Page 8 - 2018 Impact Report The Shelter for Abused Women and Children

CHILD/YOUTH SERVICES

Five-year-old Valerie survived trauma that no child
should experience. She saw her father punch and
strangle her mother, while her mother held Valerie’s
baby sister in her arms. As her mother fell unconscious
to the floor, Valerie was able to escape, running to
a neighbor’s home for help. Officers arrived in time
to save her mother and sister, but the severe trauma
of that night haunted Valerie. She would not eat. She
was angry, fearful and had frequent nightmares about
her father.
It was difficult for Valerie and her family to adjust to
life in the emergency shelter. She was skeptical and
confused. She was also sad because she thought she
would miss her favorite holiday - Halloween. For months,
she had dreamed of dressing up like a super hero.
Imagine her surprise to receive a beautiful “Super
Hero” costume just before Halloween! She ran to hug
her advocate. That afternoon, Valerie and the other
children in the emergency shelter “trick-or-treated”
inside the building, stopping at every office, gathering
candy and compliments from Shelter staff.
Children are profoundly affected by abuse. Thanks
to you, Valerie is healing from her trauma and
transforming into the super hero she truly is!
Valerie

9,079 The Shelter’s youngest survivors received 9,079 hours of safe and loving

care through The Shelter’s in-house day care and after-school activities.

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