Dear Womanspace Supporters,
We are living in an unprecedented, frightening moment in time right now. This virus is raising the stakes for domestic violence and sexual assault support services all across the country including ours. We scramble to adapt to a new normal full of restrictions and new directives that shift each day and vary from state to state. Currently, while our Administration and Counseling offices are closed, our Safe House, Transitional Housing and three Hotlines are fully operational and serving our clients. Our Counseling office is providing ongoing counseling via phone and looking into other platforms with which to work with clients confidentially. Clients report a critical need to continue their counseling and we anticipate the demand for service will only increase. Victims of violence are currently isolated in their homes where they are unable to escape the source of their fear during this quarantine. With this concern we make every effort to maintain a connection with clients during these restrictions and when the “Stay at Home” order is lifted we believe our doors will open to that increased demand for service.
With the arrival of the coronavirus, we made the difficult but only safe decision to postpone our biggest fundraising event, the Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award Dinner until October. This postponement creates the potential for a large deficit in this fiscal year. We have unfortunately also heard from some past grantees who are delaying any award process as their own fiscal position becomes unpredictable.
Even with the anticipation of huge deficits in our fiscal outlook, we must continue to serve the vulnerable clients who depend on us, now more than ever. Emergency Services is the largest of our programs and consists of our Safe House and 3 Hotlines all of which are available 24/7, 365 days a year. We have four families currently in our Safe House with six children under the age of ten. We need to be prepared to accommodate a full house at all times, which means another four families could request shelter at any time. The high quality of our program is made possible by committed professional staff who continue to be available for their shifts without hesitation even in this crisis time. They provide food, shelter, case management, counseling and support in a secure environment. Even during this national health crisis, Womanspace rises to every challenge keeping our families safe. The cost of running Emergency Services is $40,000 a month, $65 per person.
Our Transitional Housing Program, Barbara’s House, is also fully functioning around the clock through the crisis with six families working toward self=sufficiency after fleeing a violent home. As they work hard to accomplish goals they are now hit with COVID-19. Three of the moms have lost their job as a result of the coronavirus and with the lags in unemployment they are left struggling. We strive to provide for their ongoing needs, food, and other necessities. Two families were scheduled to move into their own place in the next month. For now, they will be given extensions as their income has been lost. The cost to operate Barbara’s House is $16,000 per month, a cost of $26 per person each day.
Our work is critical to the health and well-being of our clients. We are here 24-7 and that will continue. We hope you will consider supporting Womanspace in our efforts to keep families safe while they work toward a stability that will allow for a future free of violence.
Please stay home, stay safe and help flatten that curve.
Your friends at Womanspace
