San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
PROVIDENCE PLACE
Since its doors opened more than a century ago, Providence Place has served as a safe haven for thousands of women and children in crisis. Over the years, the faith-based nonprofit has provided women – many of them abuse survivors – with shelter and services needed to transform their lives. Providence Place is a unique organization with a unique history. It was founded in 1895 by Madame Volino, a brothel owner in downtown San Antonio. A street revivalist’s message turned out to be life changing for Volino, so much so that she decided to turn her brothel into a rescue mission for vulnerable young
girls and women. Back then, it was called a home for wayward girls, and eventually, its mission would include caring for unwed mothers and arranging adoptions.
Although our society has changed a lot since then, some of the problems women face have not. Today, Providence Place operates on a 25-acre campus on the city’s Northwest Side. The organization serves women 18 and older who are dealing with unplanned pregnancies, aging out of the foster care system, and survivors of domestic abuse and human trafficking. One of the oldest adoption agencies in Texas, Providence Place facilitates private infant adoptions, foster care adoptions and has been recognized as a pioneer in open adoption. Thanks to Providence Place, more than 6,000 children have been adopted by loving families. These days, most of the children they place come from Child Protective Services.
CEO and president Judith Bell said the goal is for everyone to have the opportunity to envision a different future and transform their future story. “We’re a multiprogram agency, but we all work around the same mission, to eliminate the cycle of trauma, the generational cycle of trauma through innovative services,” she said.
Programs designed to fulfill that mission include Parenting with a Purpose, a family development program focusing on education and empowerment for families with children younger than 3; My Mariposa Home, an 18-month transitional housing program for adult female survivors of human trafficking, sexual assault, and domestic violence; Supervised Independent Living, a transitional housing program for young women in extended foster care; and Oasis Home, a temporary emergency shelter for those aging out of the foster care system who don’t have a home.
Bell said many of their clients face trauma associated with exiting the foster care system, childhood abuse, and living on the streets. She said 81 % of the women who arrive at My Mariposa Home are homeless and have experienced some form of abuse. About 30 % identify as survivors of human trafficking, and 20 % come from the foster care system. “These are women who have had very difficult lives,” said Bell. “Because of the abuse, many have abandonment and trust issues common for those dealing with complex trauma.”
The transitional housing Providence Place provides often serves as a quiet place for restoration, a space where the women can be themselves and learn what it’s like to live a more normal life. One young mother, who recently spent 10 months at My Mariposa Home, said the temporary housing program gave her the safe place she’d been looking for.
The woman’s name has been withheld to protect her privacy. She had been in an abusive relationship for years and was facing homelessness.
“I was not in a very good mental state when I got there,” she said. “I was devastated and embarrassed and ashamed of my situation.” While living at My Mariposa Home, she attended therapy sessions, received job training, and signed up for housing assistance.
She said counseling sessions helped her gain confidence and taught her the coping skills needed to make a fresh start. She now has a job, an apartment and has been reunited with her children. Although she has moved out of My Mariposa Home, she still attends campus therapy sessions. Providence Place continues to be an integral part of her support system. “The thing I’m most grateful for with My Mariposa Home is the healing,” she said. “I was taught the right way to interact and the right tools to use.”
Like most nonprofits, Providence Place welcomes monetary donations, but Bell said they need Uber gift cards, store gift cards, Visa gift cards and diapers. Information about how to donate can be found on the website,
https://www.provplace.org/.
Due to the pandemic, the organization is not seeking volunteers at this time, but those interested should check the website for upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Bell wants people to know that Providence Place has been providing housing and services for women, youth, and families for 126 years.
“We have been part of changing the stories of countless people,” she said. “This is about empowering women, youth, and families, and we’ve been doing it a long time.”