Safehouse Center Fall 2025 Newsletter

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month 

Dear Friend,

This October holds special meaning for SafeHouse Center, and for everyone who cares
about creating a safer, more compassionate community. It is a month of awareness, a
season of new beginnings, and the start of a milestone year in our history.

First and foremost, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). This
month calls us to reflect, to listen, and to act. It is a time to honor the strength of
survivors, to remember those who were lost to violence, and to shine a light on the
often-hidden reality of abuse. At SafeHouse Center, we will be gathering with
community partners, neighbors, and friends at events across the county. Together, we
will raise awareness about the prevalence of domestic violence and share ways that all
of us can stand with survivors. Your presence, your voice, and your advocacy matter
more than ever.

October is also the beginning of a new fiscal year for SafeHouse Center. Normally, this
is a moment of planning and renewal. But this year, it is also a moment of deep
concern. As you may know, we have been part of a statewide call for action, urging
Michigan lawmakers to invest in adequate funding for survivors of domestic violence.
While the state budget has passed, we still do not know how SafeHouse Center will be
impacted. Federal priorities remain uncertain as well. This lack of clarity is not only
frustrating, it is frightening because it could mean fewer resources at a time when the
need is greater than ever.

Every year, more than 4,000 survivors and their children turn to SafeHouse Center.
They find a place where they are heard, believed, and supported. They find safety when
home is not safe. They find advocates who will walk beside them through the courts,
through hospital visits, and through some of the hardest days of their lives. What would
happen if those doors were not open? Who would answer the phone at 2 a.m.? Who
would welcome a survivor and child into a warm room, away from the danger they fled?
Who would help a survivor fill out a Personal Protection Order when every step feels
overwhelming? Survivors should never have to face these questions. And SafeHouse
Center should never have to decide which services to provide because of funding
shortfalls.

Finally, October marks the beginning of our 50th Anniversary year. In 1975,
SafeHouse Center was born from the compassion and determination of volunteers who
refused to accept silence around domestic violence. Our shelters were built by the
community and our work has always been sustained by the community. And through it
all, one truth has remained constant: survivors are at the heart of everything we do.
As we enter this 50th year, we will take time to honor our history, to celebrate the
resilience of survivors, and to express our deepest gratitude for the unwavering support of friends like you. Over the next twelve months, we will share stories, host gatherings,
and look ahead to a future where every person can live free from violence.
We invite you to join us, this month, and throughout the year, as we reflect, advocate,
and celebrate together. With your support, we can ensure that SafeHouse Center
remains a beacon of hope and safety for generations to come.

With gratitude,

Christine Watson

Executive Director, SafeHouse Center

Lace Up for the annual Purple Run on October 11!

Join us on Saturday, October 11 at 9:00 AM for the annual Purple Run, a powerful community event that brings awareness to Domestic Violence and raises critical support for survivors.
This inspiring 5K run/walk is a dynamic partnership between the University of Michigan Police Department, the Ann Arbor Police Department, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office, and SafeHouse Center, all united in the fight against domestic violence.
Whether you run, walk, volunteer, or cheer from the sidelines, your presence makes a difference.

Sign up today and be part of the movement! Register here!

Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild Sale

Each person who resides in the shelter leaves with a quilt lovingly made and donated by GAAQG members. In addition to quilt donations, GAAQG members collect needed supplies and raise funds. The guild holds an annual online quilt sale with members donating beautiful quilts that the public purchase.

Quilts can be purchased at here.

Join us for the Annual Women & Men Working for Change 5K!

SafeHouse LGBTQ+  SA/DV Support Group starts on Thursday, October 3!

‘How to Support Survivors’ Workshop

Tuesday, October 28, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Teams. 

DVAM Lunch & Learn – How to Support Survivors | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams

*This educational workshop is tailored to provide foundational knowledge *

Be on the lookout for our awareness ribbons all around Washtenaw County! 

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, SafeHouse Center is collaborating with select community partners to bring awareness through two art displays; The Clothesline Project and Denim Day Display.

The Clothesline Project was created in the 90s to help promote awareness, healing and break the silence. To learn more, please click here: https://www.theclotheslineproject.org/

Denim Day began in the 1990s after Italy’s Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction, ruling that because the victim had been wearing tight jeans, she must have assisted in removing them and therefore implied consent. Outraged by this victim-blaming decision, activists launched protests to stand in solidarity with the survivor and to challenge harmful myths about sexual violence. To learn more, please click here: https://denimday.org/

Both displays will be available all month long at Washtenaw Community College – Student Center and in select other locations during the following days:

Oct 1-Oct 8 visit us at the Corner Health 

Oct 8-Oct 15 visit us at the Neutral Zone 

Oct 15-Oct 22 visit us at the 22^nd Circuit Court  

Oct 22-Oct 29 visit us at Ozone House 

We thank our community partners for their support in uplifting the voices of survivors.

If you or your organization is ever interested in hosting SafeHouse Center, we offer free information tables and presentations. To find out more and make a request, click here: https://www.safehousecenter.org/community-presentation-request/

Your support allows us to provide free and confidential services to survivors.