About Us
Help and Emergency Response, Inc. was developed in the Fall of 1983 in response to increasing awareness of domestic violence and an increase of reported incidents of spouse abuse. The seven "founding sisters" of Help and Emergency Response, Inc. Rachel Benzie, Dorothy Evans, Diane Griffin, Zelma Rivin, Gail Tiesenga, Gloria Webb, and Elaine Weitzman, chose the name to reflect the organization's mission to provide emergency shelter for individuals under attack and to educate women and the general public about domestic violence.
On October 1, 1985, the H.E.R. Shelter accepted it's first residents and first emergency hotline calls in a duplex that had been converted into a single dwelling with six bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, dining room, living room, and admission and administrative office. By 1986, a children's program was developed to address the specific emotional needs and well being of the children and to try to interrupt the cycle of violence. Additional programs were added over time to address the needs of the women and children coming into the shelter. Among them are the Aftercare Program, Court Advocacy Program, and the Volunteer Program. Help and Emergency Response, Inc. moved into a new building in April of 1995 after securing many donations from the community and after many fundraising opportunities. Today the H.E.R. Shelter can house forty-two women and children at one time.
FOUNDATION
Help and Emergency Response Foundation, Inc. is a separate 501C3 organization, specifically designed to accept donations for future capital expenditure projects.
In 1995, the H.E.R. Shelter built and furnished a brand-new facility in order to meet the growing demand of victims of domestic violence for safe shelter. This increased our capacity to serve up to 42 women and children a night - a 40% increase in occupancy.
Because we realize that we have a very valuable investment in our facility, we felt it necessary to establish a separate foundation to cover the costs of future replacement and repairs to our new building.
Good Stewardship is very important to the Board of Directors and staff of Help and Emergency Response, Inc. Consequently, with the establishment of the Foundation, we are now able to accept financial support through donors' cash, trusts, endowments, stocks, and estates.
For more information on how you can help us secure the long-term operation of the H.E.R. Shelter while benefiting from tax exempt donations, please contact the agency's Executive Director, Sandra C. Becker, at (757) 485-1445 or email her at sandra@hershelter.com.
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