A grant from the Downtown Chandler Community Foundation is helping My Sisters’ Place provide a safe place for domestic violence survivors.
Home maintenance can be overwhelming. Regular wear and tear on a home can be difficult to keep up.
Now imagine having up to 17 people sharing two bathrooms. That is the situation at My Sisters’ Place (MSP). As a domestic violence shelter, MSP houses men and women, along with their children, who are experiencing violence in their homes.
Five Families Under One Roof
Families that come to MSP share a bedroom and children get to stay with their parent. The newest building has five bedrooms and two bathrooms that are shared by everyone. The annual repair budget was eaten away earlier this year when one bathroom was repaired and other expenses arose. This year, the second bathroom also needed repairs. “Some of the tiles fell off and the tub needed to be replaced,” said Sheryl Christianson, MSP senior programs manager.
This second bathroom is shared by everyone but mainly used by families staying in the two closest bedrooms housing six people. The other bathroom is used by 11 people.
“The bathroom is currently in use but it is rather unpredictable as to how long it will be usable. If the tiles become unsafe, all residents will have to share bathroom on the other side of the building which was previously repaired,” said Christianson.
DCCF Grant
Thankfully repairs are coming. The Downtown Chandler Community Foundation (DCCF) awarded $2,000 to My Sisters’ Place for the replacement of a bathtub, tile and other repairs. The grant will greatly assist MSP and the help provide a safe place for families fleeing violence.
“Due to the large amount of women, children and men that use the bathrooms on a daily basis, it is necessary to repair the bathroom and keep it functioning at a safe and sanitary level,” said Christianson. “We will be using the money to complete repairs and renovations in the bathroom. Repairs are scheduled for early 2016.”
Last year the Downtown Chandler Community Foundation generously awarded us a grant that allowed MSP to purchase laptops that are used by residents to apply for benefits, look for jobs and find housing. We are very thankful for their continued support!
