Womens Safe House

Crisis hotline twsh operates a 24-hour crisis intervention hotline staffed 365 days a year. The hotline serves as the primary intake for shelter residents and provides advocacy for women in crisis or those at-risk of domestic violence. In 2024, 6,732 hotline calls were answered with compassion and care by trained staff and volunteers. Each call is answered in a trauma-informed manner, offering all callers advocacy and support as well as information and appropriate referrals that help direct callers to resources that may provide them with the support they need.

Youth development program the youth development program is designed to meet the needs of infants, children, and youth to age 18 who have witnessed and sometimes experienced abuse in their homes. Our state-of-the-art program provides a comforting and nurturing environment where children can learn alternatives to violent behavior, improve their self-esteem, and learn positive ways of expressing themselves. Youth development advocates work alongside parents and their case manager to provide children with the support they need to heal from their trauma and abuse. In 2024, 198 children and youth benefitted from youth development services that consist of intervention and prevention activities. There are weekly support groups, respite hours, field trips, holiday parties, and age-appropriate play.

Steps (successful transitions by empowering people with services) program the steps program provides women who have successfully completed the residential services program with 12 months of continued supportive services necessary to remain safe, stabilized, and consistent in their healing journey. This support may include, but is not limited to, advocacy, case management, counseling and therapy, support groups, and emergency financial assistance. The goal is to help clients avoid future homelessness and reduce the chance that a woman might return to her abuser as she rebuilds her life and attains security and independence. In 2024, 55 families participated in the steps program.

Housing stability program - the housing stability program provides advocacy and assistance to women as they transition into housing. This program offers case management and advocacy related to finding, obtaining, and maintaining safe and stable housing and may also provide financial assistance when available. The housing stability program has been carefully designed to reduce the risk of these women experiencing homelessness and/or returning to a life of abuse. Since february 2024, the housing stability program has grown from providing 5 families with year-long rental assistance to serving more than 29 families with year-long rental assistance.

Volunteer program - volunteers make a difference at the women's safe house every day. Volunteer efforts include, but are not limited to serving on the board of directors, organizing fundraising and special events, organizing clothing and school supply drives, assisting with in-kind donations, answering crisis calls, providing child care, providing clerical support, or completing one-day projects such as painting residential rooms or helping with grounds. Practicum students, interns and community service students play a major role at the women's safe house. Volunteers are recruited through public speaking and outreach at schools and universities, churches, civic groups, business and corporate organizations, healthcare, social welfare agencies and united way. In 2024, 496 volunteers supported our mission, providing 3,647 hours of support for our programs. Our volunteer program is certified through the united way of greater st. Louis. Since the services of our volunteers generally do not require specialized skills, their value is not recorded in the audited financial statements because no objective basis is available to measure the value. An estimate of the value of such services is not included in the 990 per irs instructions. Twsh generally pays for services requiring specific expertise.

Community education - the women's safe house remains committed to keeping our community informed about the nature and dynamics of domestic and sexual abuse and dispelling myths that perpetuate violence against women. Trained staff and volunteers are available to speak publicly about and against domestic violence. Information is disseminated through public speaking, the agency's quarterly newsletter, annual report, and other materials.