When I was young, my maternal grandmother faced homelessness due to domestic violence.  I know that any person can become homeless at any time for any reason, and women are more susceptible to violence when living unsheltered.  I am fortunate to work for Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania, an organization that provides community-based assistance to populations in need across Pennsylvania to enable them to lead self-fulfilled, independent lives.  One of the programs is Ruth's Place.

Ruth's Place is the only emergency shelter for women in Luzerne County. It is a 24/7, 21-bed, open floor plan facility. Since its inception in 2003, the shelter has housed over 2,790 women and has provided over 64,950 nights of lodging. Ruths Place offers women a supportive space to focus on personal development and to find permanent housing and employment. Your investment in Ruths Place, through a generous contribution or participation on a team, will help us reach our primary goal of continuing to provide programs and services to the women in our community to need support to become self-sufficient. Many women are one paycheck or domestic abuse incident away from becoming homeless. Your support will help to provide stability and hope!