Wish Lists 2010
Your monetary gift can help the Women’s Center make wishes come true by making a secure donation online today with a debit or credit card. To make a donation online: click (Wish maker). You can choose to donate once or monthly to make our wishes come true. If for any reason you wish to increase, decrease or suspend your gifts, just call (713) 528-6798 ext. 2230, and we will gladly make the change.
The Houston Area women’s Center would like to make all the following wishes come true. Please make a gift today to help our clients transform their lives…..
Wish Number 1
Abusers often limit survivors’ access to transportation, and will even check the gas gauge to make sure they didn't go anywhere. We provide counseling throughout the Houston area to ensure services are delivered to those who cannot travel to
Our wish … to provide counseling to everyone who needs it, in every neighborhood
Gasoline for one outreach counselor for one month - $100
Wish Number 2
Rape is an act of power and control. Survivors encounter many long-term and lifelong effects. How first responders and healthcare professionals react to and
support survivors during the aftermath of the crime is key to beginning
their emotional and physical healing.
Our wish... to train community members and professionals, through the use of Walking the Walk educational kits, to have empathy and understanding of sexual assault victims while giving them the support they need.
One Walking the Walk training kit - $50
Wish Number 3
Some victims need to leave home immediately to protect themselves and their children, yet the batterer holds the car keys.
Our wish…to provide transportation to every survivor who needs to go to our shelter.
Transporting clients to the shelter for one day - $100
Wish Number 4
If each client staying at the shelter did three loads of laundry per week (a conservative estimate), we would run approximately 9,984 loads and use 5,760 pounds of laundry detergent. That is 1,645 boxes of regular size detergent used in a week.
Our wish... to provide clean sheets, towels, and basic household necessities to make each
client's stay at the shelter comfortable.
Laundry detergent for five days at the shelter - $100
Wish Number 5
We cannot speak out against violence or take hotline calls without our phone system.
Our wish… to maintain a fully functioning phone system that keeps us in contact with
anyone who needs our help.
Phone service for one week at our counseling and education building - $30
Wish Number 6
We could not shed light on the issues of domestic and sexual violence without
Our wish...to never have to worry about paying the utility bills so we can focus
on supporting our clients.
Electricity for the residential quads for one day at the shelter - $65
Wish Number 7
When a child witness/victim testifies in a criminal case, they must often do so without having any family members present in the courtroom.
Our wish…to have a reassuring advocate at the child's side during the trial and testimony.
One day of advocacy in court with a child - $150
Wish Number 8
21.6% of all forcible rapes happen to young girls under the age of 12. At least 3.3 million children witness domestic violence every year in the United States.
Our wish… to educate children about domestic and sexual violence in an age-appropriate, interactive, and non-frightening manner.
Twenty four educational coloring books - $50
Wish Number 9
Batterers often manipulate mothers by threatening to hurt the children if she won't stay, or by berating her about being a bad mother.
Our wish… to let every mother know that she is cherished.
A special gift for one mother - $20
Wish Number 10
Last year, we sheltered 1,251 survivors. Our shelter is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Women and children up to the age of 18 can stay in the shelter for up
to 90 days. They often encounter a change of season during their stay.
Our wish... to provide comfortable, appropriate clothing for every survivor living with us.
Seasonal outfits for one family - $75
Wish Number 11
Children who witness domestic violence quickly forget how to have fun. Vacations, holidays, and birthdays are ruined by violence.
Our wish… to take our kids on exciting excursions that counteract the trauma
One field trip for a group of kids at the shelter - $50
Wish Number 12
Summer spent living at a shelter is no child’s chosen vacation. Having two weeks of good old fashioned summer camp makes for summer fun.
Our wish… to take our kids to summer camp!
One week of summer camp for a child at the shelter - $125
Wish Number 13
41,000 calls flooded our hotlines in 2008. A knowledgeable, supportive volunteer, intern, or staff member picked up the phone each time.
Our wish… to provide headsets so everyone who answers the hotline can focus on the caller, not the equipment.
One headset for the hotline - $75
Wish Number 14
Sexual assault survivors endure a lengthy exam and collection of evidence for a rape kit. Their clothes and shoes are taken from them. They also wait for hours without eating because the process takes so long.
Our wish…. to restore the dignity of sexual assault survivors at the hospital.
Clothes, undergarments, shoes, and snack for one woman in the emergency room - $50
Wish Number 15
In 2008, our hotline spoke to survivors in Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Arabic, Thai, French, Farsi, Portuguese, Korean, Swahili, Cantonese, Russian, and Spanish. When hotline advocates don’t speak the language, we must use a translation service.
Our wish…to provide intervention services to survivors in their native language.
One hour of translation on the Language Line - $35
Wish Number 16
31% of all rape victims develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder during their lifetimes.
A child's exposure to an abusive parent is the strongest risk factor for transmitting violent behavior from one generation to the next. Counseling services for victims helps relieve long term emotional stress and empowers them to ultimately break the cycle of violence.
Our wish… to make group and individual counseling available to all survivors in a safe
and comfortable environment.
Support group for one week - $200
Wish Number 17
Abusers often use legalese to confuse and misinform survivors about the law, divorce, child custody, and the criminal justice system.
Our wish… To demystify the system and provide education to clients on their rights and the legal system.
One legal advocacy group meeting - $30
Wish Number 18
68% of all stalking cases involve an intimate partner. The average domestic violence survivor endures 2.2 years of stalking AFTER ending the relationship. When survivors come to us, they are often looking over their shoulders.
Our wish... to say to every survivor - if you take the risk to come and seek help from us, we will protect you while you are here.
The cost of maintaining a security system and guard when client traffic is at its highest, during evenings and weekends - $500
Make All Our Wishes Come True
Establishing financial security for the Houston Area Women’s Center is the key to providing and expanding services to Houston area families in the future.
Our wish….to never have to turn away anyone who needs our help.
Funding all our wish list items - $1,805
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