An influx of clients seeking refuge from domestic violence and sexual assault over the last six months has critically depleted essential hygiene supplies at Genesis House.
Genesis House Safe Home Manager Joy Wright said the organization provides a safe place to stay, food, and clothing for women, children, and occasionally men escaping abusive situations. The facility typically relies on community donations to maintain its inventory, but the recent surge in individuals seeking help has exhausted their current stock.
“I feel like people that women, men who are being abused may be emotionally, physically, mentally maybe are just beginning to see that there is help out there and that we are available to help those folks,” Wright said. “And hopefully, they can get out of that situation and better themselves and become strong and more independent and see that they don’t have to deal with this, they don’t have to live life like this.”
Wright said the shelter is currently in need of personal hygiene items such as deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, soaps, Q-tips, nail clippers, and body lotion. The facility usually takes in enough supplies to last for a couple of months before needing to ask the public for assistance again.
“I think we have gotten critically low because of the number of clients that we have coming in seems to have increased in the last six months,” Wright said. “So we have depleted pretty much depleted what we have on hand for our clients.”
Wright said the organization is completely grant-funded and must abide by strict guidelines to function. Citizens can also provide monetary donations, which can assist clients with travel expenses if they need to relocate to another state to get away from an abuser.
“Oh, it means so much to us and so much to our clients, and it’s a good feeling when you know that people in your community and your surrounding communities care and want to help,” Wright said. “It’s just a good feeling all over it, just makes your heart feel so good.”
Wright said the shelter continuously relies on citizens for in-season clothing, household goods, furniture, and food to support the individuals living in the safe home. Clients often arrive feeling beaten down and believing they have nowhere to go and no one to help them.
“But once they see that the communities and the surrounding communities help Genesis House, their faces light up, their eyes open wide, and they see that they do have help here and that it is possible for them,” Wright said.
Wright said the facility will continue accepting donations of hygiene products, food, and furniture as long as they have the storage space available.