Hay Caldwell Women's Center Mural
Healing
Hopeful
Compassionate
About This Mural
Thank you to HomeAid Austin and the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center for the opportunity to create this mural for the women and children seeking safety at Marla’s Place.
This project holds more meaning than I can fully express. Marla’s Place offers a safe haven for women and families escaping domestic abuse, and is a place where healing can begin. As I painted, I couldn’t help but think of the many barriers survivors face: finding affordable housing, securing childcare, and simply having a space large enough for their families. HCWC is providing that, and more.
It’s my hope that this mural brings a sense of peace, color, and hope to those starting over. I’m deeply honored to be a small part of HCWC’s powerful work in opening Marla’s Place, which will offer transitional housing for up to 50 adults and children rebuilding their lives.
* Thank you @gena.destri for being my right hand woman on this job. I never would have pulled this off without your generosity of time and ability to climb ladders higher than my fears allow. I love you!
Hays Caldwell Women's Center
The Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center (HCWC) is a local non-profit who offers free and confidential services to adults, youth, and children who are victims of family violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and child abuse who live, work, or attend school in Hays and Caldwell Counties. Services are available in English and Spanish.
Marla's Place
The Marla R. Johnson Family Housing Center opened in 2022 and is named after long-time HCWC Executive Director Marla Johnson, whose vision was to build a safe haven for families to get a new start to life after escaping domestic violence in their home.
Affordable housing in Hays and Caldwell counties is incredibly difficult to find in an ideal situation; factor in the additional safety needs required for a victim of abuse, attempting to leave an abuser, and it becomes near impossible.
Often mothers are willing to return to a situation that is unsafe for themselves to ensure that their children have a roof over their heads.
Thanks to the endless work of our HCWC staff, volunteers, Board of Directors, Transitional Housing Steering Committee, Community Partners, and the greater community as a whole, we are able to provide those in our community who have experienced violence and abuse affordable housing while they put the pieces of their lives back together and move forward with strength and hope.
Marla's Place Provides:
- An 18 unit housing complex, custom built for safety and security in a comfortable and relaxing environment — all connected to our main campus in San Marcos.
- Exemplary childcare and early education through on-site Early Head Start program provided by Community Action, Inc, the very first of it’s kind on a domestic violence campus.
- Free counseling and advocacy services with access to individual life planning and goal setting, job training, life skills classes, and access to continuing education through our existing community partnerships.