“I’m afraid for myself, I’m afraid for my son. We need a safe place to heal.
“My 8-year old son, Ethan, and I broke ties with my husband due to his violence. We found an apartment and were living on our own, until one night when my husband broke in.
“He destroyed our apartment and physically threw me around. It was all such a blur – I couldn’t call for help. Fortunately, the neighbors heard and called the police. They found me on the floor and my husband was gone. Worst of all, Ethan saw the whole thing.
“I don’t want him to see anything like this again. I need for us to be safe.”
Jorja and Ethan found safety at Family Tree Roots of Courage emergency domestic violence shelter. While there, she worked with her advocate to prioritize goals and develop a plan to achieve them. Jorja also started therapy for herself and her son, and received legal assistance to divorce her husband. During the criminal hearing, Ethan testified and his father went to jail.
Jorja worked with Family Tree Housing and Stabilization Services, which helped her find a safe and stable home and provided financial assistance while she worked to become self-reliant.
With the combination of Family Tree’s supportive services, Jorja’s determination and some much-needed furnishings from Family Tree Treasure Trunk Community Thrift, Jorja had what she needed to build a safe place to heal for herself and her son.