This fund, established in 2022 in response to the alarming rise in family violence during the pandemic, offers unrestricted financial help to those in need. The one-time $4.7 million American Rescue Plan Act investment went to the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (HCDVCC), which distributed the funds to 19 organizations, several of which are in Precinct 4.

“We moved $1.5 million into the county's general fund so that we can continue to have ongoing funds to continue this critical work,” said Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones. “The bottom line is that we all need to be united as a community in supporting our survivors."

One of those Precinct 4 organizations is run by Dr. Conte Terrell, who is a domestic violence survivor herself. In 1997, after leaving her abusive marriage, she began Fresh Spirit Wellness for Women, which connects survivors with counseling, job placement, legal and medical needs, and financial and housing assistance.

“When I was escaping my abuse, I didn’t know of anything like that,” Terrell said. “I think that [the DVAF] would have been extremely helpful for me. Even with shelters, that type of support was not there to help with car repair to be able to leave.”

The DVAF’s unrestricted financial assistance has been a game changer for survivors, according to Bibi Khan, President of the An-Nisa Hope Center, located in Precinct 4. The center offers domestic violence case management, education, and advocacy while also embedding itself in Harris County’s Muslim community.

“It’s been years that domestic violence advocates have been asking for something like the DVAF,” Khan said. “We’ve always gotten money for payroll, but what good is the payroll if we don’t have money to give (survivors) what they actually need to move forward?”

Since its start, the award-winning DVAF has helped over 1,300 households and more than 3,900 individuals, including children. Many of An-Nisa’s DVAF recipients have used the funds for hotel stays if shelters are full, car repairs to reach family, phone bills to reach out to support people and organizations, and essentials like clothes and diapers for their children.

Khan knows that early access to these resources is critical and can determine whether a victim stays or returns to her abuser within the first few days after fleeing.

“Imagine she comes to us, and we’re able to give her money for food, money for clothes, money for her children,” Khan said. “She sees that light, and she says, ‘OK, now I think I can do it.’”

For Hareema Mela, the DVAF is a lifeline. Mela leads client services at Daya, an organization in Precinct 4 serving Houston’s South Asian community. 85 percent of clients at Daya are born outside of the United States, and 60 percent are not fluent in English — leaving many isolated and dependent on their abusers, said Mela.

“You’re trusting people to make decisions about their life,” Mela said. “You are believing them when they tell you, ‘I need an oil change, and I can’t afford it.’ It’s putting trust and security in the hands of a person who really needs that money.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or IPV, visit the HCDVCC resources page for information on shelters, crisis centers, counseling services, legal assistance, and other services.