Shelter Services
Shelter Program – The Cherokee Family Violence Center operates a 12 bed Emergency Shelter and Safe House. The shelter is the only Domestic Violence Shelter in Cherokee County and is certified by the Governor’s Office of Children and Families. The goal of this program is to provide safe, temporary shelter for victims of Intimate Partner Violence and Staking and their children, while providing them with assistance and support to identify and achieve their personal and safety goals.
Weekly Support Groups – These free groups provide a safe place to talk about feelings and experiences in an atmosphere free of judgment. It is also an opportunity to meet and talk with other people who have had similar experiences. Please call our Crisis Hotline (770)479-1703 for directions and meeting times. Childcare is provided.
Case Management/Client Advocacy Services – CFVC uses a trauma-informed approach to help victims identify their self-sufficiency goals and the necessary resources to achieve those goals as well as providing emotional support and identifying strategies to overcome obstacles. These services are also available to clients once they have left our shelter on an ongoing basis.
Safety Planning Services – Safety planning is at the heart of the work we do with all victims who have experienced abuse. Each advocate discuss each clients’ individual safety concerns, probe for lethality indicators and inform clients of available resources and support. CFVC acts as a resource for developing safety strategies but acknowledges that clients are the best resource concerning their own safety and CFVC’s role is to support them in their goals for safety, whether that is to leave their abuser, reunite with the abuser or to stay in the relationship.
Children’s Program – This program provides structured activities for children staying in our Emergency Shelter. These activities include age appropriate support groups, play therapy, special outings, organized activities, and individual or group counseling. This program also provides Parenting Support and Education to the victim on the effects of domestic violence on children and coping strategies to help them mitigate those effects.
Social Services/Medical/Financial Advocacy – CFVC provides community-wide educational, medical and financial referrals, resources and advocacy to all victims that we serve. Depending on the client’s needs and goals, we provide assistance with applying for public assistance such as TANF, child care assistance, SNAP (food stamps), SSI, SSDI or Medicaid. We work with public, private and other non-profit groups for GED programs, job readiness and education, disability eligibility and access to medical help.
Household Establishment Assistance – Through donations provided by the community, CFVC helps clients that have left their abusive situation reestablish a household with items such as clothing, furniture and household articles. These items are available to all clients and free of charge.
Transportation Assistance – While a resident at the shelter, clients are provided transportation assistance to appointments, employment and educational activities.
Low Cost Medical Assistance – For those shelter clients without medical insurance, CFVC provides access to low costs primary health services such as medications, blood tests, and other non-emergency medical, dental and counseling services.
Life Skills Classes – CFVC provides weekly life skill development groups for all residents in our Emergency Shelter to help identify budgeting strategies, self-care techniques, resume building and successful job search techniques.
Intimate Partner Violence Education – These individual and group sessions provide information regarding how to recognize signs of abuse in a relationship, developing a safety plan, how to access resources in the community to become safe, understanding the effects of domestic violence on children and techniques to mitigate the effects of abuse.