• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Valley Citizen

Nature, Environment, History & Politics

The Valley Citizen

  • Arts
  • Education
  • Environment
  • History
  • Nature
  • Politics
  • Wit
  • About
  • RSS Icon

Covid-19 Brings New Challenges for Haven Emergency Shelter

April 5, 2020 By Tom Portwood 1 Comment

May Rico Haven Women's Emergency Center
May Rico

While many of us are making often radical adjustments to our lives during this tragic time, those people living in an abusive environment at home can find themselves even more isolated than ever. May Rico, the Executive Director at the Haven Women’s Center of Stanislaus, shared her thoughts on that issue in a telephone interview the other day:

“If someone is living in a violent relationship, they have few safe places in their lives, and they have child care issues, and other people around them may not know of what’s going on in their lives,” Ms. Rico explained.

“Sometimes they’ll share with others that they’re in a violent relationship, but often they don’t.  Now that we have all been told to stay at home, the victims of domestic abuse suddenly see that many of the safer parts of their lives are getting smaller and smaller, and their access to those safe places is drastically reduced and that adds to their sense of isolation, which can become quite overwhelming. We now find ourselves in a situation where isolation is a necessity for safety from this disease, but for people who are in an abusive situation, isolation will make that home all the more dangerous.” 

As Ms. Rico points out, the services offered by the Haven’s emergency shelter program are particularly crucial at this time.

“We have six families in the shelter, which puts us at full capacity. But we’re trying to help everyone in need, and we can temporarily house some of our clients in hotels during times of overflow at the shelter.”  

The Haven Emergency Shelter has long provided a vigorous level of support to “survivors seeking safety and healing.” Services offered include provision of food and clothing; peer counseling; case management services; parenting and support groups for adults; youth programs; and restraining order assistance.

The onset of the Coronavirus pandemic sent Ms. Rico and the staff at the shelter scrambling for masks last week. Given that the shelter is located in a relatively small building for the number of people living in close quarters, she realized that Haven needed to act quickly to protect the safety of clients and shelter staff alike

“We knew we had to do something as a precaution to stop the spread of droplets from one person to another at the shelter. But we didn’t have anything at the shelter,” said Ms. Rico.

“Then, I heard the Rachael Maddow show when they were talking about this, and how hospitals and the health care community we’re putting out a call urging people who knew how to sew to make masks, so I went online and found the link to some instructions, and posted that on our Facebook page, and people have been responding. I had one person whose wife works in a nail salon, and she donated a box of masks. I’ve already received one packet of ten homemade masks, and there are other people who have contacted me who want to help – so people are definitely responding. We have about 35 people (staff and clients together) who would need 5 – 10 masks a person (assuming regular weekly laundry) in various sizes. If we get more than we need I will contact other shelter providers in our community to see if they can use them.”

The Haven’s main office is located at 618 13th Street, Modesto, California, 95354, but is closed due to the virus.  To hear of ways to support the shelter program, please call the 24 Hour Crisis Line at 209.577.5980, and ask for Venesa.

 

 

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Coronavirus Modesto, Covid-19 Stanislaus County

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Johnny Hernandez says

    April 10, 2020 at 2:11 pm

    Good article, I’m so glad she watched the Rachel Maddow Show and it helped her with her problem of the much-needed masks. I applaud Ms Rico for all she does to help others.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Note: Some comments may be held for moderation.

Primary Sidebar

Off The Wire

So What if Romney Doesn?t Solve the ?Root Causes? of Poverty?
So What if Romney Doesn’t Solve the Root Causes of Poverty?
We handle problems all the time without dealing with their root causes.
nymag.com
The Facts of Life - The Bulwark
The Facts of Life – The Bulwark
My suggestion last week that perhaps the best way some of us who’ve been conservatives can now help the country is to help the Biden administration succeed, and help the Democratic party move to the center, seems to have stirred up a minor tempest in the conservative teapot. I asked whether one shouldn’t consider allying…
thebulwark.com
WSJ News Exclusive | Texas Electric Bills Were $28 Billion Higher Under Deregulation
WSJ News Exclusive | Texas Electric Bills Were $28 Billion Higher Under Deregulation
Texas’s deregulated electricity market left millions in the dark last week. For the past 20 years, its consumers have paid more for their electricity than state residents who are served by traditional utilities, a WSJ investigation found.
www.wsj.com
The making of Madison Cawthorn: How falsehoods helped propel the career of a new pro-Trump star of the far right
The making of Madison Cawthorn: How falsehoods helped propel the career of a new pro-Trump star of the far right
Cawthorn has emerged as one of the most visible figures among newly arrived House Republicans, who have promoted baseless assertions and pushed a radicalized ideology that has become a driving force in the GOP.
www.washingtonpost.com
Los Angeles Just Opened a Tiny Home Village for the Homeless
Los Angeles Just Opened a Tiny Home Village for the Homeless
The colorful community was built in just 13 weeks!
www.housebeautiful.com
California's coronavirus strain looks increasingly dangerous: 'The devil is already here'
California’s coronavirus strain looks increasingly dangerous: ‘The devil is already here’
California’s coronavirus strain is more transmissible than its predecessors, is more resistant to vaccines and may cause more severe cases of COVID-19.
www.latimes.com
More Than 150 Biz Leaders Endorse Biden's Sweeping COVID Package
More Than 150 Biz Leaders Endorse Biden’s Sweeping COVID Package
More than 150 business leaders from various industries have signed a letter backing President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief…
talkingpointsmemo.com
Exclusive: Defeated and impeached, Trump still commands the loyalty of the GOP's voters
Exclusive: Defeated and impeached, Trump still commands the loyalty of the GOP’s voters
www.usatoday.com
The Christian Prophets Who Say Trump Is Coming Again
The Christian Prophets Who Say Trump Is Coming Again
In the growing community of charismatic Christian prophecy, faith in Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House is a new dividing line.
www.politico.com
AOC raises $1 million in Texas relief, heading to Houston as Ted Cruz douses Cancun flames
AOC raises $1 million in Texas relief, heading to Houston as Ted Cruz douses Cancun flames
The New York congresswoman said she would travel to Houston to highlight the problems faced by Texans hit by power outages and freezing weather.
www.newsweek.com
Rush Limbaugh Did His Best to Ruin America
Rush Limbaugh Did His Best to Ruin America
How the right-wing talk radio icon corrupted the Republican Party, spread hate, racism, and lies, and laid the groundwork for Trumpism
www.rollingstone.com
?I Don?t Trust the People Above Me?: Riot Squad Cops Open Up About Disastrous Response to Capitol Insurrection
“I Don’t Trust the People Above Me”: Riot Squad Cops Open Up About Disastrous Response to Capitol Insurrection
Interviews with 19 current and former officers show how failures of leadership and communication put hundreds of Capitol cops at risk and allowed rioters to get dangerously close to members of Congress.
www.propublica.org

Find us on Facebook

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Footer

The Valley Citizen
PO Box 156
Downtown Bear Postal
1509 K Street
Modesto, CA 95354

Email us at:
thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Subscribe for Free

* indicates required

Search

• Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 The Valley Citizen

Dedicated to the memory of John Michael Flint. Contact us at thevalleycitizen@sbcglobal.net

Editor and publisher: Eric Caine

Website customization and maintenance by Susan Henley Design