All of The Shelter’s programs and services are confidential and provided FREE OF CHARGE

For more information, please click on the title links below or call 239.775.3862; TTY 239.775.4265.

Shelter Programs

(in alphabetical order)

  • 24-hour Crisis Hotline: Trained advocates and certified volunteers provide safety planning, information about domestic violence and resource referrals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
  • Children’s Protection Investigations Program: The Shelter’s Domestic Violence Taskforce meets bi-monthly to provide a forum for a comprehensive approach at meeting the action steps of the Community Wide Plan to End Domestic Violence and to heighten domestic violence awareness.
  • Collier County Fatality Review Team: Domestic fatality reviews examine domestic violence related deaths, including the events leading up to the death(s) in order to determine what lead to the homicide(s). The goal of the project is to uncover holes or gaps in the various government systems’ responses to domestic violence.  The review process is predicated on the knowledge domestic violence is often an escalating crime and that by addressing domestic violence which results in low level injuries we can prevent fatalities.  By identifying missed opportunities for intervention and points at which intervention was not effective, the reviews prompt improved identification, intervention and prevention efforts in future cases.  The approach of the process is that of working toward system improvement and not placing blame for the death. The review process is a vehicle to identify gaps, barriers and shortcomings in the government response to domestic violence and propose solutions.
  • Collier County Jail Group: This well-attended, weekly educational group provides incarcerated victims of abuse with knowledge regarding healthy relationships, parenting skills, and other domestic violence topics.
  • Community Education Program: This program offers domestic violence training to the public, as well as professional groups and individuals, aimed to increase awareness and offer a seamless web of support, to ultimately eliminate domestic violence incidents.
  • Court Advocacy: This program offers co-located advocates to assist in court, by providing support and services to victims of domestic violence.
  • Domestic Violence Course at Florida Gulf Coast University: This three-credit course is offered during the fall semester. With the ability to reach over 13,000 students, the course is facilitated by staff and members of the Domestic Violence Taskforce’s.
  • Economic Empowerment Program: This program provides survivors with referrals and training on financial health, job readiness, resume writing, and other related topics.
  • Emergency Shelter: The Shelter operates two state-of-the-art emergency shelters in Naples and Immokalee. The Shelly Stayer Shelter in Immokalee is specially designed to serve victims of human trafficking as well as domestic violence. Both facilities feature a 60-bed residential shelter with on-site kennel and a special needs unit, offering safety to women, men, children and pets that are victims of domestic violence who are currently in danger. Basic need items, advocacy, individual and group counseling are offered free of charge.

Advocacy/Case management
Child assessments
Information and Referrals
Support groups
Healing modalities
Empowerment groups
Child Care 
After School Care
On-site Kennel

  • Haitian Initiative Advisory Board: The Haitian Initiative Advisory Board is a collaboration of partners working together with The Shelter for Abused Women and Children to bring awareness about domestic violence and human trafficking to the Haitian community. The Shelter’s main goal is to engage leaders involved within the Haitian community to create strategies and activities to increase community outreach.
  • Hands Are For Helping Program: This program educates community partners and raises awareness surrounding domestic violence, shifts mindsets and alters behaviors that initiate a long-term process to reduce the likelihood that anyone will become a victim or a perpetrator by creating conditions that make violence less likely to occur.
  • Healing Arts Program: This creative program consists of different supports groups that facilitate change through self-esteem building, assertiveness training, self-awareness and empowerment using different mediums; including pencil, paint, clay, drumming, yoga and guided imagery.
  • Human Trafficking Program: provides safe shelter and recovery program for female adult victims of human trafficking.
  • Individual, Group and Children’s Counseling: Advocates offer counseling to participants and their children requesting this service.
  • InVEST Program:  is a unique program designed to reach out to individuals identified to be in potentially lethal situations.
  • Legal Services: In conjunction with Legal Aid, this program offers limited on-site legal services and advocacy for victims in matters related to domestic violence.  Advocacy is also available at The State Attorney’s Office.
  • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Services: Safe and welcoming services are provided to survivors of the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Linguistic & Cultural Services: This initiative focuses on enhancing the community partnerships using the Safe & Together model to reduce the number of children removed from rural migrant farm worker survivors of domestic violence who are involved in child abuse investigations. An Advocate is co-located at the Department of Children & Families office in Immokalee and at Family Preservation in Naples.
  • Raising Gentle’men: The overall goal of Raising Gentle’men (RG) is to promote gender equality and to end violence in society. The RG curriculum helps boys to replace stereotypical ideas of men as controlling, aggressive and gaining power through violence, with the idea that men can be gentle, compassionate, and kind without risking their identities.
  • Rapid Rehousing: The Rapid Re-Housing Program provides services necessary for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking to transition from homelessness to permanent housing and self-sufficiency. The program is intended to last anywhere from 3 to 6 months. The program was developed with the belief that, by adding transitional housing to supportive services, we will close the existing gaps for homeless survivor families in Collier County.
  • Rural Outreach Program:  Bilingual advocates provide domestic violence services in the forms of advocacy, counseling, safety planning, group work, education and awareness to individuals, organizations, schools and businesses in Immokalee.
  • Teen Programs – Primary Prevention Programs include: Healthy Friendships, Healthy Relationships, Teen Support Group, Expect Respect: These ecologically informed, school-based prevention programs empower middle- and high school students to understand healthy relationships, learn the facts about different types of abuse, the dynamics of dating violence, and safety planning to reduce or eliminate domestic violence.
  • The Intimate Violence Enhanced Services Team (InVEST): is a unique program designed to provide intensive service management and assistance to individuals identified to be in potentially lethal situations.
  • Transitional Living: This program offers nine safe and affordable transitional housing cottages for up to two years for survivors of domestic violence.
  • The Shelter Options Shoppe: empower change in our community by donating to/making purchases at The Shelter Options Shoppe. Proceeds support our life-transforming services while program participants shop, free of charge, for clothing, accessories, furniture and household items: The Shelter Options Shoppe – 968 Second Ave. N, Naples, FL. Hours: Monday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. For more information, please call 239.434.7115.
  • Women of Means: This program supports women who have specialized needs based on their abusers’ power, privilege and access to resources.
  • Youth Advisory Council: The Shelter’s Youth Advisory Council includes youth representatives from across Collier County, ages 14-18. They inspire social change by providing education, direction, and advocacy to broaden awareness and increase prevention of unhealthy relationships.
  • Youth Services – Child Care, After School Care, Summer Activities: On-site childcare and after school activities are offered to children living in emergency shelter. These programs encourage creativity and help build self-esteem. Activities include tutoring, arts & crafts and field trips.