Working Against Violence Inc – Project THRIVE
When Cathy arrived at WAVI with her three children from Hot Springs, they were tired, scared, and carrying the weight of months of fear and isolation. The children’s father had slowly cut the family off from loved ones and outside support. The children were rarely allowed to leave the house, and even attending school had become difficult. One evening, the violence in the home became terrifying. Law enforcement arrived, arrested the father, and brought Cathy and her children to WAVI’s shelter. For the first time in a long time, the family was somewhere safe. At WAVI, the children were given warm meals, clean clothes, soft beds, and a chance to finally sleep without fear. Cathy remembers how strange it felt at first to sit in silence without worrying about what might happen next. Little by little, the family began to breathe again. With the support of her case manager, Cathy worked through the overwhelming steps that come after leaving abuse. She received help with safety planning, legal concerns, school enrollment for her children, and connections to resources that would help them rebuild their lives. As the days passed, the children slowly started acting like children again. They laughed more. They slept through the night. They talked about school and made plans for the future. Cathy began to regain confidence in herself and hope for what life could look like beyond the violence. Today, the family is continuing to heal and move forward together. The children began attending school, Cathy started working and the family have moved into transitional housing.