We are also experiencing a substantial rise in the number of clients who are suffering from severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Survivors are enduring prolonged violent attacks and threats of homicide, leaving them with extreme anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and flashbacks.  About 60% of the children in our services have trauma-induced sensory processing disorders and the number of Autistic and ADHD children entering the emergency shelter has increased by 40% since 2018.  Built in 2000, our current emergency shelter is not equipped to meet the needs of neuro-divergent children and adults. 

To address the growing and changing needs of survivors, our friends at Architects Lewis + Whitlock have generously donated their services to design a new state-of-the-art facility that will more than double the number of beds that can immediately be accessed by survivors. This program will allow Refuge House to provide an alternative housing option for survivors with special needs children. While single women and men are welcome, the focus of our unique approach will be on survivors and their children who are ready to heal from intergenerational violence and for whom extra support would be beneficial. In our new facility, we will be able to create a groundbreaking transformative housing space where enhanced, trauma-informed, and sensory-friendly services will be provided to families in crisis for up to six months.  

The Dawn of Hope Center will provide therapeutic interventions for each member of the family. Parents will receive extra support, education, and resources to assist them in meeting the needs of their children. We will offer on-site academic support for children who are struggling in school, care management, job readiness seminars, financial literacy courses, support for teenagers, group counseling sessions, and so much more.  The buildings are designed to accommodate sensory processing concerns by incorporating trauma-informed design. There are several options for how survivors may choose to utilize the space. 

Please consider supporting the Dawn of Hope Family Center at Refuge House! This is not just transitional housing, it is transformative housing. Utilizing a multi-generational approach, we will be able to end cycles of family violence and improve long-term outcomes for women and children in the Big Bend. 

Thank you so much for your support!

Emily Mitchem, Executive Director