On Dec. 6, 1989, a man walked into a classroom at the École Polytechnique in Montreal armed with a gun and a knife and shot all nine women gathered there, killing six. He then went through nearby hallways and killed eight more women. His motive? Eyewitnesses heard him say he was “fighting feminism.”

Ann Baiden was part of the first graduating class of women’s studies majors at the University of Western Ontario at the time, and was sitting in a women’s studies class when the news of the tragedy broke. That event had a profound impact on the values she continues to hold dear as CEO and founder of Innovatex Solutions (asi/231194) in Richmond Hill, ON, and a member of the committee for Promotional Products Professionals of Canada’s Women’s Empowerment Event.

From left: Ann Baiden, CEO and founder of Innovatex Solutions, walks with Lisa Schurman, account manager, and Susie Goobie, client experience creator and sales manager, in My Shoes Break the Silence fundraising walk benefiting Yellow Brick House, a domestic violence shelter in Ontario.

In October 2020, Baiden and her team began working closely with Yellow Brick House, an Ontario-based organization founded in 1978 that provides shelter and prevention resources for women and children that need to escape abusive relationships.

When asked about their most pressing needs, Yellow Brick House asked for blankets that could be distributed to guests, who often arrive with very few belongings. Innovatex worked with Ecorite (asi/51654) to provide “Comfort Blankets,” made possible by proceeds from sales originating in the distributor’s Made in Canada Catalogue.

Soon after, encouraged by the success of the blanket initiative, Yellow Brick House asked for duffel bags. Often, the meager personal items women are able to take with them when fleeing an abusive relationship are placed in the bags closest at hand.

The Ashbury duffel (BG206) from Spector & Co. (asi/88660) has become Yellow Brick House’s official Confidence Bag thanks to Innovatex and generous end-buyers.

Baiden spoke with contacts at Top 40 supplier Spector & Co. (asi/88660) in Quebec, who were more than happy to provide duffel bags from the company’s Ashbury line. It’s become an ongoing program – for every $1,500 CAD spent in Innovatex’s Made in Canada Catalogue, a Confidence Bag goes to Yellow Brick House. Innovatex was able to donate nearly 200 bags last month based on sales between January and December 2023. In total, they’ve given Yellow Brick House more than 600.

“They mark a new beginning for women and children who are victims of abuse,” says Baiden. “These women and children have left everything behind to get to safety, so the bags provide confidence and symbolize a new start.”

In addition to the Confidence Bags program, a team from Innovatex also participates in Yellow Brick House’s Step in My Shoes Break the Silence fundraising walk and provides tote bags for attendees. Innovatex is also a table sponsor of and provides place setting gifts and raffle prizes for the annual Yellow Brick House Gala.

Innovatex provides place setting gifts and raffle prizes for Yellow Brick House’s annual gala.

“I’ve always looked for ways to increase awareness of violence against women,” she says. “At Innovatex, we believe strongly in supporting women in both business and our community.”