Throwback Thursday: 45 years of B.R.A.S.S.

For 45 years, the Barren River Area Safe Space Inc. has stood as a beacon of hope for survivors of domestic violence in southcentral Kentucky. Since 1980, B.R.A.S.S. has been providing safety and shelter for those who need it most. Celebrated at its annual fundraiser last month, the office has saved thousands of survivors over the decades. But it isn’t just about being a true “safe space,” it’s also about providing access to resources to help survivors and family get thru the toughest times and start life again.

Between giving access to counselors and providing educational resources to get survivors and loved ones the help they need, B.R.A.S.S. has been a life changing lifeline for thousands of women in our region. The facility is a 30-bed shelter with the critical amenities needed for daily living, like a laundry room, children’s play room, and offices for outreach services. Nearly 3,000 victims are served annually, including in satellite offices in three other counties, as part of 15 sister shelters across all of Kentucky.

The Economic Justice Institute serves as a community hub that provides group support services, meeting space, and much needed computer access for clients. Part of the B.R.A.S.S. advocacy program also supports victims thru the court process and local assessments needed to move their lives forward positively. Part of the mission is to empower domestic violence survivors to embrace their selves, define their future, and bring a positive impact to those around them. Through access to all these resources,

it’s possible to create a safer, more informed, neighborhood community and society.
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Its services are free, confidential, and adjusted to meet the needs of each individual case and family being served. The counties B.R.A.S.S. serves include Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson, and Warren. There are several ways to get involved and donate, including volunteering at events or hosting fundraisers or donation drives for clothing and necessary items, donating meals – as B.R.A.S.S. shelter clients are fed three meals a day, or shopping its eBay store.

Thank you to B.R.A.S.S. for bringing more safety, positivity, and much needed resources to our neighborhoods for 45 years. Throwback Thursday is brought to you by the Kentucky Museum. In Bowling Green, because local matters, Telia Butler, WNKY News 40.