There is a new House of Hope in Douglas.
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The House of Hope opened in Douglas in December 1987. The new house opened Monday, August 9. It has 24 beds and can house up to 10 families at a time.
Services that the House of Hope provides are shelter, food, some clothing, transportation to appointments, support groups, advocacy support and referrals to other agencies in the community.
The House of Hope is a non-profit organization and is under the Catholic Community Services of Southeastern Arizona. The Sierra Vista Shelter and Our House in Nogales are also under the C.C.S.S.A.
The House usually becomes a home to 7 women at a time on average. Victims of domestic violence can stay at the house for up to 120 days and homeless women with children can stay up to 10 days, after that the House of Hope will work with other agencies to find a placement.
Elsa Varela, Coordinator for all three of the shelters has been working with organization since 1996. “We are here to provide services to abused women and children,” she said.
“We welcome them with open arms and make them feel at home and comfortable in their new home,” Varela said. “The House of Hope is about the women and children not about us working here. We do not ask any questions when they show up, we just welcome them.”
“If a woman has left the shelter then come back, we understand, it is very hard to leave an abuser,” Varela said. “I have a lot of respect for a woman who can leave an abuser, because they are extremely strong and when they are ready to leave, they’ll know.”
Statistics show women leave an abuser 7 to 11 times before she leaves for good, she said. “I also talk to junior high and high school students about teen dating violence,” Varela said. “I go to the different schools and we play games and the kids take quizzes and we show them warning signs of an abusive relationship.”
From January 2009 to October 2, 2009 86 domestic violence related deaths in Arizona occurred. The majority of those deaths were women and children.
The House of Hope offers a safety plan, they can provide to women for help. It can help to create a plan during a violent incident.
Donations are accepted. Donations of anything and everything are welcome, “especially beds and furniture because when a woman is ready to move from the house, sometimes she needs everything,” Varela.
Any woman or child in help can call the House of Hope at 364-2465 or 364-2466 24 hours a day 7 days a week. They are always open and available to help and will give directions to the house over the phone.
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