If you’ve been following our newsletters from the start, you will remember the survivor who said that “going into Grants Pass for help might as well have been the moon.” Fourteen years and over 6000 survivors later, it’s still true. Community-based advocacy services save lives in rural areas. Once upon a time, services in Josephine and Jackson counties were limited to a hotline housed in Jackson County. Then in 1974 Josephine County started their own hotline; both programs now have shelters, but there were either no supportive services or they were very limited in the Illinois Valley. It was because of this void that the Illinois Valley Safe House Alliance…

Betsy Joiner moved to the Illinois Valley from Santa Rosa California in 2002. She has always recognized how devastating domestic violence is and has always firmly believed that working to end domestic violence was an important and worthwhile cause. In 2011, she was at the DMV in Cave Junction and saw a sign in the window of the Safe House Alliance advertising See’s Candy. She came in to buy some chocolate and asked if we needed volunteers. Although she had never volunteered before, she felt that she wanted to get involved in something and volunteering seemed like a good way to contribute to a cause that she felt passionately about.…

The Alliance has been busy meeting the needs of survivors in our community. We are running low on many supplies. Donations from the community allow us to give survivors what they need; these are usually things our funders don’t allow, but do so much for those we work with. Here are some of the items we can currently use: Toothpaste and toothbrushes Shampoo and conditioner Paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, Kleenex, napkins, paper plates) Feminine hygiene products Printer paper Diapers (all sizes especially larger sizes) Cleaning supplies (we appreciate environment friendly) Tents Sleeping bags (adult and child sizes) Blankets Non-perishable food items that can be eaten without access to…