The Impact of Your Support: A Heartfelt Message from Our Board President, Tishaun Harris-Ugworji...

Some of the most important moments in our lives begin with something we simply witness.

As a child, I overheard conversations about a family member who was being abused by her husband. Later, she died under suspicious circumstances. I remember another time when a neighbor fled to our home for safety when violence erupted at her home. Those moments stayed with me.

As I grew older, I saw the same pattern repeatedly. In high school, I watched a young woman told she couldn't attend her senior prom unless her boyfriend approved. If she went without him, he threatened to end the relationship. In college, my roommate was controlled by her boyfriend—prevented from attending class and physically assaulted her when she didn't obey him.

These experiences taught me that domestic violence doesn't discriminate. It touches every community, every generation, and every socioeconomic background. The question is not whether it exists. The question is: What do we do about it?

I chose not to remain silent.

I became involved with organizations that advocate for survivors of domestic violence, eventually serving as a Board Member of a nonprofit dedicated to supporting those seeking safety and healing. That journey led me to Yeshua's House.

Yeshua's House is a faith-based nonprofit serving Virginia's Tri-Cities region. We provide transitional housing and comprehensive support for women and children who have escaped domestic violence. While emergency shelters help families survive the immediate crisis, our mission begins after the crisis. We help survivors rebuild their lives through an 18-month residential program that includes safe housing, counseling, parenting education, financial literacy, life-skills development, and ongoing support so families can achieve lasting independence.

Today, our greatest challenge is simple: there are more families seeking safety than we have housing available.

The need in our region continues to grow. Several factors contributing to domestic violence are especially prevalent in Petersburg and surrounding communities:

• Higher poverty rates than the Virginia average

• Housing instability

• Substance abuse challenges

• Elevated violent crime rates

• Limited access to affordable mental health services

• Intergenerational trauma and adverse childhood experiences

  
  

Research consistently demonstrates that these conditions increase both the risk of domestic violence and the likelihood of repeat victimization. According to the Annual Domestic and Sexual Violence in Virginia (2023) report, based on regional population, violent crime indicators, statewide service utilization, and documented shelter shortages, the Tri-Cities region should have an estimated capacity of 35 to 50 beds over the next five years to adequately meet the need.

Every additional housing unit represents far more than a roof over someone's head. It represents a mother who no longer must choose between homelessness and abuse. It represents children who can sleep without fear. It represents the opportunity for a family to heal, grow, and build a future free from violence.

We cannot meet this need alone.

Your generous gift will help Yeshua's House expand housing options for survivors and provide stability, resources, and hope they need to rebuild their lives. Whether your contribution helps furnish a room, renovate a housing unit, provide counseling services, or invest in future expansion, every dollar moves another family closer to safety and independence.

When someone escapes abuse, their journey isn't over—it has just begun. Together, we can ensure they don't have to walk that journey alone.

Please consider making a generous gift today to support the expansion of housing at Yeshua's House. Your compassion can provide more than shelter—it can provide hope, healing, and a new beginning.

Thank you for standing with us and with the women and children who deserve a future free from violence.

With gratitude,

Tishaun Harris-Ugworji

Board MemberYeshua's House