Safe House seeks donations; need for help constant at CCS shelter

As the temperatures rise and the population of Yuma dwindles, the need for support and donations remains ever constant at the local Catholic Community Services (CCS) of Southern Arizona Safe House Domestic Violence Shelter.

“Around Christmas and Thanksgiving is when everyone wants to give,” said Jessica Sanchez, services coordinator at the Safe House. “But, the need is still there even though the holidays aren’t happening. The need is throughout the year, and we are always fluctuating in numbers. We do fluctuate, but we are more full during the summertime, I would say.”

In total, Sanchez said there are about 40 beds at the shelter, which has been in operation locally for over 30 years.

The Safe House provides a secure environment for those needing to flee a harmful situation at home, and emergency shelter is provided for survivors — both men and women with children fearing domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, stalking and trafficking, the CCS website showed.

Advocacy services for court accompaniment and orders of protection, case management services for support and self-sufficiency, counseling services, educational and activity groups and nutritional services are also provided by the Safe House.

According to Sanchez, the CCS shelter is the only Safe House of its kind in Yuma County. Resources from the shelter are available to the community, and the shelter is open 24 hours a day, seven days a

week.

Sanchez said the shelter is in need of various items such as newborn size five diapers, hair brushes, hair ties, hand soap, nail clippers, women’s undergarments and women’s socks.

“We have kiddos in size 5 diapers,” Sanchez explained. “Also, if people are not comfortable with donating undergarments they can send us gift cards and we can earmark them specifically for those items.”

“We have a huge need for deodorant,” Sanchez added. “Basically, we can use anything you can find in a home such as pillows, towels, Clorox wipes — anything and everything.”

Many of the survivors staying at the shelter will also need items when they begin finding a residence, because many of them come to the shelter without any supplies.

To protect those currently staying at the Safe House, the address of the shelter is not disclosed. Community members can drop off donations at the CCS Main Office, Sanchez said, which is located at 690 E. 32nd St. The office is open Mondays though Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Checks and gift cards can also be mailed to the office as well. For those who wish to allocate their checks for specific items, such as diapers, they may make a note in the memo section of the check, Sanchez said.

“We find that whenever we do ask and reach out to the community and let them know our needs, they are so helpful,” Sanchez noted. “The Yuma community definitely gives back and we do appreciate all of the help throughout the year that we get from them.”

The Safe House can be reached at (928) 782-0077.

For information, referrals or services, call the local Hotline at (928) 782-0044 or the Crisis Hotline at 1-877-440-0550.