New housing and a factory help struggling women get on their feet

CONCORD, CA - With success in California since 1998—and having helped 150 women and 85 children in the past year alone—twin sisters, Karen Justice-Guard and Kim Justice-Meyer, are expanding their California-based, non-profit women's advocacy organization, Safe Havens For Little People. While the ultimate goal of the sisters is to expand their organization across the country by starting Safe Havens For Little People welfare-to-work and all-inclusive transitional programs in each of the 50 states, one goal in that long journey has been accomplished with the recent acquisition of a new housing facility for the organization's clients. A new factory has also been added to the assets of the organization to allow for expanding on the "A Sister's Love" product line (invented by Karen and Kim) of soaps, lotions, gift baskets, cookbooks, sauces, candles and more... a product line that helps fund the organization.

"We have been given a building that offers space for 15 additional new client families to live in our transitional housing program," says Justice-Guard. "We also have space now for a new computer lab, a resource center, and a boutique store for selling our products. The generosity and hard work of many people was necessary for this to happen, and it's a solid step forward in our expansion goals... but it's not free."

Karen and Kim, along with many staff members of Safe Havens For Little People, are now actively raising funds to cover what will soon become a rental expense that starts at $10,000 per month for the new factory and housing located in Concord, California.

"Every donation to Safe Havens For Little People helps our clients get their children back, get adequate career training (five women in our program have become mortgage bankers), and become independent and successful.

Helping to spread their message of empowering women to grow beyond domestic violence, drug abuse, and dependency or poverty, Karen teamed with professional author, Christian Fisher, and wrote a book about titled Keep Showing Up: Living & Healing Beyond Welfare & Abuse released last year by Journey of Life Productions. It can be ordered through Amazon.com, Borders Books & Music, and Barnes & Noble.

Safe Havens For Little People is recognized by the State of California as a certified welfare-to-work program that offers transitional housing, daycare, mortgage banker training, drug counseling, educational programs, and a wealth of other services and opportunities for women escaping lives of domestic violence, drug abuse, and poverty. It aims at reuniting families, fighting for welfare reform, and empowering women into success.