When a domestic violence victim is forced to flee her abuser, she must leave behind everything she knows. At times, she is faced with a total loss and finds herself threatened with eviction. It is normally impossible for a domestic violence victim to become self sufficient without support from the community.

Over the last seven years, GreyStone’s Operation Round Up has worked with S.H.A.R.E. House by financially assisting domestic violence victims. Our partnership helps victims become economically independent.

As the Executive Director of S.H.A.R.E. House, I’ve seen Operation Round Up respond quickly to victims who were on the verge of having utilities disconnected in their homes. It only takes the staff a few days to obtain the money needed for the victim to pay her utilities.

S.H.A.R.E. House is a domestic violence intervention center and we serve victims with emergency shelter, transitional housing, temporary protective orders, support groups, children activities, case management and emergency financial services.

After leaving an emotionally or physically abusive household, a woman must find a way to pay utility bills, automobile payments and insurance with one income instead of two. A woman typically has two children and earns between $6 and $7 an hour.

I handle hundreds of cases a year of women trying to escape violent households. Operation Round Up, a not-for-profit program sponsored by the GreyStone Power Foundation, Inc., has become my main resource.

It is wonderful to call Operation Round Up and be greeted with a friendly voice and a helping hand. Their assistance allows us to provide our victims with a roof over their head while they are going through difficult circumstances and helps reduce the transportation barrier to their employment.

During the past year, we have helped more than 231 women and children find shelter and more than 2217 have received direct services from our agency. It is great that in the future we will be able to assist more with the help of Operation Round Up.

To learn more about Operation Round Up, click here.