Sojourner House

06/01/2026

For fifty years, Sojourner House has served as a safe haven for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. 💜 To reflect on that incredible milestone— and the urgent work still ahead of us— our President and CEO, Vanessa Volz, wrote a guest column this week for the Rhode Island Current.

🔗 Read the full story here:

As Sojourner House marks 50 years of service, its executive director hopes more people recognize that addressing domestic violence in Rhode Island and elsewhere is a public priority, not a private matter.

05/27/2026

Sojourner House’s 50th Anniversary Breakfast is just a few days away! Have you bought your ticket yet? Don’t worry, there’s still time⏰💜

Tickets here: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/50thanniversarybreakfast/event/sojo/?mc_cid=43d0adfeae&mc_eid=d450273c25

The emcee of the event is the wonderful Karah Bailey from NBC 10 WJAR, who was so kind as to join us this week at our Drop-In Center to chat about the legacy of our organization and this incredible milestone.

Click the link below to watch the segment!

https://turnto10.com/news/local/after-50-years-sojourner-house-looks-to-future-of-victim-advocacy-agency-help-domestic-violence-prevention-anniversary-breakfast-may-25-2026

Sojourner House celebrates 50 years this week, and they're looking ahead to the next chapter in victim advocacy.

05/23/2026

On Friday, May 29th, Sojourner House will be hosting its 50th Anniversary Breakfast with a special keynote from Kristen Gibbons Feden, the nationally celebrated trial attorney best known for her fearless advocacy on behalf on the victims of Bill Cosby and R. Kelly at the start of the . We view the event as an opportunity to honor the legacy of our organization while fueling the urgent work still ahead.

There are still some tickets reminding. Click the link in our below to grab yours today💜🌟🎟️

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/50thanniversarybreakfast/event/sojo/?mc_cid=43d0adfeae

05/19/2026

Fifty years ago, Sojourner House was just a bold idea shared by a few passionate students in the feminist-socialist club at Brown University. In a meeting at the newly formed Women’s Center on campus, the group discussed the issue of domestic violence and the devastating impact it was having on their community. They were outraged that there was no recourse for Rhode Islanders experiencing violence at home and they turned that outrage into action.

They built a safe haven for survivors and fifty years later, Sojourner House has been able to provide more than 75,000 Rhode Islanders with shelter, counseling, and a pathway to safety and stability.💜

On Friday, May 29th, we’re hosting a 50th Anniversary Breakfast to honor their bold action and the life-saving work it led to. We’d love to have you with us! Click the below to purchase a ticket ☺️🎟️
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/50thanniversarybreakfast/event/sojo/?mc_cid=43d0adfeae&mc_eid=d450273c25

05/15/2026

50 Years in the Making: Honoring Our Roots! 🛠️✨

Before we opened our doors in 1976, we spent a full year doing something crucial: listening. Our founders knew that to truly help survivors of domestic violence, they had to understand the landscape of abuse, not just react to it. That year of intensive research and assessment allowed us to build programs from the ground up based on the actual needs of our community, not assumptions.

The interviews they conducted with survivors in the community: domestic violence is deeply connected to and enabled by systemic oppression.

The video below shows Sojourner House’s founding Executive Director, Cathy Lewis, talking about the inseparable links between capitalism, racism, and sexism in perpetuating abuse. It was with this understanding that Sojourner House’s founders approached the work. We’re forever grateful for their intentional approach and bold action 💜

On Friday, May 29th we’ll be honoring Sojourner House’s incredible history at our 50th Anniversary Breakfast. We’d love to have you with us!

Click here to purchase a ticket: https://sojournerri.org/50th-anniversary-breakfast/

🎥 Recorded by our friends at the Pembroke Center at Brown University

05/14/2026

On Friday, May 29th at our 50th Anniversary Breakfast, we'll be presenting Cara Twitchell with our 2026 Sojourner Truth Award. This recognition is given each year to a former Sojourner House client who is using their lived experience to empower and uplift others.

Cara came to Sojourner House looking for help in 2023, when she was just 22 years old. She'd found the courage to leave her abusive partner but needed help finding a safe place for her and her young son to stay. She's accomplished a great deal in the three years since and just started an exciting role at The Providence Center, working as a Youth and Family Peer Support Specialist.

