We cannot provide critical crisis services without your support!

Dear Friend,

What would you do if a family friend called out of the blue asking if she and her children could stay with you for a while? Perhaps you know she is trying to flee an abusive marriage. Perhaps you know she is undocumented, and her husband has prevented her from going to her asylum interviews. Perhaps you know he is ruthless and will come looking for her and her children. What decision do you make? Where do you even start?

Today I want to tell you about Marie. Marie came to the US from Guatemala with her husband and two of her children. Her husband was often abusive, and recently, after a fierce argument with her husband, Marie was knocked unconscious. Her 10-year-old son found her and called the police. It was then that Marie knew she had to leave. “I don’t want my children to grow up in violence. This wasn’t the first time and won’t be the last time.” Marie reached out to the only person she knew she could trust, her dearest friend, Lyla.

Lyla opened her home, and Marie and her children moved into a small bedroom. Shortly thereafter, Marie called SAVE. Our advocates helped to assess her needs —did her family need food? Clothing? Assistance filing for a restraining order? Leaving an abusive partner is complex, and systems intended to help are often intimidating. Survivors face countless barriers when they are initially leaving, and SAVE is here to help. From educating Marie on what resources were available to her, helping her fill out applications, and providing assistance with transportation to get to appointments, SAVE has been with Marie every step of the way.

Not all survivors are fortunate enough to have support from friends or family when they are fleeing danger, and SAVE provides critical safety net services to assist. Last year SAVE provided shelter to 98 women and children and an additional 757 nights in motels for survivors who had nowhere safe to stay. We provided more than 1,200 counseling sessions to help survivors heal from the trauma of intimate partner abuse. We also responded to more than 1,700 crisis calls — callers like Marie. At SAVE, we understand that every survivor’s story is unique, and every survivor has the right to be heard and advocated for. I am proud to say that thanks to the incredible work of our staff and volunteers, 1,265 survivors were able to access critical services to escape violence.

Marie’s journey is just beginning. Today her children are free from the threat of violence from an abusive father. She is currently looking for work that will allow her to afford a place of her own. While Marie’s story is unique, it has themes that are all too common — homelessness challenges, navigating the legal system, difficulties connecting to mainstream support services, difficulties finding living-wage employment, and affordable housing. SAVE continues to stand with Marie as she rebuilds her life.

We cannot provide these critical crisis services without your support. Donors like you make it possible for a mom like Marie to create a new life for her and her children. You are making an impact — lifting survivors from emotional, mental, and physical trauma. You can give hope where it was lacking before.

I hope you will choose to support our mission this year and help us in ending intimate partner violence.

With deep gratitude,

Jennifer Dow Rowell, MBA, CFRE

Executive Director