One in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
One of our partner agencies is focused like a laser on helping these victims of domestic violence. Monarch Services in Watsonville offers crisis intervention, emergency shelter, and numerous programs on safety and education and breaking cycles of violence.
Monarch’s clients face numerous challenges on the road to independence, but thanks to their partnership with Second Harvest, food security isn’t one of them.
We have had the opportunity to meet some of the amazing advocates that work for Monarch Services—like Oscar Garcia. Oscar and his colleagues visit Second Harvest every week to pick up food for Monarch’s programs. Clients in their Crisis Intervention Program receive bags of groceries to help them prepare meals at home, and clients in their Emergency Shelter program use our food and produce to cook up group meals in their multi-service Mariposa House.
“The clients at our programs always appreciate the food from the food bank,” says Oscar. “It provides them with the basic means and energy to survive. When they leave the shelter, they leave with the hope that it is possible to put their lives back on track.”
Second Harvest is proud to collaborate with Monarch Services, an organization that’s working hard to improve the lives of the members of this community.