From our point of view we would be nothing without our partner agencies. Without them we could not service the furniture needs for Houstonians under the poverty line. Recently we sat down with Debra Richmond, the representative for The Women’s home to find out more about this wonderful organization.
Q1. What is the mission of the Women’s Home?
A: The mission of The Women’s Home is to help women in crisis regain their self-esteem and dignity, empowering them to return to society as productive, self-sufficient individuals.
Q2. Who are you primarily benefiting? What type of women?
A: We service vulnerable women and families. Many of whom have histories of addiction, mental illness, incarceration, and poverty.
Q3. To achieve your mission what kinds of things does your organization
do? What kinds of programs and services are offered at the Women’s
Home Center?
A: We provide housing and wrap-around service through the following programs: Intensive Treatment Program; Supportive Treatment Program; Supportive Housing Communities that are safe, sober, and affordable; Wrap around services to help all family members thrive.
Q4. How many people have you helped with these programs in the last 5 years?
A: Over 1,000. We expect this number to increase dramatically as just opened our family centered apartment complex and will open later this year our Mabee WholeLife Service Center.
Q5. What is the cottage shop and what benefits does it provide to the
women going through y’alls program and the community at large.
A: The Cottage Shop serves a dual purpose for The Women’s Home. IT serves as the vocational training ground for our clients as they are preparing to reenter the workf
orce, and serves as a source of revenue to help underwrite the programs The Home offers. For the community, it serves many functions, including but not limited to: an affordable place to purchase clothing and housewares for all aspects of life, a place for community members to volunteer, a green business as it gives second life to gently used clothing and recycles clothing that is not applicable for resale.
Q6. What annual events do y’all hold?
A: Our large fundraisers are:
Annual Crawfish Boil – April 1st – Over 600 friends of The Women’s Home will meet at West Alabama Ice House to enjoy crawfish, community and raise funds for The Home.
ReNew and ReDo Fashion Show – August 24 – High end fashion show and pop up boutique that features new and gently used designer clothing donated to The Cottage Shop by Fashionable Friends of The Women’s Home.
Triumph Luncheon – November 17th – The Women’s Home annual fundraising luncheon recognizing volunteers and community entities and an inspirational speaker that exemplify the WholeLIfe model of care that is the foundation for The Women’s Home.
Q7. If you asked anyone on staff what is the most rewarding part of working for The Women’s Home, what would it be?
A: When you ask a staff member at The Women’s Home what is most impressionable, the majority will say that it is seeing the transformation of the women from day one to graduation. To see how they hold their heads up higher and speak with more confidence and feel sure of themselves in a w ay they never could have imagined when they entered our doors.
I don’t know about y’all but I certainly gained a new respect for The Women’s Home. If you did as well make sure to visit their website by clicking here