MISSION

Barrett Transitional Home (BTH) is a "24/7" woman's shelter in Virginia Beach designed to break the cycle of being homeless and violence against women in Virginia Beach. BTH believes that women heal from the crisis of being homeless from domestic violence through active education, training and full-time employment to become self-sufficient and independent.

Our Beginning - Barrett Transitional Home in Hampton Roads first opened its doors in September 2000, after many hours of program and grant development by members of the Basilica of St. Mary. Father Barrett (from the Basilica) had a calling to go beyond St. Mary's soup kitchen and do more for the victims of abuse and the homeless. Barrett Transitional Home bares his name.

BTH provides a transitional safe house in Hampton Roads for 10 single and single pregnant women, at any one time. The women may stay from 15 months (if pregnant) to 24 months. The transitional home is a community of battered women committed to improving their lives.

Directors and staff provide supportive services for development of important life skills:

• Money management - After helping the women find employment, BTH assists the women with management of their finances and savings.
• Counseling - Due to the trauma from domestic violence that these women have experienced such as: rape, abuse, and being homeless, many of these woman need one-on-one and group therapeutic counseling.
• Socialization - The women learn social skills and how to respect cultural, racial, and educational differences in a community setting.

BTH has undergone many changes as it has matured to what it is today. There are currently five full time staff persons to maintain the transitional home and provide domestic services for the woman. BTH directors and staff bring expertise in social work and counseling. Interns from area colleges and community volunteers are an integral part of the success of the program.

A SAD, YET TYPICAL SCENARIO:

Anne arrived at Barrett from an emergency shelter. There, she begins the process of physical and emotional recovery from violent domestic abuse. Her body badly beaten, her face mangled and her self-esteem at its bottom, she had nowhere to turn except the emergency shelter - her only hope. Federal and state legislation allows only 30 to 45 days of stay in the shelter, so Anne must find a safe place to live and begin anew. A counselor refers her to Barrett, where she begins a job, works on her GED, and plants the seeds for rebuilding her life.

"I have seen so many women blessed, including myself, during my year at Barrett Transitional Home." -- A.W.