Imagine the ideal haven for women fleeing violence, in the place they should least expect it – their own homes . . . YWCA’s confidential Safe House shelter.

Imagine the ideal place for children who spent each day just trying to survive . . . YWCA’s “A Special Place Therapeutic Preschool.

Imagine a friendly, empathetic and informed voice available 24/7 to listen to your story, offer support and resources that will transform your life . .  . YWCA’s Domestic Violence Crisis Hotline.

For countless Sonoma County families who can’t imagine life without YWCA,  our services are more than a shelter, a preschool and a hotline – they represent the opportunity to find something better, to be something better. YWCA empowers the families in our tender care to imagine taking their lives and the lives of their children beyond where they thought they could go.

Now imagine you or someone close to you needing YWCA’s services – it may seem startling, but one in four families will be affected by domestic violence – that’s 25% of the people you and I both know.

We need your help to make sure that local families have somewhere to go when the unexpected – or even the impossible – happens.

Sometimes a sharp turn means a chance to start going in the right direction.

Madeleine Keegan O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Sonoma County