LRAC donates $100,000 to domestic abuse shelter
The Lewes Rehoboth Association of Churches presented a $100,000 donation to help local domestic abuse shelter What is Your Voice purchase land in Lewes to expand its ministry.
LRAC board President the Rev. Dr. Bo Gordy-Stith and New Life Thrift Shop Manager Andrea Caswell presented the donation to What is Your Voice founder and board President Jacqueline Sterbach at the thrift shop Dec. 7.
Gordy-Stith said the thrift shop, which is staffed by more than 100 volunteers, has made possible more than $500,000 in grants to ministry partners in 2022.
A tearful Sterbach said she was overwhelmed and grateful by the community support, including from property owners Kathy and Dave Moon, who will sell their land to assist her organization.
“Everyone has a basic human right to live a safe life,” she said. “I know what's at stake and it’s the lives of children. Personally, as a survivor, I do not want children to suffer what I suffered as a young child.”
Sterbach said the focus of her organization, which grew from the home she shares with husband Walter Sterbach, is to change the outcomes for women and break the cycle for children so a new normal is created and violence is not repeated.
“We’re working on breaking the generational curse,” she said.
The What is Your Voice campus provides a transitional safe house, food pantry, access to community resources and other services to address trauma and break the cycle of domestic violence.
Sterbach said multiple organizations have donated materials and labor toward building the campus and assisting women and children, including Mountaire Farms, Apple Electric, Sobieski Plumbing Heating AC, Professional Plumbing Services, Aquaflow Pump & Supply Co., Penco Corporation, Conley’s Thrift Shop, Atlantic Community Thrift Store and St. Edmond’s Catholic Church.
“It is a legacy of the whole community, because over 45 community agencies have risen up over the years and joined us in the war against violence and have seen the difference,” she said.
To donate or for more information, go to what's yourvoice.org.
Caswell said running the thrift shop would be impossible without its volunteers, and she is always looking for more help. Call 302-644-0171 or go to newlifeofdelaware.org to volunteer.
