Sampling of Hope
Only 4 weeks until our inaugural Sampling of Hope event for Safehouse Denver! A lot of team energy has gone into putting this event together. Our tireless leader Shannon (Annual Giving and Events Manager) has worked her tail off. I serve on another committee and when they told us about the new event, I got excited. Anything to raise funds for our Extended Stay program. I love volunteering for causes which are part of my life journey.
Let me tell you about Anna. She was a career woman I met while in shelter that couldn’t get away from her controlling boyfriend. Anna was sweet and motherly to the rest of us since she was in her 50’s. We would go shopping together at the thrift store (it supported the shelter), participated in group therapy and hung out in the common areas. It was nice to meet such different women. Anna ended up in the Extended Stay program at Genesis. She couldn’t go back to her apartment and didn’t have anywhere else to stay in Dallas. She applied to the program and got to stay another 60 days. Extended Stay programs are for women and children who have nowhere to go after their 30 day shelter stay is up. It was wonderful to see her safe and with a roof over her head. Anna eventually moved back to New York City, where she was from, and found a job. It made me so happy to receive her letter letting me know she was okay.
Anna ended up not being a statistic because she had somewhere to stay. On average, a woman will leave an abusive relationship seven times before she leaves for good. I was lucky and so was Anna that it only took one time to leave. Help us give shelter to these women by registering here: http://bit.ly/1KjNl06
Let’s end Domestic Violence.