On Tuesday, May 23, the Milwaukee Women’s Center welcomed about 30 volunteers for a day-long beautification event. The volunteers, organized as the women-led Raven Resistance, freshened up living spaces and community rooms, donated furniture and household supplies, and planted raised gardens so that residents can grow their own food. After a long day of work, the volunteers and residents celebrated with a cookout and admired the freshly painted mural of the Milwaukee Women’s Center in the lobby—another gift from Raven Resistance.

“The Raven Resistance volunteers gave so much of their talents to the women and children in the Milwaukee Women’s Center,” said Andi Elliott, CEO of Community Advocates, which operates the Milwaukee Women’s Center. “We are so grateful for their generosity.”

This isn’t the first time the volunteers organized to support the Milwaukee Women’s Center, which provides temporary, safe shelter for women and their children who are leaving abusive relationships or are facing homelessness. On March 8, in honor of International Women’s Day, the volunteers created Lady Business MKE, which launched a one-day fundraiser that netted almost $10,000 for the Milwaukee Women’s Center. Participants included local female-owned businesses such as restaurants and bars, a photography studio, natural health services, a yoga studio, and more. Now, organized as Raven Resistance, the volunteers have gifted the residents of the Milwaukee Women’s Shelter with a freshened-up living space.

The Milwaukee Women’s Center provides a safe space for residents, as well as supportive services to help them become independent and free of abuse. The Milwaukee Women’s Center also runs the Older Abused Women’s Program for women over 50 who are or have been abused or in a controlling relationship; a 24-hour crisis line staffed by volunteers in handling calls from domestic abuse survivors; the Nevermore Batterers Treatment program for men who want to take responsibility for their violent behavior; the Bottomless Closet, which provides free-of-charge work-appropriate clothing and services to men and women re-entering the workforce; the Positive Options for Women Entering Recovery (POWER) program for mothers and pregnant women who are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol; and the Family Intervention Program to break down barriers preventing Latino and African American individuals and families from seeking traditional counseling services.

“Domestic abuse doesn’t discriminate and it touches more lives than many people realize,” Elliott said. “We are so pleased that Raven Resistance stepped up and gave so much to the women and children served by the Milwaukee Women’s Center.”