The Shelter for Abused Women & Children in Naples is ready to open the doors to its Immokalee location.
The CEO of the Naples Women’s Shelter, Linda Oberhaus, said although the organization has provided community outreach in Immokalee in the form of counseling and other support services since 1997, it hasn’t offered a physical shelter facility there until now.
Oberhaus said the nearly hour long drive from Immokalee to the emergency shelter in Naples often discouraged victims from leaving their abusive situations.
"What we saw in recent years is that families living in Immokalee were the least likely to come into Naples to be sheltered at our domestic violence center," Oberhaus said.
On May 26 the organization unveiled its new Immokalee facility: the 21,500 square foot Shelly Stayer Shelter for Victims of Human Trafficking & Domestic Violence.
Oberhaus said the new location has 60 beds.
"For victims of domestic violence living in the Immokalee community and then we’ll have a specialized wing for victims of human trafficking who could come from anywhere in Collier County," Oberhaus said.
Food, clothing and personal hygiene products are provided for those who seek refuge at the shelter, free of cost and Oberhaus said the shelter will offer services in Spanish and Creole.
"Any victims that are worried about 'well I don’t have a job, I don’t have a car, I don’t have housing,' all that kind of stuff, they just need to rest assured that our staff are trained and available to help them get their needs met, whatever they might be," Oberhaus said.
People can be connected to the shelter’s services by calling the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119.
