Domestic Violence Survivors Offered Stability After Departing Emergency Shelters

EVANSTON, IL — YWCA Evanston/North Shore will next month become one of just a few Illinois programs offering longer-term housing and support domestic violence survivors, the group announced Friday.

“Without longer-term housing and support, families that leave an emergency shelter often have nowhere to go,” explained Karen Singer, president and CEO of YWCA Evanston/North Shore. Without that stability, "survivors who leave shelter may cycle through other temporary housing/shelter services and programs or return to their abusers," she said in the announcement.

YWCA has operated the most comprehensive domestic violence program in northeastern Cook County for 30 years with extensive expertise providing services to survivors of domestic violence, including 24-hour crisis intervention, emergency shelter, legal help and counseling, according to the group.

“Being able to offer another solution to that problem is the realization of a long-held dream, and it will enable us deepen our impact by enabling survivors of domestic violence to achieve long term stability,” Singer added.

YWCA Evanston/North Shore says it's started a gift registry to help fill the desperate need for household items and equip the units with the necessities a survivor might need before she moves in.

The group said the first tenants will include clients from its own domestic violence program as well as from other domestic violence service providers starting in the middle of next month.

Photo: Karen Singer, CEO and president of YWCA Evanston/North Shore, showing an apartment YWCA provides for survivors of domestic violence.