Interview with Jessica Woolbright, Children's Program Coordinator
P.O. Box 4950
St. Louis, MO 63108
(314)533-1313 (Available 24/7)
St. Martha’s Hall is a not-for-profit agency, which provides a shelter care program for abused women and their children. Our mission is to help battered women and their children break the cycle of violence in their lives. In an attempt to accomplish this, we:
•offer an immediate, confidential safe place for abused women and their children to live;
•provide a supportive environment with a strong emphasis on peer support;
•implement a self-help philosophy to enhance self-esteem and decision-making skills;
•staff 24- hour crisis line;
•provide accurate information and referrals to abused women and their children and when appropriate to their abusers;
•provide advocacy services;
•provide individual crisis, group and family counseling;
•provide follow up support and
•offer community education to increase public awareness and understanding of domestic violence.
Strong emphasis is placed on peer support. Support groups with women in similar situations, facilitated by staff, encourage women to be aware of the dynamics of woman battering and their own worth, goals, options, and skills for being independent. The program tries to ensure community effort, cooperation, independence and support of the women and their children that reside here. The staff, volunteers, and Board of Directors of St. Martha’s Hall are dedicated to empowering women to live violence-free lives.