
Defining the mission up front.
The redesigned Street Haven website opens with a clear value proposition and dual calls-to-action—one for donors and one for women seeking support—immediately guiding users based on their needs.
Trust indicators are introduced early, including a recent award and impactful statistics on program outcomes, helping to build credibility and engagement. As users scroll, they encounter an overview of services, followed by personal success stories that both humanize the organization's impact and serve as further validation for potential donors and clients alike.
"The Issue" section explores the unique challenges that unhoused and housing insecure women face in Toronto.
Website re-design
Key program pages were completely restructured to present information in a clear, digestible way, making services easier to understand and access. The site also incorporates a careful mix of Street Haven’s own photos and sensitively chosen stock imagery—avoiding clichés or reductive visuals around issues like addiction and homelessness.
A newly added section explores the unique challenges of homelessness for women in Toronto, providing essential context for donors and reinforcing the urgency of support through education and storytelling. Altogether, the redesign aims to feel compassionate, human-centered, and mission-driven—while also being strategic and effective at driving support.
