October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
To help mark National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, JFSLA is shining a light on JFS Hope’s domestic violence services. JFS Hope plays a crucial role in providing essential services to survivors of domestic violence and their children. Anchored in the belief that every individual deserves a life of dignity, independence, and free from violence, JFS Hope offers a comprehensive range of services, including counseling centers, crisis hotlines, emergency shelters, and transitional housing, all available 24/7. Our crisis hotlines receive nearly 7,000 calls each year.
Our services, delivered through a compassionate and trauma-informed lens, include individual and group counseling, case management, social services, legal advocacy, parenting and life skills education, and financial assistance. In the past year, we have served over 550 survivors of intimate partner violence and their children, with all services being provided free of charge and offered in both English and Spanish.
Within our emergency shelters, clients and their children can find refuge for 30-45 days. The primary objective of our emergency shelters is to ensure immediate safety and provide a stable, supportive environment for clients to recover from the trauma they have experienced. To bolster our program, we have dedicated professionals, including a children’s therapist and an Early Childhood Specialist, who work closely with both parents and children at all our shelters.
Our transitional housing program allows families to stay for up to two years, though our aim is to help them secure permanent housing within six to nine months. Our program focuses on long-term economic stability and housing stability for residents. We offer an array of services to assist clients in achieving independence, including budgeting, meal planning, job readiness skills, and more.
“JFS Hope prides itself on staff and client diversity, welcoming all religions, ethnicities, genders and races,” said Karen Rosenthal, Senior Director of Children and Families. “JFS Hope caters to diverse audiences, such as Spanish speakers, Orthodox Jewish women, survivors over the age of 55, and parents of young children.”
Every survivor of intimate partner violence tells a story of resilience and hope. Daniel, a 36-year-old father of two young children, needed shelter and support to help them escape their abusive home and move forward. He was one of the first men to seek shelter in JFS Hope’s transitional housing program. During his stay in transitional housing, Daniel joined life skills groups, therapy sessions, job readiness workshops, and parenting classes. These resources helped him obtain full-time employment, gain full custody of his children, and find a permanent new home.
Laura did not realize she was experiencing verbal, emotional, and financial abuse until her therapist referred her to JFS Hope. Thanks to JFS Hope’s counseling services, domestic violence education, and support groups, Laura was finally able to recognize the abuse. Soon, Laura regained her confidence, built a support network, and began planning for an abuse-free future.
If you or anyone you know is in an abusive or unhealthy relationship, and needs comprehensive and compassionate help, please contact our 24-hour crisis lines at 818-505-0900 or 323-681-2626. For more information about JFS Hope, visit jfsla.org/hope.
