Each resident is assigned her own refrigerator and kitchen cabinets at the Mary & Martha House emergency shelter. Every attempt is made to create a normal, family atmosphere for the women and children housed there during this difficult period. Chere Simmons photos.
When he drank he became violent and abusive. Of course, later, he was sorry for the tirades and promised it would never happen again. When “Ruth” questioned her husband about the eviction notice for non-payment, he went into a rage and forced her out of the car at a convenience store — no money, no belongings.
Similar scenarios — like the fictional but typical one above — are played out daily throughout Hillsborough County. Women become homeless for many different reasons. It isn’t always because they choose that lifestyle or can’t retain a job. Sometimes a functioning, responsible woman finds herself at the mercy of someone else’s irresponsible choices.
October is designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Last week The Observer News began a series that highlights the work being accomplished at Mary & Martha House in Ruskin. This nonprofit shelter for abused and homeless women is the only residential shelter in South County. It has thousands of success stories since its founding in 1982.
Continuing with the program’s slogan of Shelter. Support. Success., this article will focus on the shelter at Mary & Martha House.
Rosie Korfant, activities coordinator at JSA Medical Group in Sun City Center, gets her purple ribbon from Mary & Martha House associate Theresa Benitez. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the purple ribbon is an icon adopted to bring awareness to the problem and show support for the cause.
Directors at the shelter stress one priority when they receive a call for help — that the woman is safe. Once that woman has left her abusive situation and the abuser is not pursuing her, the staff can begin the process of evaluating her needs and help her start over.
Emergency sheltering is the first step in Mary & Martha House’s two-phase program — referred to as the bridge to permanent housing.
Phase 1 is a stay of up to three months at the communal emergency shelter. Each woman (and her family) has her own bedroom that provides a homelike atmosphere. There are various-sized rooms that can accommodate all family sizes, or a single woman. Each room has all the amenities of home. Women are provided everything they need free of charge, including toothbrushes, shampoo, soap, paper products, diapers, linens, etc.
“Sense of normalcy”
“It’s very important for families to maintain a sense of normalcy under the circumstances,” said Laurie Kepler, executive director at Mary & Martha House. “Families share the kitchen, but they each have their own refrigerator and cabinets. This arrangement helps restore confidence and nurturing … often lost in an abusive relationship.”
There is also a playground for the children, a gazebo for picnics, a book nook and laundry facilities.
While the shelter provides a homey atmosphere and services free of charge, every resident is required to contribute to the day-to-day operation of the home. The women are expected to keep their room clean, make their bed every morning and to complete assigned household duties.
On the first day after entering the shelter, clients meet with their case manager to evaluate their individual needs. Once the needs are established, the day begins by actively seeking employment or being coached in job readiness.
Most of the women who seek shelter are unemployed and benefit greatly by the training offered at Mary & Martha House, the subject of next week’s installment.
A computer lab in the facility’s main office provides Internet access for job applications, bus schedules, etc.
Working toward a goal
A playground and spacious outdoor play area give the children of Mary & Martha House plenty of room to be active in a safe, stress-free environment. All amenities are made possible by community-minded clubs, organizations and volunteers who donate equipment, time, money and household items. Mary & Martha House is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
The goal for each woman is to achieve self-sufficiency through employment and training in the budgeting of her finances. With this in mind, the women are eager to work hard to reach that goal. No one is idle during the day.
“When the client has successfully completed Phase 1, she takes the next step on the bridge to permanent housing,” says director Kepler. “She must maintain employment, open a savings account at the financial institution of her choice, and have the skills to budget her finances.”
Phase 2 involves transitioning to housing that is separate from the shelter. Families are still provided everything free that they need to successfully maintain their household. This gives them the opportunity to save 80 percent of their pay, which typically goes toward purchasing transportation.
An example for children
If they have children, this sets a good example for them as well, forming early habits with finances.
“We had one woman, Kimberly, who saved up $3,000 in her first three months of Phase 2,” says Laurie Herring, programs and housing director at Mary & Martha House Inc. “She was able to purchase a reliable, low-mileage car from a Sun City Center resident, and she is now in permanent housing — and still maintaining a savings account.”
Every woman has a barrier to overcome. For Kimberly, it was transportation. For others, it may be credit repair or previous evictions that hold them back.
The housing coordinator works with the woman and her family for about six months in Phase 2, depending on the progress of each case, and then follows up for another six months after they leave the program.
The ultimate goal after Phase 2 is for the woman and family to be in permanent housing and to be free of government assistance.
Next week: Support. Job readiness, child-care solutions, tutoring, confidence building and more.
If you are currently in an abusive relationship, seek help immediately. Call the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119. For information about Mary & Martha House, call 813-641-7027.
Bedrooms vary in size and bed count, depending on the size of the family sheltered at the time.
The kitchen is a shared space where women can cook meals for their family, creating a sense of normalcy and dignity.
Bedrooms are bright and cozy, lending a homelike atmosphere.
