REFUGE NETWORK

Community Giving Cards - Honor someone on your gift list and help homeless and abused families at the same time.

A unique gift idea for the person who has everything or the one who is hard to buy for or the social conscientious and what about the boss, the kids teacher, the pastor, the neighbor...

Give to END domestic abuse. Your gift is not just a drop in the bucket; your gift helps families in need:

· A bed for young kids - caught in the middle of domestic abuse and sometimes victims

· Job placement and coaching - guidance and support in finding a stable job for domestic abuse victims

· A place to stay - The Refuge Network provides individual rooms with no mandatory departure time limit to ensure families leave when they are prepared

· Self sufficiency - Advocates work with clients to reach goals and identify life skill improvements for when clients leave the shelter

· Legal support - The Refuge Network provides guidance in finding and filing paperwork for clients

· The essentials - Bathroom supplies, clothing, transportation and other daily necessities that victims must often leave behind when escaping abusive relationships

· A friend - Advocates provide a sympathetic ear and shoulder to cry on when victims need a friend's support and they don't know where to turn.

All gifts made on our GiveMN page go to general operation support of The Refuge Network's work in our community.

For more information visit our website or call us.

Thank you!

-- Tucker's Story

...One day TJ was mad at my mom when she was on the motorcycle with him and he started speeding and scaring my mom. When he went into a gas station to buy something, my mom started walking home. TJ raced home to get the car and go after her and he threatened to run her over! Things were normal for a while but then the arguments started. This time it was about what terrible children my sister and I were. When the argument got really heated, TJ said my mom was the f***ing ugliest person that he had ever met. He apologized and then acted like nothing happened.

Later, when my mom was talking on the phone to my aunt she mentioned that TJ had threatened to run her over with his car and TJ went ballistic. He told her to get out and take Tucker with you. It was 12:30 at night and we had to leave in the middle of a snow blizzard. Mom had bald tires on her car. When we got to our exit to get off the highway we went into a tailspin into the ditch and needed to be pulled out by a tow truck. It took 45 minutes for the tow truck guy to get there so it was about 5:30 in the morning when we finally got to my aunt's home.

The next day my mom went into the hospital for the second time with depression and anxiety. TJ came to the hospital and acted all sweet and sorry and said if we came back to him things would change at home. He lied. Nothing changed, he kept arguing with all of us. When I say he complains, I mean he COMPLAINS A LOT! He accuses us of not listening and he is talking to himself. Again they argue. After an argument mom tries to sleep it off and TJ can't sleep at all. Because he couldn't sleep he said neither could my mom. If she dozed off he would kick the bed and wake her up. She would go into the bathroom, lock the door and try to sleep. TJ would sit outside the door and pick the lock. Mom would take a sleeping pill so she could sleep and he finally left her alone. Why does he do this to my mom and us kids? He is not a nice person.

Mom told him we had had enough and would be out in four days. He threatened her then...five times and that is when we came to Black Dog Hill Shelter. Every day since we came here I have felt safer. And I am away from trouble. I really love everybody here at the shelter. I am glad that I have met people with similar problems and have been able to connect with them. This a nice surrounding that is calm and an amazing place to be at.

I am Tucker, a 15 year old survivor of family violence living at Black Dog Hill Shelter and loving it!!