Safe place opens for women, teen girls in crisis

Women and teen girls facing crisis have a new safe place available to them.

Hope Women’s Center, a faith-based non-profit organization, opened Dec. 1 in Maricopa.

“Our services address a broad range of holistic needs,” Tammy Abernethy, CEO of the facility said in a news release. “We offer support groups, life skills classes, mentoring, pregnancy testing, parenting classes, abuse prevention education, recovery groups, and job training. All program participation accrues points that can be used toward food and household items, clothing, diapers, and utility assistance.”

When the Family Advocacy and Resource Center collaborated with Hope Women’s Center several years ago, they ranked mental and behavioral health as the most important health problems impacting the community, Abernethy said. COVID-19, with its closures and public health restrictions, has dramatically increased these needs. The gap between community need and community care has also widened. The center provides care and services at no cost and without restriction.

Hope Women’s Center will be managed by Vanessa Behrens, the former director of Maricopa’s A Heart for You Pregnancy Center, which merged with Hope in 2017.

“Hope Women’s Center is a safe place where women experiencing crisis will be heard, supported, and understood,” said Behrens, who expressed gratitude to the many local churches and businesses, volunteers and service groups who provided supplies and helped with demolition, renovation, and specialized labor.

“Support from the Maricopa community has been incredible,” she added. “Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona was involved in much of the renovation process and Councilman Rich Vitiello came to help with the work. It’s been a real team effort.”

The Maricopa facility at 45978 W. McDavid Road is Hope Women’s Center’s fifth location in the Valley.

A grand opening and ribbon cutting will be held at 9 a.m. Jan. 21 at the center. An open house will follow.