Mary & Martha House has been saving lives for 40 years. One of those lives is Kellie, who donated $5,000 to the shelter that helped give so much to her.

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Over the years, ABC Action News has been taking action against domestic violence and showing inspirational stories of survivors transforming their lives. Many have the Mary and Martha House in southern Hillsborough County to thank for taking them from victim to victor. This year the shelter is marking a milestone, 40 years of life-saving, life-altering work.

Mary & Martha House executive director Bill Chini said they are committed to shining a light on this dark secret.

“We want to eradicate domestic violence. That’s the end game,” Chini said. “Will it happen? I hope so. But it won’t happen if we don’t talk about it. At Mary & Martha House, we give them shelter and we give them support. We give them the opportunity to get out of their situation and also to start rebuilding their lives to become independent.”

The shelter and store full of donated goods are a lifeline for survivors. When they’re ready, they can pick out clothing, food, and even furniture to start their new life.

“Every once in a while, they’ll come back just to say hi, or to say thank you,” Chini said. “Just recently, we had a lady who was here in the mid-90s come back and give us a $5,000 check because she still felt the need to give back to an organization that gave her so much.”

Source: Woman gives back to domestic violence shelter that helped save her life as a teen