Safe Exit
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Holiday Giving Program 2023
Adopt a Family
The holidays are a special time of year for many people; a time of goodwill and celebration. Sadly, this isn’t true for everyone, including individuals and families who have experienced domestic violence. The holiday season can be extremely stressful for survivors who may be in the midst of fleeing or just getting back on their feet after leaving an abusive relationship.
This year, we continue to see hardships brought on by added stress, financial setbacks and the housing crisis; each year, survivors seem to face more complex challenges than before.
To help our families have a holiday season filled with warmth and joy, the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center is again hosting its annual Holiday Giving Program.
We are accepting online donations (below) on behalf of our participating families. The funds raised will provide families in need with gift cards, so that survivors can buy gifts for their children and family members for the holidays. This program has gotten an overwhelmingly positive response from those we serve over the last several years, so we are continuing with this format.
Our goal is to raise $100 for 100 individuals.
Total goal: $10,000 to provide to families this holiday season.
We are so grateful for your support. We reached our goal of $10,000! All additional contributions will support survivors’ other immediate needs, and the services we provide to survivors at no cost to them.
Meet One of Our Families that your donation can support this holiday season:
Sara thought the worst of it was behind her when she finally filed for divorce from her narcissistic and physically imposing husband. Her advocate at Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center had helped her with a safety plan and she was connected with a lawyer that worked on a sliding scale and was able to represent her for a fee that felt manageable on her budget. The judge in family court had established a temporary visitation schedule that felt reasonable and gave her daughter some semblance of predictability through the separation. Sara felt like she saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
She was surprised, therefore, when she was cornered at work by a pushy man who had intrusive questions about her marriage and her past. The man vaguely told her he “worked with the court” and made her feel like she could get in trouble if she didn’t answer his questions honestly. Sara excused herself and called the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center hotline; although her advocate wasn’t available, she recognized the voice of the staff-person that answered the phone. She learned that the man was likely a Private Investigator hired by her husband and she was not under any legal obligation to answer his questions.
Sara reconnected with her advocate who helped her prepare for the manipulative and exhausting tactics her husband deployed through the court system, including filing countless motions, lying about her to the judge, and claiming “parental alienation” despite Sara’s strict adherence to the visitation schedule. With the support of the Center, Sara was able to weather the storm of ongoing abusive tactics. Your donation will help Sara provide needed joy and a meaningful holiday for her and her daughter.
More Ways to Support
Help us provide books to families in need!
Donate a Jabberwocky Bookshop Gift Certificate this holiday season.
Gift certificate donations will allow us to purchase books that will help heal, offer education and bring joy to our families in need.
Gift certificates can be left at Jabberwocky Bookshop (50 Water St #22 in Newburyport) for later pick up by our staff.
Visit a local business to participate in a gift card drive!
The generous businesses listed below are hosting drives for gas and grocery store gift cards. These will be given to survivors we serve throughout the year to help meet urgent needs.