Written by Arielle Black-Foley
I walked into Prescott Area Women’s Shelter (PAWS) having
no real idea what to expect. I had never worked with a homeless population
before, so I was fairly clueless what brought our guest to the shelter, what
the dynamic was between staff and guests, and even what a typical day was like
in the shelter. One thing was clear to me from the beginning; the shelter was a
lot homier than I had imagined. On each bunk was a colorful quilt, and above
each bed there was a colored frame honoring the individual(s) who helped pay
for that bed. The women’s spirits matched the colorful room; rather than a
building full of hopelessness and gloom (as I had prepared myself for), I
noticed that women seemed generally quite happy and at ease here.
Sure, women would have their bad days, but at the
end of the day, PAWS was a second chance for them, and they were committed to
doing whatever they needed to get back on their feet. The staff also did their
best to insure each woman’s success. The Case Manager here met weekly with each
woman, creating weekly goals and monitoring their improvement. The really
exciting part: it’s working! I have already witnessed 12 women transition out
of PAWS since August.
The sad part is that there is such a need for our services. We have served
4,703 women in this year alone, and have had a consistent waitlist since
opening. You can always help us to provide food, shelter, and access to
resources for homeless women and children by donating goods, making a monetary
donation or volunteering in the shelter.
Yet, there is a more immediate way to make a difference.
The Prescott Area Women’s Shelter (PAWS) invites you to join us for our Holiday
Fundraiser, which will be taking place on November 18th from 5 to 8
PM in the Ballroom at Hotel St. Michael. The Event will consist of a silent
auction, and a raffle filled with wonderful items from local artists and
business owners (cash and check only; no credit cards). There will be delicious
appetizers as well as a cake table with coffee, tea and sweets. Tickets are $35
a person.
For more ticket information, please contact Patricia
Brockert, at irishpatmike@msn.com,
or by telephone at 928-541-0063.
For general information
on our shelter, please go to www.prescottshelter.org.
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