Volunteers gather ahead of Mother’s Day for domestic violence survivors
Apr 30, 2022, 6:48 PM | Updated: Jun 7, 2022, 4:38 pm
SANDY, Utah—Dozens of volunteers gathered in a neighborhood on Saturday morning to bring attention to domestic violence while hoping to make a difference for hundreds of women.
Fight Against Domestic Violence Executive Director Brooke Muir said volunteers came in with a goal of putting together 400 Mother’s Day bags for domestic violence survivors and ended up creating well over 500.
“We are putting together Mother’s Day bags full of beauty products, self-pampering products that have been donated from very generous local companies,” Muir said. “They are going to domestic violence shelters across the state from Logan to St. George, Tooele to Blanding because we know Mother’s Day is a really hard holiday for those staying in crisis shelters.”
Muir said the extras would go to the Live Your Dream Foundation and the Stella H. Oaks Foundation, which works with single mothers.
“It’s a subject we don’t like to talk about, it makes us uncomfortable, but it affects one in three women in our state,” Muir said of domestic violence. “To be able to get a little bit of self-care when people have experienced severe trauma, we just feel like we’re lucky to be able to do this.”
Muir said because of the surplus number of bags created, the group ended up a little short on $25 gift cards that were being added to the bags. She encouraged those interested in donating to contribute through Venmo to fadvorg or through the FADV organization’s website.
“I hope that they feel that there are people out there who love them and care about them and who want to support them,” Muir said.
Domestic violence resources
If you or someone you know is going through abuse, help is available.
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition operates a confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic abuse hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465).
- Resources are also available online at the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition website.
There are several ways the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition can help people. Previous examples include providing financial assistance for funerals, for moving, for a variety of things, counseling that help people find a different path or stay healthy and safe and the relationship they’re in.
