Dear friends,
We are all dealing with a lot right now. Trying to keep our families safe from COVID-19; managing childcare and virtual schooling on top of our jobs; trying to make sense of and take action against police brutality and racist violence.
Can you imagine…
…being quarantined with an abusive partner, on top of everything else?
…calling into a peer support group from your closet, so your abuser can’t hear?
…trying to find a safe place to take your children in the midst of this global pandemic?
For our clients, COVID-19 has taken “survival” to a whole new level.
Danika has been at home with her abusive fiancée since she got laid off in June. She used to be able to avoid his rages by heading to a friend’s house, but now she has nowhere to go. Danika calls her WIT counselor from her car to strategize about how to stay safe. She’s preparing to file for a Protection From Abuse Order, which will force her fiancée to move out. Our counselors are meeting our clients where they are.
Our clients feel isolated even in the best of times; COVID has made people feel more alone than ever. But lately, attendance for our virtual peer support groups has been record-breaking. We are creating space for clients to process, celebrate, and build community. This is the work that we do every day.
The need for our services has not gone away — in fact, it has grown. With the state budget so uncertain, we are relying on donors like you to keep us going through the end of the pandemic. In this time of uncertainty, your support ensures that survivors like Danika have somewhere to turn. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Corinne Lagermasini,
Executive Director