A community group on the Bonavista Peninsula is one step closer to setting up a local women’s shelter.

The SaltWater Community Association has been pushing for months to bring the service to the area where, as it stands, women fleeing domestic violence situations have to travel hundreds of kilometres to St. John’s, Marystown, Gander or Corner Brook for safe haven.

Thursday evening the group is hoping to raise $50,000 through a telethon — and the effort is getting some high-profile help.

Actor and director Ben Stiller, who is floating throughout the Bonavista Peninsula this month filming the Apple TV+ show Severance, spoke about the situation in a video message posted online on Sunday in which he called on people to help support the shelter plan.