Home Free-Help Stop Domestic Violence at Here We Go Again Resale Boutique

At Here We Go Again, we’ve always sought out local organizations that benefit our community. Since April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we felt the timing was ideal to announce our new initiative. We’re beyond thrilled to announce a new partnership with Home Free, a domestic abuse, violence and sex trafficking intervention organization.

Soon, you’ll start to see a new tag on some garments, indicating that purchase of that item directly benefits Home Free. Specifically, we’ve created a dedicated account for items that women have consigned specifically to benefit Home Free’s intervention programs.

Volunteers of America has long had a program to help victims of domestic violence and abuse as well as sex trafficking. In 2003, they renamed their program “Home Free” to better focus on the positive impact of their assistance program, and to reflect the aim of their innovative mode. Their services are far-reaching: Emergency Services, Children’s Service, Transitional Services and Outreach.

Facts about Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence has a far-reaching impact:

1 in 7 women in Multnomah County, ages 18-64, are physically abused by their intimate partner each year.
21,000 children in Multnomah County are exposed to domestic violence each year. Domestic violence accounts for nearly 50% of violent crime in Portland.
Domestic violence is nondiscriminatory—it affects people of every age, race, sexual orientation and income level.
In Oregon, 48% of victims remain in an abusive home because they do not have a safe and affordable place to live.
38% of all domestic violence survivors become homeless at some point.

What is Domestic Violence?

Home Free defines it as: “The systematic use of emotional, physical, sexual, economic, or spiritual abuse tactics to gain and maintain power and control over an intimate partner.”

Women Helping Women

We’re proud that Here We Go Again is a woman-owned business. Consequently, we feel an obligation to help stop the cycle of violence, of which women are the predominant targets. You can help too-either by purchasing items that are identified with our special tag, or by specifying that your items be consigned on the Home Free account.

We have other ways we’ll be helping in the future too! Watch for a really great benefit event later this Spring ~ a $3.00 sale! We’ll have racks of clothes, all priced at ONLY $3.00, with 100% of the proceeds to benefit Home Free! If you’re not subscribed to our email to get notifications, sign up here. Or download our mobile app here to get event announcements right to your phone!

Our goal is to help all people live a life safe from domestic violence and abuse. We sincerely hope that you’ll join us in our quest to help Volunteers of America’s Home Free program.

Need help or know someone who does?

Please reach out, we can get you in touch with help. Or call Home Free directly at: 503.771.5503

Want to know more? Stop in the stores and ask us! Learn more about Home Free by clicking here.

Author: Chris Gauger

Chris is a self-confessed resale fashionista. A fashion recycler from an early age, she learned the consignment business from her mother, Jan Gauger, at omt divine resale in Lincoln, Nebraska. Chris moved to Portland, Oregon in 1990 and immediately felt at home, among her people. She started Here We Go Again Deluxe Resale Boutique in 1992 and has never looked back. The second location of her store opened in 1997. Chris loves pretty much everything about clothes and fashion, but she has a serious boot and shoe addiction that is fed by the two stores. It's doubtful she will ever be recovered. In addition to clothes, Chris loves mentoring young women and teaching them about what it takes to run and manage a small business. She has employed some pretty remarkable women over the years and is grateful for all they've done to help grow Here We Go Again. She is a Hoosier by birth, but was raised in Nebraska. She has two sisters who continue to run the consignment store there, and one brother who has sense enough to stay out of the way. Her husband of twenty-seven years, is a land use planner and the fix-anything-guru that Chris relies upon more often than she'd like.

Helping Out | VOA Home Free Program