Shelter Benefits from Miromar Holiday Drive

Naples, FL –Join Meridian Broadcasting and Fort Myers Broadcasting for a Holiday Drive to benefit the Shelter for Abused Women & Children on Saturday, December 16, 2006, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Miromar Outlets in Estero.

According to Shelter Volunteer & Resource Coordinator Jackie Young, “More than three million women are abused each year and mounting financial pressures during the holidays can escalate an already violent situation." She continues, “But with community support, we can provide victims of domestic violence the greatest gift possible – safety, peace and a holiday filled with love, joy and laughter!"

As the only state certified domestic violence center in Collier County, the Shelter for Abused Women & Children is a 60-bed facility (40 emergency beds and 20 transitional living beds) that provides services at offices in Naples and Immokalee while also hosting support groups in Bonita Springs. This holiday season, the Shelter will make holiday wishes come true for more than 500 women and children through community support.

"It's also important for the community to remember that we're here 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. Imagine having holiday guests in your house for a week and all the extra food, laundry, electric, etc., that accompanies your guests," explains Young. “Now, multiply that by 52 weeks a year and 40-60 people and you're starting to get a picture of what happens at the Shelter. And, you also can see why donations of gasoline, phone and gift cards, as well as toiletries and food, are needed and appreciated not only during the holidays, but throughout the year."

The Shelter cannot accept any items of a violent nature whether toys, games, videos/DVDs, books or tapes/CDs. The organization's holiday wish list includes items for children of all ages, especially children ages 9-17 years, as well as mothers, and includes:

• Gift certificates/cards – Publix, Wal-mart, Payless Shoes, Target, local malls/shopping centers, movie passes, gasoline cards, phone cards, etc.
• Walkman/CD players
• Books & cookbooks
• Pajamas, robes & slippers (children's & adult's)
• Clothes (especially boys & children 5-12 yrs)
• Art & craft sets
• Teddy bears & dolls
• Towels & bath items
• Pots, pans, pillows, detergent, alarm clocks, toiletries, twin comforters (shelter needs)

Each year, the Shelter assists more than 19,400 individuals through an array of programs and services including, but not limited to, a 24-hour crisis line: 239-775-1101; safety planning in English, Spanish and Creole; support groups for children and women in both Spanish and English; individual and group counseling; an elder abuse program for victims 60 years of age and older; court and legal advocacy; in-school prevention programs; direct assistance; Options Thrift Shoppe; an emergency cell phone program; on-site kennel for families with pets; outreach and awareness efforts; and more.

Love isn't black & blue. For more information about the Shelter for Abused Women & Children, and to learn more about the Meridian Broadcasting & Fort Myers Broadcasting sponsored Holiday Drive, please call 239-775-3862, or explore our website.

For more information about the Shelter for Abused Women & Children, Options Thrift Shop, as well as programs and services, please call 239-775-3862, or visit the Shelter’s website at www.naplesshelter.org.

Media Contact:
Mary Ann T. Green, mgreen@naplesshelter.org, 239-775-3862, ext. 211