At the end of each day, most of us look forward to going home ... that treasured place where you can unwind, relax and let your guard down. That sanctuary where, amid the reality of family life, there is still that feeling of peace and safety, where you can claim your own personal 'down time'.

But what happens when that is all taken away? What happens when, suddenly, you have no place go? This is the situation for many, especially women, who have been abused by once loving spouses, who have thrown them out, sometimes literally, into the streets. The situation also becomes a reality when disasters, like a fire, strike. You could also be forced to evacuate. What then? Where can anxious, desperate women go, even it is for temporary reprieve?

Place of hope

There is one such place - Gloria's Place. Located on the main road leading into Old Harbour, at 73 East Street, it provides a haven for women needing shelter. Gloria Robinson runs the facility and, if you ask for Ms Robbie, chances are, every other person in the community would be able to give you clear directions. She makes her home available, primarily for women in crisis and currently houses several of them, along with children, in a communal setting.

Ms Robbie, herself a homemaker with five boys and three girls, has been living there since the 1980s and has been involved in her philanthropic activities from an early age. She remembers going to the market with her parents and buying books and other supplies for persons in need.

"Every week when I go to the market, I keep paying bills for different people's clothes to go to school and I would give them their books and pencils," she noted.

On a daily basis, over 100 persons go by Ms Robbie's place for assistance of some kind. "They come here in the days for me to sign papers and write things for them. People, including the elderly, come and go and I find little packages and clothes to give to them," she explained.

According to Ms Robbie, her main source of supplies comes from Food For the Poor (FFP).

Recently, the organisation decided to build a house on Robinson premises to accommodate more women.

Getting involved was simple

Pearline 'Pearl' Barrett, FFP's manager of Education and Social Outreach explained that getting involved was simple since there were distinct needs to be addressed.

"A number of women had approached Food For the Poor in desperation, and often with children explaining that they need somewhere to stay, even for the night," said Pearl.

She said they looked around, for some time, but there was no facility. It came to light that Ms Robbie was doing that kind of social work and so persons were directed to her for assistance.

This collaboration eventually resulted in the construction of Gloria's Place of Hope (Hope stands for Helping Other People Endure).

The project was completed at a cost of just over J$700,000.

But, Gloria's place is not just a residence, as some schooling is done there for slow learners. This gives them an opportunity to get a job or pursue further training.

"Sometimes when they tek the test up by HEART and fail, they would be sent down here and afterwards they pick up HEART and start all over again," explained Ms Robbie.

Shauna Samuels is one of the many persons who received assistance from Ms Robbie. She explained that while pregnant, she was kicked out of the home she shared with her child's father because he wanted to bring in his new girlfriend.

Grateful

After trying desperately, without success, to find somewhere to go pregnant and with a one-year-old child, she was directed to Ms Robbie in Old Harbour.

"When I come here, I was gladly appreciated. I feel like I was here from 20 years. They treated me the best. Ms Robbie gets up in the morning, treat all of us very well and for that I'm very grateful," she said.

Shauna eventually gave birth to another son, while living with Ms Robbie, and even though she's managed to get a place of her own, she still visits her from time to time.

"Now, I don't live here but I come back to look for Ms Robbie to make sure that she is OK," she said.

But, running Gloria's Place is not without its own set of challenges. Recently, the facility faced difficulties because of the non-payment of a utility bill. This was until the St Catherine Parish Council stepped in. After investigating and certifying the bill, Mayor Wheatly gave instructions for it to be paid in full and made arrangements with the utility provider, for a special fixed-rate bill.

The new house built by FFP consists of two bedrooms, a large, fully furnished living room area, a small, functional kitchen, a modern bathroom and a verandah. The modest facility can accommodate up to two families at a time, granting at least two more women in distress, even if on a temporary basis, a place to call home.