Women Helping Women Seeks Temporary Home During Renovations

Macy’s makes a donation to Women Helping Women, Courtesy photo.

By Maui Now Staff

The Women Helping Women’s shelter for Maui women and children seeking refuge from domestic violence is seeking a temporary home for its residents while the shelter undergoes much-needed renovations.

Renovations are set to begin Feb. 1 and last four to six weeks.

WHW is looking for a rental house with four or more bedrooms and two or more bathrooms, Upcountry or centrally located, furnished or unfurnished. The shelter will pay deposit, rent, and all utility fees, and will also have the space professionally cleaned upon departure.

Finding a temporary live-in location for current residents of the shelter is a crucial step for the renovation project to move forward.

A collaboration of non-profits, businesses, and individuals have joined together to support the renewal effort.  In response to a $50,000 matching grant provided by the Brendon Family Foundation, the West Maui Task Force has created an “Adopt-A-Room” campaign to raise matching funds.  The campaign seeks individuals, groups, or organizations to adopt a room within the shelter by making a donation.  All donations will be put toward the renovation project, and every dollar up to $50,000 will be matched by the grant.

Other support is extensively needed in the form of non-cash gifts, shopping cards, or cash donations.  All donations are tax-deductible. To adopt a room or make a donation, visit WHW online at www.womenhelpingwomenmaui.com.

Last year, the WHW shelter served 127 women and 98 children on Maui. Statistics indicate an alarming one in four women in Hawai‘i experience violence by their spouse or significant other. The Maui shelter offers a safe place to escape 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. The renovations were inspired by a major gift of furniture from an individual, which reinforced the need to create a clean, uplifting place to renew women and children in desperate circumstances.

To offer a possible location to rent, adopt a room, or for further questions, contact project facilitator Deanna Davis at (808) 357-9774.