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"The Safe@weber emergency fund saved my life when I found myself in a terribly dangerous and abusive relationship. I didn't know what to do, or where to turn. Everything I thought I knew as a young newlywed was wrong and I was suddenly in danger all the time and I felt trapped and hopeless, as if I had done this to myself. I didn't know how to get out. I was at my lowest point and was planning to end it. In one last attempt to find help, I went to the emergency counseling office at Weber and they helped me not just with the counseling but were able to help me find safety that same day. Their quick efforts and help quite literally saved my life and gave me options I didn't even know were possible. Thanks to this fund, and the amazing counselors I was lucky enough to meet, I am here today and was able to heal, find safety, start living my life outside of fear and enter my dream career field."

"The Safe@Weber Funds allowed me to afford parking on a safe location on campus where I could feel comfortable walking to and from class. It relieved the stress of potentially encountering someone I’m not comfortable with and granted me an opportunity to gradually regain my confidence on campus. The Safe@Weber Funds helped me be more independent rather than having to depend on others for help. It helped me grow from the person I was before to a whole new person. I had been going through a lot of trials and challenges and I always thought of myself as being alone in the world. Receiving the funds assured me that I was safe and able to stay in school."

"Coming back to school is hard after a 20-year break. In my Freshman year, I ended up in a situation where I had to separate from my husband. Asking for help was hard because as an older woman I felt that I shouldn’t need help. But the Safe@Weber team and the Women’s Center didn’t skip a beat when I reached out. They were caring and were able to approve me for some emergency funding. If it wasn’t for the funds and gift cards, I know I wouldn’t have made it through that semester. The help that they provided enabled me to pay for gas and continue attending school. They also helped me get groceries for my child and I. Thank you for being so gentle while handling not just difficult situations, but for not treating me differently because I am an older student."

"Safe@Weber provided me with emergency housing for two months to get out of an abusive living situation. This was imperative at the time as I was very financially strapped. It gave me time to find a new living situation and gave me a safe place to live and to start to heal from my trauma. And, most importantly: they believed me. I felt heard. My abuse was validated, and the Women’s Center took quick action (literally the same day) to find me housing. The fact that someone cared about a total stranger enough to help get them into a safe space is humbling and beautiful. It rescued me from the pit of despair that is mental, emotional, physical, and psychological abuse. Your experiences, your trauma, your pain: it is all valid. YOU are valid. You don't have to worry about it not being bad enough. If it's bad, it's bad. Period. You're not overthinking it. You're not overreacting. That's what abusers, and your mind, want you to think. The Safe@Weber emergency fund helped me at a critical point in my life and I am so, so grateful."