A staggering 72% of women who came from abusive relationships decided to stay because they had no means to provide for their children. This also means that a considerably large number of children were made to withstand the traumatic experience of being silent witnesses to the abuse or be victims themselves. House of Helping Hands, a charitable institution, is making it their mission to remove these children from their toxic environment and help them overcome their trauma.
House of Helping Hands is a place of refuge for both women and their children who are victims of abuse, whether physically or sexually. Aside from being able to avail of a safe housing facility where they can recuperate from the trauma, they are also made to go through helpful therapy sessions to help them deal with their difficult experiences. Furthermore, women are made to undergo a skills development program to help them get job placements that will secure a better future for them and their children.
“We envision a broad network of mentoring and adult support to foster youth. With this support, we seek to prevent foster youth from becoming delinquent from school, homeless, or involved with the juvenile justice system. We believe adult mentorship can also help prevent drug abuse and teen pregnancy. For foster youth to benefit from this support, the broader culture must change its view of them. We seek to erase the stigma of foster care and ensure that from the moment a child enters the foster system, they are surrounded by stable, loving, trained adults,” explains Eli Hilomen, founder of House of Helping Hands.
Despite their painful past, the hardworking staff at House of Helping Hands believe that children who are victims of abuse need not become liabilities in their respective communities. Instead, the institution is helping them process their experience, talk about their emotions, express themselves in a manner that helps them heal on the inside, and how to overcome their trauma. In doing this, the House of Helping Hands trained therapists are confident that they can one day become contributors to the community.
The House of Helping Hands offers evening and daytime support group meetings where women are educated about their rights, learn how to recognize domestic violence, understand the barriers of leaving, and learn legal insights at the same time. Trained members of the staff help victims process their options and see things from a better perspective. Coming up with a concrete plan is something that victims get to experience so they can plot the beginning of their new life. Counseling services in English and Spanish are available.
As House of Helping Hands is a charitable institution, it relies on its donors and social partners for financial and other types of support to cater to the immediate and short-term needs of the victims. The success of the institution and its many advocacies is only possible with the help and support of donors from around the country. Without them, the vision of providing a new life for women and their children cannot be fully realized. Learn more about the House of Helping Hands by visiting its website. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
