November is often thought of as a time for giving thanks — a time when families and friends gather to share stories over home-cooked meals and soak in the love and comfort of those around us. It’s also a time when many of us reflect on the past year and thank those individuals who have helped us through their kindness and support.
For those of us at OASIS Family Resource Center in Cadillac, the month of November provides an opportunity to give gratitude to our community partners and share a reminder of the ever-increasing need to support domestic abuse victims and survivors.
OASIS is a nonprofit shelter and support service established in 1984. We provide services that empower survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and human trafficking, and give them the assistance they need to break free from the abuse in their lives. Many of those we serve are children caught in the domestic violence storm between adults they know and love. Their pain is palpable and without the efforts of our dedicated staff, many likely would remain trapped in an atmosphere of violence, fear and sadness.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, roughly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence, sexual violence, or partner stalking with injury. In 2022, the Michigan State Police reported 64,545 domestic violence offenses were committed in our state by current or former intimate partners. The frequency of abuse is staggering among minority populations. More than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women and men have experienced violence in their lifetime, while 45 percent of Black women and 40 percent of Black men experience intimate partner abuse. The numbers clearly demonstrate a need for support services that we’re proud to deliver.
For us, giving thanks includes recognizing the DTE Energy Foundation for its annual grant to 45 state-funded domestic violence shelters in Michigan. This year’s support of $420,000 brings the Foundation’s total commitment to more than $2.6 million over the past five years. The funding will be used to offer survivor-centric services that include housing, transportation, employment and support for survivors who need help with healthcare needs or are struggling to navigate the criminal justice system. Many of the people who come to our shelter have nothing but the clothes on their backs, so we are grateful for the kindness of DTE Foundation and all the philanthropic organizations that fuel our day-to-day operations.
Still, the frequency of abuse continues to grow and the need for services always exceeds our capacity. So, we’re asking you to consider supporting your local domestic violence shelter this Giving Tuesday, November 28. Your tax-deductible contribution could truly be a “life-giver” for adults or children overwhelmed by the abuse of another.
Sara Shields
Executive Director
Cadillac Area OASIS Family Resource Center
Domestic violence shelters eligible to receive DTE Foundation grants
1. Catherine Cobb Safe House, Adrian
2. Hope Shores Alliance, Alpena
3. SafeHouse Center, Ann Arbor
4. S.A.F.E. Place, Battle Creek
5. Bay Area Women’s Center, Bay City
6. Children and Family Services of Southwestern Michigan/Safe Shelter, Inc., Benton Harbor
7. Women’s Information Service, Inc., Big Rapids
8. Cadillac Area Oasis Cadillac
9. Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter, Calumet
10. HDC/Thumb Area Assault Crisis Center, Caro
11. Branch County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Coldwater
12. YWCA of Metropolitan Detroit/Interim House, Detroit
13. Alliance Against Violence and Abuse, Escanaba
14. YWCA of Greater Flint/SAFE House, Flint
15. YWCA of West Central Michigan, Grand Rapids
16. River House, Grayling
17. Domestic Harmony, Hillsdale
18. Resilience, Holland
19. LACASA, Howell
20. RAVE — Ionia/Montcalm
21. Caring House, Inc., Iron Mountain
22. DOVE, Ironwood
23. AWARE, Jackson
24. YWCA of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo
25. Baraga County Shelter Home, L’Anse
26. End Violent Encounters (EVE), Lansing
27. Lapeer Area Citizens Against Domestic Assault, Lapeer
28. Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters, Ludington
29. CHOICES of Manistee County, Manistee
30. Women’s Center/Harbor House, Marquette
31. Shelterhouse/Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Midland
32. Family Counseling and Shelter Services of Monroe County, Monroe
33. Turning Point, Mt. Clemens
34. RISE, Mt. Pleasant
35. Every Woman’s Place, Muskegon
36. Women’s Resource Center of Northern Michigan, Petoskey
37. First Step, Plymouth
38. HAVEN, Pontiac
39. Blue Water Safe Horizons, Port Huron
40. Underground Railroad, Saginaw
41. Anishnaabek Community and Family Services, Sault Ste. Marie
42. Diane Peppler Resource Center, Sault Ste. Marie
43. SafeCenter, St. Johns
44. Domestic and Sexual Abuse Services, Three Rivers
45. Women’s Resource Center Grand Traverse Area, Traverse City
Sara Shields is the Executive Director of Cadillac OASIS Family Resource Center.
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