Imagine that you have just been berated, beaten, and bloodied by your partner. Maybe it’s the first time. Maybe it’s the 51st time. It happened in front of your three children. You once conveyed some of what has been happening to friends and family, but they looked at you like you had to be exaggerating.

AVLF is one of ten finalists for United Way’s 2017 SPARK Prize. This competition – which had 70 entries – awards grants to organizations that address the needs of Atlanta-area children and families. Check out our video, and help us win!

“This experience completely opened my eyes to a problem I had no idea existed. It has forever changed me for the better. There are all of these issues with housing happening right in our backyard. I couldn’t be closer to these problems, and yet I had no idea they were going on.” – GSU Law Student

Shortly after Christan started working at AVLF at the beginning of March, we spoke her with about what brought her to the organization, what she hopes to accomplish while working here, and how she stays involved in her community.

Ms. G suffered quietly through an 8-year abusive marriage, as so many survivors do. After gathering the strength to separate from her husband, he would often threaten to break her neck.

Although Ms. T’s husband had been aggressive toward her in the past, he began to turn his anger toward her two children. He was arrested after punching her son, trying to run him over with a car, and spitting in Ms. T’s face.

Keisha Coleman of Holland & Knight represented an 80-year-old woman whose landlord abruptly informed her that her adult son was banned from the property. The son used to stop by every few days to care for his mother, and she relied on his help. They gave no reason.

We are grateful to our February 2017 volunteers.

The event raised money for the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation’s Guardian ad Litem Program and Domestic Violence Program.

Ms. H, her three children, and her niece moved into an apartment and immediately noticed a severe bed bug issue. A leak in the pipes caused the ceiling to sag and mold to grow.

Ms. T came to the Safe Families Office after her husband became violent when he felt as though she was watching TV too loudly. He spent the night pointing a gun at Ms. T and repeatedly threatening to kill her while the children slept in the other room.

Soon after renting a house, Ms. Ryan discovered a serious mold problem and an overflowing toilet. Instead of making repairs, the landlord instructed her to throw her used toilet tissue in a garbage can because “the pipes can’t handle it.” The dispute led to an eviction filing.