Good Shepherd Shelter closed out October, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, with its annual gala at the LA Grand Hotel on October 26th. We were delighted to celebrate with our community of supporters, all that we have been able to accomplish together in the past year: joining the Catholic Charities family, establishing an endowment fund for the shelter, and becoming the first domestic violence shelter in the country licensed to provide credit building lending circles to survivors. The event honored Cristina Franco's 25 years of work at the shelter, Nina MacLeay's 22 years of volunteer service in granting every shelter resident's holiday wishes, and the rich legacy of over 100 years of service by our founders, the Sisters of the Good Shepherd Province of Mid-North America. Because of the generosity of our donors, we were able to raise over a quarter of a million dollars - our most successful gala to date!

VIEW GALA RECEPTION & PROGRAM PHOTOS HERE

WATCH THE LEGACY AWARD TRIBUTE VIDEO HERE

WATCH THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT ANGEL AWARD TRIBUTE VIDEO HERE

Thank you to our Master of Ceremonies, NBC4's Patrick Healy for leading us through an engaging evening of awards, kinship and connection.

GOOD SHEPHERD SHELTER ANNOUNCES NEW LENDING CIRCLES PROGRAM AT ANNUAL GALA

Fundraising at this year's gala supported the Shelter's new initiatives to address the number one cited reason survivors stay in or return to an abusive relationship: financial insecurity. When survivors enter our shelter, they most often have no income or savings and are dealing with damaged credit - all at a time when financial stability is most needed to rebuild their lives.  To address this reality, this year, Good Shepherd Shelter became the first domestic violence shelter in the country to offer credit building lending circles for survivors. As a licensed provider using the innovative Mission Asset Fund model, survivors in our shelter or after care programs can contribute each month to a lending circle where their contribution is reported to the three main credit bureaus as an interest free loan payment. Survivors will receive a rotating payout through the circles which will support them in creating savings, while improving their credit score. This new program is a concrete way to address the financial devastation caused by abuse, supporting survivors to rebuild their lives by generating savings and repairing/building their credit - key assets in achieving long term stability.

MORE HIGHLIGHTS FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH

COMPLETION OF OUR SHELTER BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT

Over the Summer, we were able to fully renovate the 14 units of our transitional shelter program. We are proud to share that all units have been newly furnished, complete with new fridges, stoves, fresh paint and newly tiled floors! With the successful completion of key building and interior upgrades, we re-opened our shelter doors to families in October.

STAFF PARTICIPATES IN NATIONAL #PURPLETHURSDAY CAMPAIGN TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

STAFF FROM THE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE VISITS GOOD SHEPHERD SHELTER

Thank you to Gina Kaye from the National Domestic Violence Hotline for traveling from Austin, Texas to attend Good Shepherd Shelter's annual gala and to tour our campus. The National Domestic Violence Hotline answered its 5 millionth call this year - providing confidential support and connecting survivors and their friends and family to life changing resources to break the cycle of domestic violence. The hotline is a critical resource that connects survivors across the country to safe shelter and supportive services. We are grateful to partner with them.

DONATE TODAY