The Rowan House Emergency Shelter is continually working to serve women and children in the Foothills.

November is family violence prevention month and the Rowan House has a number of initiatives taking place to raise awareness.

The Southern Alberta Law Office in Okotoks is accepting donation items for the shelter and Okotoks and High River Sobeys are running a till donation campaign.

Sherrie Botten, Executive Director of the Rowan House, says the need for shelters like the Rowan House in Alberta is high.

"In one day in November, there are 42 shelters included in this count, 5,259 women and just under 5,000 children were accommodated in women's shelters in Alberta just in one day."

Botten says in that same day over 9,000 women and over 9,500 children couldn't be accommodated because there wasn't enough space.

According to Botten, there's a key point to focus on in combating violence.

"Besides the sheltering part of course we do many things out in the community as well because we believe that prevention is how we're going to make a difference," she says. "It's only through prevention that we're going to ultimately end family violence."

For a list of donation items the Rowan House is need of, click here.