My name is Arvoni, and I am a survivor of a life-changing domestic violence incident that nearly cost me my life. I was shot with a shotgun in front of my two children while trying to protect my daughter from being taken by her father and his daughters. In that moment, I wasn’t thinking about myself—I was thinking about keeping my child safe. The trauma of that day lives with me, not just in memory but in my body, in the way my children look at me, and in the silence that follows anytime someone asks what I’ve been through.

What made that experience even harder was what came after. I received little to no support—financially, mentally, or emotionally. There was no emergency fund, no safe landing, no system that stepped in to help me or my kids get back on our feet. I had to heal, survive, and rebuild completely on my own. And as I struggled through that reality, I realized just how many women and children go through the same thing: escaping violence only to face another crisis—poverty, fear, homelessness, or isolation.

That is why I am creating an Emergency Support Fund for Women and Children Facing Domestic Violence. I want to build the safety net that I desperately needed and never had. This fund will help families with immediate essentials—safe shelter, emergency transportation, food, clothing, hygiene items, and mental health support during the most vulnerable moments. No survivor should have to face the world alone after surviving the unthinkable. With your support, I can help give women and children the safety, dignity, and chance to rebuild that every human being deserves. Thank you for standing with me and helping turn my survival into someone else’s lifeline.