Dear Friends:

It’s a new year and new decade filled with many new opportunities – I hope 2020 is off to a great start for you, your family and friends.

At Women In Distress, we had an amazing and generous outpouring from so many in our community over the Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah and winter holidays that we begin this new year filled with hope.  With your support,  we were able to help hundreds of women, men and their children with food, toys, goodies, gift cards and games – everything from bikes and Barbies to soccer balls, games, books and earbuds. Thank you to all who shared their time and treasure with those most in need during the holidays.

This gives us a feeling of great hope – hope that in this coming year, we can do more to break the cycle of domestic violence that affects so many – especially the children and teens whose lives can be changed forever by abuse.

Last year, Women In Distress provided free and confidential services for more than 4,100 adults and children – the highest number in the 45-year history of our agency. Among the 42 certified domestic violence centers here in the state of Florida, Women In Distress is now the largest. As community needs continue to grow, so does our range of services and programs: advocacy, counseling, therapy for adults and children (34,000+ hours each year), more than 29,000 nights of emergency safe shelter and more than 25,000 calls each year to our Crisis Line that is answered 24/7 by trained advocates. 

As large as these numbers appear, much more needs to be done. Together, we need to challenge why domestic violence occurs each moment of each day and ask ourselves how we can stop the damaging and often deadly trends of violence.

Coming Up

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.
Our Prevention and Education team will be continuing its work in partnership with Broward County Schools and the message that “love shouldn’t hurt”  through media outlets and social media channels.

Throughout the year, there are many ways to help.
There are special activities, campaigns and events all directed at raising awareness about the issues surrounding domestic violence and support to keep our services free and accessible. Check our website at www.womenindistress.org and follow us on social media.

So, we’ve all made New Year’s resolutions. The usual suspects: diet, exercise, more sleep, less stress. The year is young so we haven’t broken all of them.

We invite you to add one more to your list. Join our mission to stop domestic violence.

Mary Riedel
President & CEO