Fundraiser to help domestic violence survivors

As a result of the fallout from COVID-19, Newhouse Domestic Violence Shelter's largest fundraiser, ‘New Day Luncheon’, is now virtual.

ANDRES GUTIERREZ.

41ACTION NEWS.A LOCAL SHELTER HELPSDOMESTIC VIOLENCESURVIVORS GET TO A SAFEPLACE...BUT RIGHT NOW, ALL OFTHEIR BEDS ARE FULL.AND AS 41 ACTION NEWSANCHOR GABRIELLAPAGAN SHOWS US...THE RECENT STAY-AT-HOME ORDER HAS THESHELTER STRUGGLINGFOR FUNDING.ADVOCATES LIKE KAITLINDEMPSEY ARE THE FIRSTPOINT OF CONTACTRESIDENTS HAVE WITHNEWHOUSE: KANSASCITY'S FIRST DOMESTICVIOLENCE SHELTER.AS A RESULT OF COVID-19 -THEIR SINGLE LARGESTFUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR- NEW DAY LUNCHEON - ISNOW VIRTUAL.NAT POP ONLINE VID: COURTNEYTHOMAS/NEWHOUSE PRESIDENT& CEO"Thank you for joining us forNewhouse's first ever virtualevent."DESPITE THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER,ADVOCATES SAY THE NEEDTO RAISE MONEY IS NOWMORE URGENT.Kaitlin Dempsey/ NewshouseDomestic Violence Shelter LeadAdvocate" I have taken multiple callsfrom people who arequarantined with their abuserin the home with them whilethey're on the phone with me."Gabriella Pagan/ReportingRIGHT NOW NEWHOUSE'S88 BEDS ARE FULL, YETTHEY ARE STILL CALLED ATLEAST TWICE A DAY BYPOLICE OR HOSPITALWORKERS WITH LETHALITYCASES.

MEANING THEYARE AT A HIGH RISK OFDYING THAT DAY.

WHILETHE BEDS REMAIN FULL,THE NOW VIRTUALLUNCHEON IS GOING TORAISE MONEY FORUNDISCLOSED HOTELROOMS FOR THOSESURVIVORS.Dempsey"I think it's also reallyimportant that we are able toprovide an alternative forpeople who weren't able tomake it into a shelter prior tothe crisis and I think if peopledonate that money can go toputting someone in a hotelroom which is really importantbecause abusers don't care,they are aggressive, they aredangerous and it's importantthat we get people out assoon as we possibly can."JEREMY CHRIST CAME TONEWHOUSE NOVEMBER30TH.Jeremy"I had wanted to leave for along time but I didn't know thatthere was any place out herelike this and to sum it up Iwent to a hospital for atoothache, I was given a cardwhen I asked about domesticviolence shelters and my lifewas saved."Dempsey"I don't think everybody reallyknows what domestic violenceis we don't talk about it as asociety, we talk about it alittlebit more now but even thenmost people don't think that aman can be a survivor ofdomestic violence or thatpeople from differentbackgrounds or sexualorientations can be domesticviolence survivors.JEREMY WOULD'VESHARED HIS STORY OFSURVIVAL AT THE EVENT.Dempsey"If we don't talk about it thenwe can't stop it."Jeremy"I probably would've died onthe streets or ended up in jail.I can't say how much I'mgrateful for Newhouse."IN KC, GP, 41 ACTIONNEWS.THE NEWHOUSEDOMESTIC VIOLENCEHOTLINE NUMBER ISAVAILABLE 24-HOURS ADAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.IT'S ON YOUR SCR