House of Hope
Missouri Shores Domestic Violence Center needs your help, now more than ever. Our Board of Directors and staff have been working diligently for a year and a half to bring a brand-new House of Hope to Central South Dakota. This safe haven provides emergency shelter to hundreds of families every year, from all across Central South Dakota.
The unfortunate reality is that Missouri Shores provides services - including shelter, help with protection orders, transportation to a safe location, food, clothing, furniture, rental assistance, and more - to 500 individuals annually. And this issue, which impacts all of us, is only getting worse. Our services only continue to increase, and the violence we are seeing is escalating. This can no longer be viewed as a “family issue,” but a community issue. No one deserves to live in fear of a person who is supposed to love, support, and protect them.
This is why we need your help. In January 2022, Governor Noem’s Office of Economic Development obligated Missouri Shores a $2,020,000 Community Development Block Grant to start us down the road to a new House of Hope. This grant obligation, combined with other federal grants and contributions from community members, businesses, and organizations helped us reach our original cost estimate - $4,300,000.
But this isn’t the end of the road for us, unfortunately. Inflation during the last year alone has risen 28%. We understand the rising costs affect everyone, not just Missouri Shores. Because of inflation, our building estimate has increased significantly. Despite the hard work and generosity of our communities, our fundraising efforts fell short. $1,500,000 short.
Progress has still been made. Missouri Shores has purchased the land for our new House of Hope, which will be over double the space we have now at 13,550 square feet. Here, we will house up to thirteen families, including male victims of abuse. With not only additional rooms, but additional staff offices, we are looking forward to expanding our services in Pierre, Fort Pierre, and the surrounding areas.
The support has been overwhelming since we announced our plans for a new House of Hope, and we are hopeful the communities Missouri Shores serves will come together to help us accomplish this incredible need. Our current House of Hope runs at maximum capacity almost constantly. In fact, as I write this plea, we are checking a family into a hotel room because our shelter is full. Dozens of families must seek shelter in hotel rooms or be referred to other agencies because we simply do not have the capacity to assist them during their most vulnerable time. This increases the likelihood of these families returning to unsafe situations to ensure their most basic needs are met.
1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Think of all the people you know - friends, family, co-workers, neighbors - and consider just how many victims and survivors you love, even if you don’t know it. Help us help those affected domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking for another thirty years.
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Maria* came to the House of Hope in July 2022. She had been with her husband for five years and they had two young children together. In the beginning, her husband was the most caring, thoughtful, protective man in the world - or so Maria thought. Maria would notice little things during their relationship that would send up a signal - he would get upset if she went out with friends, or would ask her where she was at all hours of the day - but she chalked it up to him caring about her. After Maria found out she was pregnant with their first child, her husband told her she was stupid for getting “knocked up” and denied that he was the father. He told Maria she should just kill herself and the baby.
After the baby was born, the abuse became physical. He would “lose his temper” and slap her for anything he disapproved of. Once, during an explosive episode that lasted several hours, he strangled her until she blacked out. Afterwards, he apologized, told Maria he would not have strangled her if she hadn’t made him so angry, and told her no one would ever believe her if she told them what happened.
Her young children eventually began imitating their father’s abusive behavior. This is when Maria decided she needed to get out. She stayed for two months at Missouri Shores’ House of Hope, where she learned budgeting, meal planning, and other life skills; found employment and child care; received referrals for counseling; and received three months of rental assistance through a program at Missouri Shores. Maria has now been away from her abusive husband for nine months, is still receiving mental health counseling, and has continued employment she enjoys.
*Name changed for confidentiality
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This is just one story out of hundreds that walk through our doors every day. You can make a pledge today to our new House of Hope - for Maria and everyone who has come after her, for your friends, family, and loved ones, and for the millions of people who experience violence in their homes every single day.