Care Lodge
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“Hello, this is Care Lodge. Can we help?” These are the most welcome words an abused person can ever hear. Over 1000 abused persons are helped with those very words each year at Care Lodge. At the end of their rope, they just need to know someone cares about the abusive situation they’re in and that help is at hand. 1 in 4 women and 1 in 5 men are affected by abuse, at some point in their lives. Their goal with each client is to ensure they have the resources to move forward to independence, free from abuse.
Care Lodge has an emergency shelter and crises hotline that operates 24/7. They can house up to 40 men and women leaving abusive situations. They help an average of 25 people daily, with the average stay about 23 days. It takes about that amount of time to help them find a job and a place to live that they can maintain by themselves. They come without jobs or any feelings of self-reliance because their abusers have tried to keep them from being independent. Care Lodge helps them 100% in the beginning and gradually steps back until they can support themselves. They also give help and support to victims not housed in the shelter.
Care Lodge also provides for the children of these situations with an infant to 5-year program and an after-school program for older students to help with homework while integrating leisure and recreational activities. Weems counsels with the children affected, making sure they realize the situation is not their fault. They have support groups and individual counseling for anyone affected, including violence intervention for the offenders as well as anger management classes. Care Lodge is the victims’ advocate in legal situations, social services involvement and when law enforcement is involved. They will assist victims seeking Domestic Abuse Protection Orders.
Care Lodge has 22 employees and would like to add more advocates. They serve nine counties: Lauderdale, Scott, Winston, Noxubee, Newton, Kemper, Leake, Neshoba and Clarke. They hope to 
set up a location in each county to be better able to provide assistance. Care Lodge hopes business owners understand how much their involvement in community-based causes means. There are many opportunities to fill needs around us. Care Lodge has been a Chamber member for many years because the work that is done here depends on community support and connecting individuals to community resources.
“It is energizing to have the opportunity, through the Chamber, to collaborate with other helping agencies and provide a strong foundation of support for those we serve,” says Abby Miller, Executive Director/LMSW. “Lauderdale County has many resources to empower families through higher education, healthcare, wellness, faith, meeting even the most basic everyday needs. Kindness is definitely a mutual characteristic among the community cohort,” adds Sara Smith, Community coordinator.
There are five forms of violence in domestic abuse situations; emotional abuse, financial abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse and physical abuse. Domestic violence is insidious because, in the beginning, no one can believe it is happening to them. Most times, abuse is a vicious cycle. Care Lodge actively seeks to eliminate domestic abuse by providing victims, offenders and the community with inclusive and effective programs, services, and information. One client, upon moving out of shelter into her new home, stated, “You helped me move on and picked me up when I was unsure what my future held. Thank you for helping me and my children begin our bright future.”
“Hello, this is Care Lodge. How can we help?”
Care Lodge
1627 23rd Ave., Meridian, MS
601-482-8719