May/June Beans for Bags Spotlight: Dove House Advocacy Services

Dove House is very busy these days as we have seen an uptick in the number of new clients seeking our services over the last 6 months. We serve approximately 550 each year across our domestic violence, sexual assault, general crime, and Recovery Café services, and classes for 9th graders. 

We are excited to be offering our support groups/classes in hybrid format and client appointments continue to be available in person, via zoom, and over the phone.  

Photo of our front desk. They are unable to share photos of their services, due to confidentiality. 

Free meals at Dove House’s Recovery Café have expanded to 4 days per week, we added a 2nd Little Free Pantry there, and a rich variety of classes and events are offered weekly/monthly.

At least 2 units at our recently purchased house and ADU at 909 Kearney St. will be available sometime this year as affordable transitional housing for domestic violence survivors. 

Programs like Beans 4 Bags and other local donations make funds available for the many and varied needs that survivors have on their journeys from hopelessness toward restored hope and joy. 

Here is a composite story representing one typical journey:

A mom with two children contacts Dove House late at night via our 24/7 Crisis Line and explains that she is feeling unsafe from her abusive spouse. Because of local donations, our Advocates are able to arrange for her and her children to stay in a hotel room overnight. In the morning, she meets with an Advocate to do a lethality assessment and create a safety plan; it becomes clear that she needs continuing emergency shelter. The family moves into our temporary shelter. As the family left home abruptly and in fear, they need food, clothing, and personal hygiene products.

Their initial days at the shelter are spent recovering from the trauma of violence and dislocation and attending to the practicalities of children moving to a new school and appointments for services. With 24-hour access to their room and shared common spaces and all basic needs provided, the shelter becomes their temporary home. Mom meets with her advocate at least weekly, and children are offered their own, separate, Advocate if they wish. They will all struggle with a range of emotions including shame, grief, and anger as they process the changes in their life circumstances and encounter barriers.

Dove House Advocates offer a listening ear and emotional support and connect them with services and resources to help her reach their goals. The family continues to regain emotional health, perhaps with the help of a therapist provided with funding from Dove House and/or in conjunction with participation in one of our support groups.

Over the next weeks and months, mom will set her own goals such as searching for long-term housing and employment and/or obtaining childcare and needed documents. She may have to cope with attempts by her spouse to locate and intimidate her or her children. Survivors of domestic violence have often been extremely isolated and without access to the tools for building a self-sufficient life such as a bank account or driver's license. Because of the housing crisis in Jefferson County, it may take this family more than 8 months to find affordable place to live and they may need to move out of the area leaving behind their established support system.  

While mom looks for housing, she starts to build a new support system for herself by participating at our Recovery Café where she develops healthy relationships in a safe environment. Her children join her for the weekly nutritious free meals. She joins a Recovery Circle where she processes her daily life challenges with peers who have similar experiences. Getting her food worker card and volunteering at the RC kitchen is one option she explores as she looks ahead to the next steps on her family’s journey. Clients may stay in, and return to, Dove House services for as long as they need to. Services are confidential and 100% free of charge.

To learn about the work they do and the programs they have please visit their website: https://www.dovehousejc.org/