A dedicated volunteer, Esther Braden has been a strong advocate for informed and enlightened social policy to protect some of the most vulnerable members of society. While president of the YWCA in Yellowknife, she expanded its services to include a shelter for battered women and their children. As a director of the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, she safeguarded the health, welfare and rights of senior citizens. Recognizing that education is the cornerstone of abuse prevention, she initiated workshops, developed public service announcements and established a seniors' information line, the first service of its kind to be offered in the region.