How your donations help AVDA support victims of domestic violence

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — All this month, CBS12 News has been covering the lifesaving work of one Palm Beach County nonprofit called AVDA, which stands for “Help for victims of domestic violence”. We told you stories about those who survivedand introduced you to volunteers who work around the clock to help survivors find safety and start a self-sufficient life.

Right now, AVDA could use your help as they work to find an anonymous donor who has pledged $40,000 if they can raise that amount or more.

As AVDA President and CEO Pam O’Brien explained, every dollar counts in their work to help victims and prevent domestic violence in the community.

“I’m amazed at the number of people who have been affected by domestic violence,” O’Brien said. “When you hear that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men report it, I think everyone knows someone who has gone through it.”

An important service that AVDA provides is a 24/7 hotline. In the last year alone, the hotline received more than 2,000 calls. It also receives text messages. This is often the victim’s first step to escape danger.

When an AVDA attorney answers the call or text, they can help with the caller’s unique needs. Sometimes they need advice on a security plan. At other times, they need shelter, transportation, and legal resources. AVDA can connect them to all of this, and it starts with a call to 1-800-355-8547.

AVDA also operates a 64-bed emergency shelter at an undisclosed location. Last year, 263 people stayed in this shelter, including 114 children.

Board member Tami Babbage visited the shelter and described it as an inspiring place of community and healing.

“I think what interests me the most is that I saw the children in the shelter and talked to them,” Babii said. “Having a birthday party, and some of them have never had a birthday. And maybe get a new pair of shoes for school and feel like they fit. Seeing them thrive in the end and seeing the smile on their faces is why I will always support AVDA.”

AVDA’s work has two goals: to support victims and to prevent domestic violence in the community. To this end, they conduct trainings and estimate that they have trained more than 11,000 people.

For board member Beverly Cordner, working with AVDA is something she does in honor of a close relative. This relative was a victim of domestic violence and it affected her for many years. Now Cordner says he can see how the services can change a person’s life.

“I was talking to a survivor years ago, and something she said stuck with me,” Kornder recalls. “Then she said the abuser was her husband and he always told her she was worthless. That she will never achieve anything. And it stuck in her head. And she always felt that she would never do anything. Being at AVDA and getting counseling really helped her build her self-esteem and helped her become the woman she could be, away from her abuser.”

To participate in AVDA’s Purple Pajama Party charity campaign, visit this is a link. The campaign to raise more than $40,000 and find an anonymous donor will run until November 15.

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