MAKE CARE PACKAGES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTERS

Providing care-packages for women who have escaped from domestic violence can make a huge difference to them, for relatively little effort on your part.

According to the American Institute on Domestic Violence, 5.3 million women are abused every year. Of these, more than 1,200 lose their lives.

That's over ONE THOUSAND women DYING every year, from domestic violence.

Think about the horror of that statistic. And it is mostly females who suffer: Women and girls account for 85 to 95 percent of all domestic violence victims.

Why do the women who successfully FLEE their abusers need care-packages? When a victim of domestic violence decides to leave her abusive environment, she often has to make a sudden escape. There's no time to pack an overnight bag, or even to grab her toothbrush. Often, the abused woman rushing to a shelter has only a tiny window of opportunity for flight from danger. She will make it to a woman's shelter with the clothes on her back, children if she has them, and not much more. In the security of the domestic violence shelter, victims can take the first steps toward a new life, but it can be scary and hard. A battered woman comes with a battered life to repair and rebuild. And she usually comes with not even the most basic items to care for her battered self.

Your donation of a care-package can provide a gleam of hope to a woman in this situation. Basic hygiene products are like gold to a woman starting over. Being able to have your own soap may seem like a small thing, but it can provide big comfort to a battered woman who just left everything behind and is trying to adjust to new surroundings in a woman's shelter. Fortunately, these items are among the easiest donations to make.

Collect a care-package of personal-care products, such as shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, hairbrushes, shower gel, etc. You can buy inexpensive travel-sized items at drugstores and supermarkets, or buy items on sale or in bulk packs. For relatively little money, you can gather enough items to create create care packages for more than one battered woman.

You can get others involved, and make an even bigger difference, by asking friends, family and neighbors to buy and set-aside a few things foryour care-package project, each time they go shopping. To make it an event, get them all together to sort items and create groupings with one of everything.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND:

Personal-care products for donation must be new and unopened, in their original packaging. The wrapping for your care package doesn't have to be fancy, though. Plastic freezer bags or shoeboxes are good enough.

Donate your care-packages to a local domestic violence shelter. You can call your local police or sheriff's department to locate the nearest domestic violence shelter, or use the links below to find one. If you call the police, be aware that they might refer you to a local agency that accepts care-package items on behalf of a domestic violence "safe house", which must maintain a secret address to protect the women it shelters.

(When contacting the police, make sure to dial a non-emergency line. They deal with domestic violence regularly and will know how to put you in touch with the right people. If you call beforehand to let them know what you're bringing and for whom, it will only take a few minutes to drop off your donations.)

If you live in the U.S., you can locate a woman's shelter online at this site, or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). (U.S. only)

In Canada, find domestic violence shelter locations at this link. (Canada only)

In the UK, visit this site for information about domestic violence shelter locations. (UK only)