Homelessness. Living on the street.
So many things can drive you here; Drug abuse, alcoholism, loss of job, and yes, even domestic violence.
”He [my husband] would go into a rage, and he’d start hitting on me... and he’d throw me against a wall or he’d throw something at me. This was a completely different man than the man I married,” Kristyn Stillwell said.
The result was an escape and homelessness for Kristyn and her very young son after she decided to flee from her husband in her mid-20′s.
Suddenly, all alone with no financial help and trying to care for her young boy, Kristyn was struggling to survive all the while running for her life from her ex-husband.
”It’s true, we were on the run,” she said. “We just started living out of my car, there was nowhere else to go. I reached out to friends and family but didn’t have anyone to turn to for help.”
That homeless nightmare led Kristyn to eventually create H.O.P.E. Haven, a charity with the mission of helping the homeless get back on their feet again and back to a successful life.
H.O.P.E. Haven has housed over 750 homeless people since it first opened.
They offered shelter to 165 homeless people last year alone and Kristyn says one in five people or 20% of the men and women calling who come to the charity for help with homelessness are fleeing a domestic abuser.
”Yes, we get calls. Five to ten of them a day, from women fleeing domestic violence,” she said. “So we try to find them a place to get them safe because there’s someone who’s maybe coming after them.”
H.O.P.E. Haven offers all homeless people, men, women and children help, whether they’re fleeing domestic violence or not.
The charity offers housing, physical and mental health evaluations, help to enroll for free healthcare, and job training.
”Many people just don’t realize it but, this is what happens with domestic abuse situations. You know what happens when the relationship falls out and they’re [the abused]not the breadwinner? They end up homeless. We give them a place to go and all the help they need to survive this,” Jonathan Spears of H.O.P.E. Haven said.
If you are fleeing domestic violence and looking for help, you can call H.O.P.E. Haven for help at 832-350-8790 or go to www.hhaven.org.
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