Solid Ground WA

Solid Ground’s Broadview Shelter and Transitional Housing is the first emergency domestic violence (DV) shelter opened in Seattle, and the only one that people escaping DV can call directly for help. For the past 40 years, Broadview has helped transform lives for hundreds of survivors and their families; and over the years, we’ve seen survivors like Patricia go on to empower other survivors.

In 1994, Patricia fled the rural town of Toppenish with her 14-year-old daughter and nine-month-old grandson, looking for a safe haven away from DV. Not only did Patricia and her family find security, she opened the door to a lifelong career as a community leader.

“I would go into Broadview’s family room to watch movies. I remember we would come down from our apartment on the third floor and I would see a flyer about Seattle Rape Relief wanting volunteers for their Rape Crisis line. And that really spoke to me.” 

Patricia signed up to volunteer, not knowing that it would be the start of a impactful career. “I would not have given a thought to it had I not been in that shelter and seen that flyer.” 

Eventually, she became a sexual assault advocate and then the Advocacy Coordinator for the Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, where she led trainings for advocates statewide. Most recently, she served as Executive Director of Tacoma’s Catherine Place, a valuable resource center for women and LGBTQIA+ people. 

Last fall, Patricia visited Broadview for the first time in 30 years. It was a deeply emotional moment. 

“I really believe that those of us who’ve been through such traumatic experiences, we connect, and we know who each other is. Something spoke to me and said: ‘You were here, and now you were the executive director of a center, a nonprofit that helps women.’ It was really cathartic and mind blowing,” she says. 

“And it just really reflects the innate possibilities of every human, given the right circumstances, and supporting them when their confidence is really low, or broken, or gone. And being that other human being – seeing them.” 

You can help families escaping domestic violence by giving to Broadview Shelter and Transitional Housing during this year’s GiveBIG campaign. AND a group of generous donors have provided a match pool of $20,000, so your gift goes twice as far!

When you GiveBIG to Broadview, you’re directly supporting the healing and growth of people like Patricia Flores, who has changed countless lives in the 30 years since she and her family found stability at Broadview. Give a gift today! 

Learn more about Patricia’s story in our blog:  A seed of hope blossoms into an impactful career.

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