Noah Flug | Independent Newsmedia

At Hope Women’s Center, a woman in crisis does not need a referral, proof of income or even a clear idea of what kind of help she needs.

She can walk in, fill out paperwork and begin taking classes the same day. She can meet with a mentor, get help finding shelter, use free childcare while she is on site and earn points to shop for diapers, food, clothes, toiletries and other necessities.

“We’re very big on no barriers to entry,” CEO Tammy Abernethy said. “Whoever comes in, we serve. Everything is free.”

Hope Women’s Center began in 1984 as a crisis pregnancy center in Apache Junction. It later expanded its mission as staff saw women and teen girls coming in with needs beyond pregnancy support.

Today, the faith-based nonprofit operates seven physical locations across Arizona, including its Phoenix headquarters on McDowell Road, and offers 18 programs. Its mission, Abernethy said, is to “engage, encourage and equip women and teen girls” facing difficult life situations.

That work is becoming more urgent, Abernethy said, as families face higher costs and more women arrive with trauma connected to abuse.

“Right now, we are seeing a spike in domestic violence, which is always unfortunate,” Abernethy said. “There is a lot of economic stress right now. Everything’s costing more and people are struggling.”

The city of Phoenix Human Services Department said it has “experienced a noticeable increase” in domestic violence victim referrals since March, though the division said it cannot determine whether domestic violence cases overall have increased because it is not the central reporting agency.

Victims in Phoenix most commonly face “financial instability, limited or unavailable domestic violence-specific shelter beds, fear and isolation, and challenges navigating the criminal justice system,” the department said.

Those barriers are familiar at Hope, where Abernethy said abuse is part of many women’s stories, even if it is not always the first thing they say when they arrive.

“They come usually because they hear that they’re able to get free resources,” she said. “They come for community.”

Hope’s model is built around choice. Women earn points by participating in programs, then use those points to select items they need. Abernethy said that approach is intentional, whether a mother is picking out a child’s birthday gift or choosing clothes for work.

“We wanted the feeling of empowerment for her,” she said. “She earns the points. She shops.”

The center offers parenting classes, emotional health classes, workforce development, counseling, support groups and mentoring. It also teaches classes often required by the Department of Child Safety but removes two major barriers: cost and wait time.

“She doesn’t have to wait,” Abernethy said. “She can start taking the classes right away.”

Hope also has a program focused on preventing children from entering foster care by helping stabilize families before separation becomes necessary. Often, Abernethy said, that means helping a mother experiencing domestic violence, addiction in the home or neglect.

The nonprofit does not provide housing, but mentors sit with women as they call shelters and help them narrow options based on their circumstances.

“We’re not just going to hand her a sheet of paper,” Abernethy said. “Someone’s there with her, encouraging her.”

The city said nonprofits are especially important as federal funding reductions strain resources across the community.

“Each victim’s needs and pace of recovery are different, and strong collaboration in advocacy, housing, legal assistance and basic-needs support is critical,” the department said.

Hope does not receive government funding and instead relies on private donors, churches, foundations, volunteers and donations. Abernethy said the organization has more than 2,000 volunteers each year and about 90% of its work is volunteer supported.

Its fastest growth has come through Hope on the Road, a mobile pop-up model that brings classes, mentoring and connections to services into partner sites such as food banks. The program began in 2024 with one partner. Abernethy said it now serves about 60 sites.

The growth reflects a larger goal, she said: making sure women in crisis are not left to navigate danger, poverty or trauma alone.

“Our vision is that no woman or teen girl in Arizona would ever have to face a crisis alone,” Abernethy said.

Keywords

Hope Women’s Center,

domestic violence,

Phoenix,

victim services,

women in crisis,

nonprofit,

mentoring,

child care,

economic stress,

foster care prevention