“Survivors are the most courageous individuals I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with.”

These are the first words spoken by Darlene Thomas, our Executive Director, in a new video about our farm produced by Kentucky Together to raise awareness about the gaps in funding faced by Kentucky’s domestic violence shelters.

“You’re told so long that you’re not good and you’re never gonna amount to anything, so to me this has really helped my self-esteem,” shares Debra, a survivor living at our shelter. “It’s helped me become the person I am. I’m more caring, more loving, more compassionate.”

Our farm offers a beautiful and safe place for survivors to heal from abuse. It’s a space for families to help families grow. As Thomas explains, “There’s no better way to do that than get a little dirty, get a little muddy, and have these organic conversations that take place around the violence they have endured”

With the generous support and guidance of Grow Appalachia, the land that surrounds our shelter provides nature-based sustenance and healing for survivors.

“I have more gratitude than I’ve every had in my entire life, over just little simple things,” says Debra. “To wake up in the morning and not have to be yelled at. It’s just a whole different lifestyle. I can’t even describe to you guys what this place means for a lot of people.”

Kentucky Together explains that state funding for domestic violence services is only now starting to reach pre-recession funding levels, despite a growing demand for a broader array of services.

You can watch this inspiring video on Youtube from this link.