Sonya:
First I would like to start with saying thank you to the Joyce Williams Center and Friends of Yates, for all the good services you guys have provided for me and others. The Joyce Williams Center is a vital part of this community and has supported me through the toughest parts of my life. I have been struggling through an abusive relationship for four years. I had to leave my home twice to find shelter and safety for me and my children. When I arrived at Joyce Williams I was a wreck. I felt worthless, ashamed, less than a woman and like an unfit mother. I can’t believe I had let this happen to me and my family. Throughout my stay at Joyce Williams Center, I figured out that I wasn’t alone in Domestic Violence and that I could overcome my life and that there were people who knew and understood what I am going through. The center has helped me and others to see things in a different light through the support of the wonderful Volunteers and Advocates. With that my mind was enlightened and my spirit was lifted. I was able to heal and make changes in my life. I was also one of the women who has returned to my abuser but is blessed to say I reached out for help and received it by JWC.

Tammy
For the past six months to a year I spent on a daily basis I was told I was worthless and a bad mother because I could no longer work due to a brain aneurism. I had grown to believe this was true it got to the point where I would not even look in the mirror. The only good thing in my life was my son. I stayed because I never wanted to be without my son, now after coming here I have learned I am not worthless. I do have limitations but the wonderful staff has made me realize my life is not over I can still contribute. They made me realize all the physical and verbal abuse was not my fault and that my son and I deserve much better. Before the last bad physical abuse I had never even known there was another way out. I have no family or parents and he made sure I had no friends so I felt trapped. Someone one day asked me what did I want to do with my future and I realized that since my brain aneurism I had never even though of anything except day by day. By coming here having people tell me I still have a lot to offer the world and ways to make my son proud of me, to face my fears and even look in the mirror and at old pictures realizing maybe someday I could be that person again, my self esteem and power are pushing me now to work to help others and often go back to the doctor and take care of my medical problems instead of just giving up and waiting for God to take me. Now I want a future with my son and maybe a long way down the road a future relationship for myself, being here has given me the strength to fight not to just give up.

Fatmah:
When I left my abuser and came into the shelter I started to become self-sufficient and doing things for my children and for myself. I started school. I feel I can become an independent parent and I have a chance to start all over and by coming to the shelter I have a new beginning and I’m not as afraid as I used to be. This will be the best Christmas ever for my family so far. I still have issues that I have to overcome but at least I have made a start on them. When I first started school my school mates did not understand me now I can talk to my schoolmates. I now have a place to stay and my children with me. I thank God I now have a lot of friends and my children feel better. I am happy I had a place to come to like Joyce Williams Center to be able to accomplish the things I have.

Kelly
Kelly- "I am a 45 year-old survivor of domestic violence.  I thank the Joyce H. Williams Centers,
and the staff for providing a safe place with food, shelter, and their services for women with no where else to go, and for permitting me to stay there until I was ready to be on my own.  All the staff helped me in certain ways; encouraging me, letting me know that I could do this on my own.  To start over on my own is such a big blessing and one I wouldn’t have got without the help of this program, and the support form the staff.  I feel blessed to have been a part of the program.  I needed their program, and the time there to figure things out.  I thank them so much for showing me that I am worthy and that I can succeed on my own.  Hard to believe what I accomplished during my stay at the shelter.  But here I am, with a home, car, and free of violence and sober.  I thank them so very much.  Still I have a long way to go.  Yet I know walking with Jesus I can

do it.

 

Hazel
Hazel -"My life was in danger, when I came to the JHWC.  I was very much afraid for my life.  I had my car burned up, my house broken into, and my items stolen by my abuser.  I had nothing.  The staff at the shelter gave me hope and made me feel safe enough to pick up and move myself on.  It was hard first to take that first step.  My attitudes have always gotten in the way of my progress.  But by listening and learning from the staff, going to groups that are offered to me here at the shelter and going to church my fear of life is fading, slowly but surely.  The staff has given me the tools to pick myself up and not look back.  I try to deal with light problems, on life terms.  I learned humor with people again.  Even if I haven’t achieved my goals as far as housing yet, I am grateful for where I’m at today.  Joyce H. Williams Center gave me the strength to go back to school, and with God’s help, I will be successful.

 

Sheila
Sheila-My son and I have been residents at the Joyce Williams Center for a couple months.  The center has helped me and my 9-year-old son in so many ways.  The center has helped keep us safe, where as before, I feared for my life, as well as for my son’s in every way.We have been helped with clothing, food, and any necessities we have needed since we have been here.  I am very grateful and thankful for everything that the center has done for us.  I have learned to recognize an abusive person, which will carry with me for a lifetime.  I believe without the knowledge of what I have been taught here, that I would be in another abusive relationship in the future.  Also, the drug and alcohol counseling here has been a great benefit for me.  While here, I have been things that well help keep me safe, clean and sober.  The counselor here has taught me things that I wasn’t even thought at the treatment facilities I was in.  I feel my son and I have a new beginning in life now.  My self-esteem and confidence have soared since I’ve been here.  I could never thank the staff of the Joyce H. Williams Center enough for helping me and my family with the new beginning we have in life now.