Winnie's Place needs donations - CBS4 - WHBF Quad Cities, IL-IA News Weather Sports

Winnie's Place needs donations

By: Katie Jones

kjones@cbs4qc.com

It's a safe haven for domestic violence victims and homeless women in the QC. Now, one local shelter needs your help keeping it's doors open. Winnie's Place protects hundreds of domestic abuse victims each year but as the need continues to grow, shelter supplies are running dangerously low. We talked to one resident, who doesn't want to be identified, about how she says Winnie's saved her life No home, no job, "Jane" thought she hit rock bottom, until she turned to Winnie's Place.

"Me and my son would've been completely homeless without anywhere to go. I'm also pregnant and I'm having my baby November 22nd so that would've been really scary," Winnie's place resident "Jane" said.

 For the past month, Winnie's has helped Jane get back on her feet.

 "They've given me a lot of resources to talk about transitional housing to help me find my place," Jane said.

Shelter manager Kit Miller said hundreds of women show up at Winnie's with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Winnie's gives families a home, hot meals and a shoulder to lean on.

"We can remove some of the barriers for them and help them work through the process and transition and hopefully heal from some of the past pain they suffered and learn how to make that snowball stop rolling for them." Shelter Manager Kit Miller said.

 But Miller said it's a struggle to help everyone since the organization runs solely on donations.

"When you are serving over 200 women and children each year you go through a lot of supplies and these are supplies that everyone uses. Whether it's ketchup, bedding or toilet paper ... it's all basic stuff but we use it in a much larger quantity," Miller said.

 If you'd like to help Winnie's Place there's a partnering to empower fundraiser tomorrow from 4 until 7 at the Renwick Mansion on 901 Tremont Avenue in Davenport. The shelter needs daily household items like cleaning supplies diapers and food. You can also donate money.