Noting that usually long-stemmed red roses are sent, Rodriguez added, “They’re very beautiful flowers and it makes the house into a home.”
The Marin shelter is one of two in the Bay Area that receives flowers from JWI; Dream House, operated under the auspices of the S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services, is the other.
This is the fourth year JWI has sent flowers to abused women at 150 shelters nationwide.
Last year, some 1,000 people donated to the Mother’s Day project nationally. Donors who give more than $20 receive a card to send to their mothers, saying that a donation to the flower project has been made in their honor.
Locally, JWI has been involved in a number of related projects, including funding the telephone line for Shalom Bayit, a Bay Area group that helps Jewish victims of domestic violence, said Emily Weinger of San Rafael, a member of the Tamar Marin chapter.
The Marin chapter has also supplied toys to the Marin shelter and has paid for the publication of brochures about domestic violence in the Jewish community.
“We have materials for women and teens, as a lot of time teens don’t realize they’re in an abusive situation,” said Weinger. “We also have materials in Russian, as well as a rabbi’s guide to domestic violence, which is due to come out next month.”
— Alexandra J. Wall