I escaped my violent abuser in the middle of the night, and was barely able to get out safely with my then, 2 year old little girl. A marriage and partnership that took 11 years to build, took only 1 night to destroy-- the fallout mushroomed so out of control that within a week’s time I had lost my home, my car, my job and most of my relationships. Most of my relationships, except for 1 very notable one with Pia and Vett Washington. They reached out to check on me and my daughter and to see if we needed anything. My mountain of suffering was insurmountable, and the trauma that we had endured caused a heightened sense of exhaustion, confusion, disassociation, and anxiety. Simply put, I didn’t know how to function. I didn’t know what help I needed, let alone how to ask for it! But even without the specific “ask,” they provided the support that my child and I desperately needed.

They obtained temporary housing, money, clothing and watched my daughter for me while I interviewed for new jobs, and when I eventually landed one of those interview and began working. My transition took time. And although our needs as a 2-person family changed with each season, The Washington’s love and care for us never did. As I reached each new milestone, whether it be renting my own apartment, landing a new job, getting a promotion, or attending my daughter’s Holiday Show, or Pre- School graduation, they always found a way to show up for us.

Words fall short to explain the amount of debt I feel to both Pia and Levett for all the ways that they supported me and my daughter during the most difficult time in my life. I will always carry a piece of them in my heart, and there they will stay forever and ever…

I never would have thought, after completing multiple degrees and 14 years of teaching, I would have been put in a position to need support from anyone. I had made the decision to leave my current profession to fulfill my lifelong dream of being a member of the medical field and helping others. During that time, I experienced multiple burglaries at my home and I was feeling unsafe in my current community. Levett and Pia heard my story, along with the tremendous amount of disappointment that I had in myself for not being able to provide a safe home for my 4 children. Being the generous, compassionate people that they are, Levett and Pia provided my family a beautiful home at an affordable rate, well below the areas asking price, in a historical suburb of Cleveland, Ohio with no questions asked. I could not have asked for a better home, a safer neighborhood, more effective schools or the vast array of amenities that were available to meet our needs. Because of the love and support that was shown to me, I was able to pay off much of my debt, provide my children a stable home and advance professionally well beyond my expectations.

I have known the Washington's for close to twenty years now. During this time I have witnessed them helping and assisting more families and women in distress than I can count I myself have also benefited from their help. In my own experience while going through a very tumultuous divorce the Washington's themselves moved me and my daughter out of our 5000 square foot home, no easy feat. Going the extra distance while I had to go to court for two years, Pia Washington actually never let me go by myself after a bad experience I had with my estranged husband. I cannot say enough about the good works and good people that they are. I'm excited for them expanding and being able to help even more Women and Children and Families in need or those who just need a chance at bettering themselves and their families.