Giving Thanks
A path to healing is never walked alone. To protect and advocate for the victims and survivors of relationship violence, we require the support of many individuals and organizations in the community. In the spirit of the upcoming holiday, we’re sharing the top five things we’re thankful for – the partners who make our mission possible, every day of the year.
Citywide Partners
Working diligently with Human Options, the City of Costa Mesa and the Costa Mesa Police Department offers ongoing advocacy to prevent relationship violence through awareness and education. As Costa Mesa Police Chief Ronald Lawrence has said, “… I’m so honored to be partnering with Human Options… the Police Department plays a role in this [holistic] approach to ending domestic violence and we’re here to assist with prevention and the protection of our families and all of our residents, especially the vulnerable and the young members of our community.”
The team at Santa Ana Police Department helps us by connecting those affected by relationship violence to much needed services and resources, and even allow our advocates to assist by joining SAPD officers on domestic violence calls.
Another critically important community partner, Santa Ana Unified School District offers space at a city school site for the Minnie Street Family Resource Center, a place where survivors on campus and in the community can get support and connect with Human Options representatives.
The City of Irvine and Irvine Police Department are long-standing partners with Human Options. During the holidays, we join the Irvine Police Department and Team Kids to bring holiday joy by hosting a ‘Shop with a Cop’ event to purchase goods and toys to benefit families affected by relationship violence.
Integral Housing Partners
One of the many resources Human Options is able to provide to survivors of relationship violence beyond emergency shelter are leads to transitional and permanent housing. That’s why organizations such as Families Forward, WISEplace and Abrazar are such vital partners in the work that we do. Working in tandem, we are able to help survivors find a path to healing by providing resources to support housing stability.
Gracious Donors
Every donation makes a difference to someone in need. This year, our supporters made an incredible impact on the lives of relationship violence victims, and we couldn’t be more thankful. Whether it’s providing $100 for a family to stay one night in a shelter or $1,000 to help ensure nutritious food is available at our emergency shelter, every contribution makes a difference in providing a path forward for survivors.
Dedicated Volunteers
Volunteers play an important role in helping victims — from responding to the 24-hour emergency hotline, by participating in woman and teen volunteer groups to attorneys who provide pro bono legal services in Family Law and Immigration. Thank you for your ongoing support.
This vast coalition of partnerships and people all come together for a single cause: to help individuals, one at a time, find their way out of violence and toward healing and stability. People like Mia.
Mia was separated from her children for a year due to circumstances of violence that occurred in the home from their father. Upon entering our emergency shelter, we worked with Mia on reunifying her with her four children. Mia was not only able to reunite her family, but thanks to Human Options and our partners, she could access resources to provide herself and her children with ongoing stability and emotional support. Her children are now excelling emotionally and academically.
The need for an entire community of ongoing support and resources to help victims of relationship violence cannot be overstated — and neither can our gratitude to all of those who partnered with us in 2022 to make hope possible.
We’re looking forward to another year of making a difference with you.
