Hi, my name is Toshonna Ross. I’m the Founder and Executive Director of Courageous Women Association and The Courage House here in Oakland.

Today, I’m coming to you with urgency and with my heart.

Our transitional home for women healing from violence and trafficking is at risk of closing. Without immediate funding, we may not be able to cover next month’s rent and utilities. That means women who escaped violent environments could lose the safe place they finally found.

Several years ago, I used my own money to keep our programs running. I nearly lost my own home doing it.

And today, I am once again facing that same impossible choice — sacrificing my own mortgage just to keep these women safe and housed.

No woman who has survived violence should ever have to return to it because of a lack of funding.

We urgently need your help. Your donation right now can literally keep the doors open, keep the lights on, and keep survivors protected.

Please give what you can today. Share this message. Stand with us.

Together, we can save The Courage House.”

Courageous Women Association is guided by equality, compassion, integrity, collaboration, and confidentiality as our core values. All of our programs are grounded and spring from these values and align with our vision to create a world free from violence, exploitation and homelessness. With this in mind, our priorities have been centered around The Courage House, a two-year transitional program designed to provide women and children impacted by trauma with a safe space to heal and grow.

Our home has truly been a safe haven and source of encouragement and strength and your collaboration has played a major role in the success of helping women heal from trauma. Unfortunately, our community engagement and educational programs were sacrificed initially due to funding and isolation protocols from COVID. They have remained inactive since 2020.

You can support our recovery and help us bring back our Sister-2-Sister Empowerment and Enrichment support groups for women recovering from trauma; Career Development & Economic Empowerment Program (CDEEP), our career preparation and workforce readiness program taught over a seven-week period; and our Shopping, Pampering, and Community Outreach Day (Day of Pampering), providing free life necessities, hot meals & groceries, and public resources. We're looking to raise a total of $150,000 with an initial goal of $24,000 to bring back these impactful programs.

CWA is committed to resuming these programs and services in the new year. We are excited about the future of 2025 and are grateful to have your support helping us make a greater impact on the lives of those affected by trauma.