We're excited to honor her incredible journey at our breakfast event. To join us, buy a ticket here: https://sojournerri.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7a8e4c14d9b32543e3cabaf58&id=9b10b78120&e=d450273c25

To read more of Cara's story, click the article below.
https://sojournerri.org/introducing-the-recipient-of-sojourner-houses-2026-sojourner-truth-award-cara-twitchell/

05/12/2026

50 Years in the Making: Honoring Our Roots! 🛠️✨

Fifty years ago, Sojourner House was just a bold idea shared by a few passionate students in the feminist-socialist club at Brown University. In a meeting at the newly formed Women’s Center on campus, the group discussed the issue of domestic violence and the devastating impact it was having on their community. They were outraged that Rhode Islanders experiencing violence at home had no where to turn for support, and they turned that outrage into action.

They built a safe haven for survivors and fifty years later, Sojourner House has been able to provide more than 75,000 Rhode Islanders with safe shelter, counseling, and life-saving care.

As we gear up for our 50th Anniversary Breakfast on May 29th, we’re taking a trip down memory lane to honor the people who made this journey possible.

Starting today, we are kicking off a special series spotlighting our founders, early volunteers, and trailblazers.

To begin this journey, we are honored to share a reflection from one of our co-founders, Tracy Fitzpatrick.

👇 Read the full letter below.

To celebrate this incredible legacy with us in person, buy a ticket to Sojourner House's 50th Anniversary Breakfast!
https://sojournerri.org/50th-anniversary-breakfast/

05/12/2026

The lovely Contessa Brown brought her pop-up fashion initiative, Queen’s Closet, to Sojourner House this morning for some special Mother's Day pampering. About twenty clients stopped by to "shop" Contessa's collection of clothing, shoes, jewelry, and self-care products. It was a really beautiful event focused on joy and empowerment.

Contessa has been hosting pop-up events like this at Sojourner House for ✨SIX✨ years now and her dedication to helping our clients feel confident, seen, and cared for is something we deeply cherish.

With Queen's Closet, Contessa says that her goal is to help survivors of domestic violence "adorn the queen within through fashion." 👑 How wonderful is that?

We're truly grateful for her continued support and for her ability to create a space where joy can flourish!

05/11/2026

When we say we couldn’t do this work without you, we mean it💜

Last week was a record-setter for Sojourner House! We had the pleasure of hosting five different volunteer groups, and we are deeply grateful for their hard work and dedication.

The Providence Gay Flag Football League helped sort and organize donations for an upcoming clothing closet event we’re hosting at our Drop-In Center.

Sensata Technologies created Mother’s Day goodie bags for our clients and rolled up their sleeves to help beautify the backyard of our Drop-In Center.

Brightstar Lottery put together hygiene kits for our clients (donating all the supplies themselves!) and helped organize some archival materials from the early days of Sojourner House in the 1970s.

Amica Insurance helped to beautify the backyard at one of our Woonsocket housing properties, installing new swing set accessories and building garden boxes so clients can enjoy tasty fruits and veggies in the future!

The Dental Hygiene Program at Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI)I offered free dental cleanings to Sojourner House clients and even set up a pop-up clothing closet with self-care items for clients to take home!

The week as a whole felt like a big hug from our community! Many thanks to Amica Insurance, Providence Gay Flag Football League, Sensata Technologies, Brightstar Lottery, and CCRI for supporting our mission—and our clients—so enthusiastically☺️

05/08/2026

We are honored to welcome Kristen Gibbons Feden, one of the nations leading sexual abuse litigators and a key champion of the era, as the keynote speaker for our upcoming 50th Anniversary Breakfast.

Known for her compassionate advocacy and legal expertise in high-profile sexual abuse cases, Kristen has fearlessly represented survivors against powerful predators like Bill Cosby and R. Kelly.

She is a true force for justice and empowerment and we're thrilled to have her with us!

Join us on May 29th to hear her insights on the history and future of victim advocacy .👇
https://secure.qgiv.com/for/50thanniversarybreakfast/event/sojo/?mc_cid=43d0adfeae&mc_eid=d450273c25