Bay Area Women's Center

08/31/2026

🌷 What exactly is going to be happening at Power of the Purse this year? 👜

The answer is: A LOT! 🎉🎶

Several businesses, entertainers, and volunteers will be joining us for the evening to keep you entertained all night long! String music will set the tone for our Garden Party, with several themed touches that are sure to delight. This graphic doesn't even mention our tea station! ☕🫖

Of course, there are hundreds of purses 👜 available through our live and silent auctions, $10 deal tables, Buy It Now bags️, and raffles. Whether you're looking for a designer purse or something totally unique, you'll find it here! 🌟

We can't wait to see you on October 1 at the DoubleTree! 💜

🎟️ To learn more and purchase tickets, visit: www.bawc-mi.org/purse

08/28/2026

Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued in their relationships.

Recognizing abuse can be challenging, especially when it happens gradually or takes forms beyond physical violence. This article provides valuable information to help individuals better understand the warning signs of domestic violence.

🔗 Read the article: https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/ending-domestic-violence/am-i-being-abused

Support is available 24/7 at the Bay Area Women's Center. Our advocates are ready to answer your call with empathy, respect, and dignity. Call us at 989-686-4551 to ask questions, receive services, and find healing.

08/26/2026

Thank you to our friends at FinancialEdge Credit Union for supporting BAWC through their jeans day fundraisers!

It is through the support of our generous community that we are able to provide free-of-charge services to all survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Access to safety 24/7 is essential to survivors in our community.

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve and partner with our community.💜💙

We’re proud to support the Area Women's Center through our monthly employee Jean Day fundraiser!

Each month, our employees donate to participate in Jean Days, and FinancialEdge matches those donations to help make our collective contribution go even further in the community. This month, we were happy to present the Bay Area Women’s Center with a check to support their important work of providing free crisis intervention, advocacy, and safe haven for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, along with prevention education throughout our community.

Shout-out to our employees for continuing to give back — one Jean Day at a time! 👖💙

08/25/2026

We want to send a big thank you to Wirt Stone Docks and Edw C Levy as this year's Power of the Purse Program Sponsor! 🎉We are grateful beyond words for their continued support of this event and the mission of BAWC. Wirt Stone Docks has been a long-time community advocate for survivors. 🙌

This year's event features a Garden Party theme. 🌸 Our Program Sponsors are a perfect fit because stones make a great addition to gardens. You can create walking paths, beautiful stone borders, create a stone sculpture, and more. Just some thoughts!

👜Join our friends from Wirt Stone Docks and Edw C Levy at Power of the Purse on October 1! 🔗Purchase tickets and learn more at www.bawc-mi.org/purse

08/21/2026

🎧Get those headphones ready. A new podcast episode dropped today! 🎙

Head over to Touchy Subjects Podcast today to explore what the experience of domestic and sexual violence can truly mean for a survivor and the community where they live. 🏘 There's a ripple effect that impacts not just the survivor, but many of the people and institutions around them.

Join us and our guests Dr. Angie Hattery and Dr. Earl Smith to explore what happens in a community after abuse occurs. How can we prevent it? How can we better support survivors? Let's talk about it.💜💙

🔗Visit www.touchysubjectspodcast.com, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

08/19/2026

Nationally, more than 200,000 phone calls are made to hotlines just like at BAWC.

If you have experienced domestic or sexual violence, we want you to know that you are not alone. At least 200,000 other individuals have made the step to ask for support. That's exactly why the Bay Area Women's Center is here.

Advocates answer the phone 24/7 with compassion, empathy, and respect to help you get the safety and security you deserve. All calls are anonymous and kept confidential.

If you have questions about something you or a friend has experienced or if you are ready to seek services, call us anytime at 989-686-4551.

08/16/2026

45 days until Power of the Purse!

Update your calendar, and reserve October 1 for a Garden Party with your friends at the Bay Area Women's Center. We would love for you to join us at our 15th annual fundraising event.

The night will feature the live and silent auction of hundreds of purses, raffles galore, live music, entertainment, tasty bites, and more! Dress in your "garden best" for a night of fun all in support of programs for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

Our special event committee is hard at work making this the best event yet. Visit our website below to learn more or purchase your tickets:
www.bawc-mi.org/purse

08/14/2026

What does your support mean as an Ally in Advocacy?

For Elaina, she and her young son felt safe for the first time in a long time when they came to stay at the Bay Area Women's Center. As a monthly donor, your support helps provide Elaina with all her basic needs and more, from food to shampoo and shelter as well as emotional support. Elaina didn't have to worry about her next meal and instead was able to focus on job interviews. She is determined to rebuild her life. Monthly donors give her hope and the strength to move forward.

Join us with a monthly donation to become an Ally in Advocacy. Your commitment makes positive life changes a reality for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Consistent support from donors like you makes progress possible for survivors.

To learn more, visit www.bawc-mi.org/alliesinadvocacy

08/13/2026

If you just can't wait for Power of the Purse, stop out and see us at the Bay County Farmers Market today until 7pm and check out some purses available for a $10 donation.

08/11/2026

An important aspect of our work at BAWC is community awareness and education. A taboo exists around domestic and sexual violence making it difficult to have conversations about these issues. The conversations, however, are crucial. Through discussing these difficult topics, individuals living in abusive situations can begin to understand that what they are experiencing is not okay and that support is available. If we talk about domestic violence and sexual assault, we get one step closer to creating a safe and supportive community.

Presentations are available free-of-charge for any group interested in learning more. The presentation can be tailored to meet your needs and can cover topics like: general awareness of violence, unhealthy relationships, body autonomy, consent, and more. To schedule a presentation or learn more, please contact Amanda at 989-686-4551 or [email protected].