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I
think it's great that you want
to open a shelter for abused
women and children. Certainly,
there is a need for such a place.
I think the best first step
is to contact others who have
opened a shelter, such as Women
in Need, which is based
in New York City. It was founded
by a wonderful woman named Rita
Zimmer and it now has a few
locations throughout New York
City. She can tell you how to
go about finding a space, what
professional assistance you
might need, etc... You will
need to fundraise for this effort.
Funding sources are varied--for
instances, you can raise money
directly from individuals, you
can write foundation proposals
and be supported by foundations
and you can also get money from
the government--city, state,
and federal. Most organizations
I know of have to do a combination
of all of the above to keep
afloat.
You
might want to look to collaborate
with an already existing organization
in your community--such as a
YWCA or a church or women's
center. You then could save
some overhead by linking up.
Depending on what you discover,
you may need to apply to become
a not-for-profit organization.
This will most likely require
an attorney to help and it will
also be required to help make
your fundraising easier. If you look through Feminist.com's
Network
of Women's Services, you
might find a shelter near you.
I suggest starting by calling
them.
I hope this information helps
you to help others.
—Amy
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