A Safe Home For Victims Of Abuse Begins With A Strong Community Foundation

The following article is part three of a five-week series focusing on raising awareness about domestic violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and we hope to educate our community on this very important issue. 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. Locally, the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center has been serving victims of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and child abuse since 1978. Last year, HCWC served 2,307 victims of abuse (face-to-face) primarily from Hays and Caldwell Counties. 1,047 of those were victims of domestic violence.   

Holly Cunningham-Kizer, Development and Donor Relations Coordinator   

From the ground up, HCWC’s new transitional housing project has been a community effort. The 22,000 square foot, 18-unit complex is being built on land donated by the City of San Marcos. 

A committee comprised of community members from the area was charged with raising the over 5 million dollars needed to create safe, affordable housing for abuse victims and their young children. 

The project funding to this point has been completely community-based. HCWC staff and board members were the first to contribute to the project.

One hundred percent of the staff and board committed funds to the project, contributing almost $100,000 combined.  

The first major gift came from long time HCWC benefactor Miriam McCoy and the Emmett and Miriam McCoy Foundation.

The Foundation gifted HCWC with a one-million-dollar matching grant. Brenda McCoy Remme and her husband Kaare Remme matched the gift with a $500k contribution to build upon. 

It has not been a quick process. The committee began raising funds for the project in late 2016, and the ground was broken on the complex in April of 2020.

Along the way, millions of dollars ($4.8 to be exact) were contributed by foundations, individuals, and organizations.

Some were long-time supporters, and others were brand new but saw the importance of the project. Key contributions were made by Hays County ($600,000), the City of San Marcos ($400,000), and the St. David’s Foundation ($275,000) that enabled construction to begin. 

HCWC has not applied for nor received state or federal funding for the complex and will complete it without bank financing.

This is key to the success of the program because it will allow HCWC more freedom in qualifying future residents for housing.

It will also allow for a quicker construction timeline. The project will be completed without loans or financing, which will grant the Center the ability to provide housing at a much lower cost to residents. 

Rent for residents will be no more than 30% of their income, which for some victims might mean little to no rent at the beginning.  

Early on, HCWC decided to focus on victims with young children as the project’s target population. This decision was reached based on two key factors: finding housing options with children is much more difficult, and children raised in violent and abusive homes are at high risk for long-term issues. 

Children experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), such as living in abusive homes or witnessing their parent being abused, are at a higher risk for future drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, risky sexual behavior, difficulty learning, involvement in dangerous relationships, medical issues and even early death. Early intervention can change the course of a child’s future. 

HCWC has partnered with Community Action, Inc. to provide onsite Head Start and Early Head Start. Early education will have a positive impact on children enrolled in the program.

Access to Early Head Start will offer the educational aspect and a safe childcare option to better allow the mother to pursue job and education opportunities. 

Committee member and HCWC Board Member Marsha Moore joined the committee because of the lack of safe, affordable housing in our area is a major obstacle for victims trying to flee abusive homes.

Moore said, “Transitional housing is the answer to this situation. Survivors can get on their feet, work, and have childcare while they move toward being independent.”   

Residents will receive crucial wrap-around services from HCWC’s highly trained professionals, including case management, counseling for adults and children, and advocacy. 

HCWC staff will work with residents to develop their own goals for education, employment, housing, custody issues, personal growth, and more. The program is intended to empower survivors and give them the skills and self-esteem they need to break the cycle of poverty and abuse.

As always, HCWC will continue to partner with other local non-profits to ensure that our residents’ needs are met. 

Donations to the project have ranged from 5 dollars to 1.5 million dollars. Gifts of every size can make an impact. This is truly a community-driven project that serves the needs of some of our most vulnerable neighbors.   

While the foundation has been poured and construction is ongoing, the project still needs around $350,000 to be finished and furnished. 

As this project moves into the final phase, HCWC invites the public to join them in Building Hope by participating in the Everyone Gets a Shovel Campaign.  

Supporters are asked to contribute to the campaign in any amount, grab a shovel, take a picture with your shovel and send it to HCWC, where it will be posted on HCWC’s website. To donate directly to the campaign, visit www.hcwc.org/housing.  

HCWC continues to seek community partners to bring this crucial, life-changing project to survivors from Hays and Caldwell Counties. Please contact Melissa Rodriguez (mrodriguez@hcwc.org) or Holly Cunningham-Kizer (holly@hcwc.org) for additional information or ways you or your group organization can help. Further details of the Everyone Gets a Shovel Campaign, and the Transitional Housing Project can be found at www.hcwc.org/housing.