YWCA of Greater Flint highlights shelter capacity, helpline and free prevention events

DeAndres Larkin, director of the YWCA of Greater Flint, outlined the organization's domestic-violence services during the mayor's WFLT broadcast and urged the public to make the shelter and help line widely known.

"For those who are actively fleeing and need a safe place to go, we do have a 32 bed shelter for individuals and families who are fleeing domestic violence as well," Larkin said, adding that the YWCA operates advocates for safety planning, group therapy and 24/7 support. Larkin also said roughly 0.75 of the YWCA's funding comes from the state and that donations of new toiletries and monetary gifts help meet annual shortfalls.

Larkin listed prevention and outreach events open to the community: a Men of Impact breakfast on Thursday, Sept. 24, at Saint Michael's Conference Center (free, with sponsors including Genesee Health System, Security Credit Union and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint) and an "Empower Her" leadership event for middle- and high-school girls on Saturday, Sept. 26. She provided the YWCA helpline number for immediate assistance: (810) 238-7233 and pointed listeners to ywcaflint.org for event registration.