Help Keep Kids Safe with Supervised Visitation

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Rising Need

In a time of rising domestic violence rates, we need to give at-risk families safe options. Sabrina’s Place provides secure supervised visitation and safe exchange services. It is one of the safest ways to prevent known abusers from committing violent acts during custody exchanges.

As lockdowns started, domestic violence advocates were on high alert. Experts speculated that survivors and their families may be forced into closer quarters with their abusers. The forced close quarters did lead to rising tensions and potentially deadly results. In October of 2020, WSLS reported, “A rise in domestic violence in the Star City means one nonprofit is working around the clock to provide survivors with a safe place to access resources.

It’s the only supervised visitation center in the area. Sabrina’s Place is a program [run] by Total Action for Progress out of Roanoke. It is a safe haven for families struggling with domestic issues to spend time together.”

Limited Supervised Visitation Services

Since then, the need has continued to rise, with Sabrina’s Place’s wait list growing longer while resources grew thinner. The program’s inability to serve every family in need is more than just a matter of inconvenience. It leaves families vulnerable to abuse.

When families aren’t able to access services at Sabrina’s Place, they have to take risks. They can end up in dangerous situations because of that. They may be have to rely on meeting in public places or in the presence of untrained friends and family to stay safe.

The program needs community support to address the heightened need. Since 2016 when the federal program that funded Sabrina’s Place ended (as reported by WDBJ 7), TAP has conducted annual fundraising events and campaigns to supplement the state and local resources that comprise its budget. In 2020, however, Sabrina’s Place wasn’t able to hold its main annual fundraiser due to the pandemic.

While Sabrina’s Place has done its best to keep costs low, the program simply can’t skimp on safety. It takes a secure facility that has separate parking spots, entrances, and waiting areas for each parent, as well as well-placed locking doors and cameras, trained monitors, and off-duty police to make sure situations don’t develop into violence. These elements work together to create an environment parents and children alike can feel safe in.

What A Local Dollar Can Do

The good news is that if we can raise more funds from the community this year, we can provide more supervised visits and safe exchances to the families who need them. Sabrina’s Place will have the capacity to serve more families—and do so safely. In fact, donations can directly provide extra visits and exchanges on a per-visit basis.

It costs about $202 to provide a visit or exchange safely. If you or your friends, family, church, or workplace can, please consider providing a one-time or recurring donation to help Sabrina’s Place provide additional visits and exchanges.

The stakes are high—investing in the secure facility and trained experts of Sabrina’s Place is one of the best ways to keep otherwise dangerous situations from becoming a grisly headline tomorrow. Can we count on you to help?

To donate, please visit https://tapintohope.org/support-us/donate and don’t forget to write a note that you wish for your donation to support Sabrina’s Place!

Supporting Sabrina’s Place

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“Sabrina’s Place means a lot to us, because Sabrina Reed’s life was taken suddenly and tragically and she was one of our sorority members,” says Katina Hamlar, president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Beta Chi Omega Chapter.

“The sorority sisters loved [Sabrina] and felt a great sense of loss. They see [Sabrina’s Place] as a personal opportunity to give back to the community and to honor her legacy in a meaningful way.”

It’s no surprise then that the sorority has been there for the program from the beginning and remains one of its most ardent supporters.

A Personal Touch

Although Sabrina’s Place is the only free supervised visitation and safe exchange center in the western half of Virginia, during recent years funding has been lean. The sorority sisters have found myriad ways to show their support for the program through gestures small and large.

One recent effort was at Christmastime, when the sisters purchased Christmas gifts for the children who benefit from the program. “Last year there was so much happening, and those children are already in a tough situation,” says Katina. “We felt good that we were in a position to bring smiles to their faces at Christmas.”

TAP gave the sorority a list of gift ideas for each child, and the sorority sisters set to work. One little girl loved horses, and the sisters went out of their way to see that she received a gift certificate to a local stable so she could go on a horseback ride.

Remembering Sabrina’s Place during the Holidays

More recently, the sisters have supported the program by delivering snacks for the children and holding a successful water bottle drive. Other efforts have included a toilet paper drive and a Zumba fundraiser. “[The AKAs] have been faithful, and they have been there from the beginning,” says Melody Robinson, program coordinator. “Their consistent involvement is the theme. They have been ideal program supporters.”

A Bigger Picture

Sabrina’s Place remains a much-needed resource in the community, despite recent funding cuts. TAP has seen increased incidents of domestic violence during the pandemic, largely due to the additional stressors on families.

The AKAs have a firm grasp on how dire the situation is. “[People] should know that there are not many places like Sabrina’s Place that are creating safe havens for families to share in the lives of their children without fear of domestic violence or disputes,” says Katina.

“People should also know that there are significant numbers of women and children and even men who are being abused. Those situations can become tragic, but we can help avoid them by creating spaces like Sabrina’s Place where families feel they can be protected.”

If you would like to join the AKAs in supporting Sabrina’s Place, please contact us or make a donation today. You can designate your donation to “domestic violence and family services” and write in the comments “Sabrina’s Place.”

Man smiling at camera outside

Inspiring Others to Give

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One local business man is inspiring others to give.

When Bob Fetzer, president of Building Specialists, Inc., heard about our efforts to raise funds during the pandemic, he was struck by our vision during a time of crisis.

He received a call from Annette Lewis, our president and CEO, asking if Building Specialists would continue its financial support of TAP even though we had to cancel our annual in-person fundraiser. Annette shared with Bob our plans to raise $150,000 this year through our Bringing Hope Home campaign. He decided not only to contribute, but to inspire others to give. 

“We’ve been very fortunate that construction was considered essential, [and] despite the pandemic construction was going very well. We asked some of our major teammates, who work with us daily, if they would come together to support [TAP]. Every single subcontractor we approached contributed to the campaign and allowed us to raise over $6,000 for this cause,” says Bob.

Inspiring Others to Give

When he told them about TAP, many of the subcontractors had not previously realized the breadth of TAP’s operations. They were all eager to join in and provide their support. “We leveraged folks in the community who had not given to TAP before and opened their eyes to the benefits of having such an incredible nonprofit organization in our community.”

A Family Tradition

Bob is a longtime supporter of TAP, having served on our board and still serving on one of our many committees.  Giving back to the community is a family tradition for Bob, who hails from Elizabethton, TN. His parents lived through the Great Depression and World War II, and his family’s trajectory was forever changed by the opportunities created by Franklin Delano Roosevelt through the New Deal and particularly the Tennessee Valley Authority, a New Deal initiative. His parents went on to become civic leaders in Elizabethton, and to this day his mother, who is 102, still asks Bob about the contributions he is making to his community.

“Our parents embedded in my siblings and me to give back to the community,” says Bob. “Every day we can make another individual stronger in Roanoke, makes Roanoke stronger for the future… Part of my goal is to inspire others to give and get involved with TAP and their mission and the great things TAP is doing for our community and for our future. It is an organization that gives people hope. It also gives them a springboard for a better life.”

We are grateful to the following companies that Bob Fetzer rallied to support Bringing Hope Home. If you would like to join them in supporting TAP, please visit https://tapintohope.org/donate/.

Bud Weaver Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
Building Specialists, Inc.
Carpet Village
Creative Masonry, Inc.
Gary Russell Construction, LLC
Glavas Decorative Concrete
John T. Morgan Roofing & Sheet Metal Company, Inc.
Keenan Electric Company, Inc.
Layman’s Contracting, Inc.
Premier Painting of Virginia
Nichols Welding Inc.
Responsive Technology Partners