Michael Kraft
May 6, 2025
Last fall, through sheer unhappy coincidence, Emely Fuentes Neilson, the Executive Director of Humboldt Domestic Violence Services (HDVS), and I spent long hours in an airport waiting for an airplane that would actually get us home. Emely was annoyed, as we all were, but she also brought perspective, a sense of humor, and an unflappable quality to the situation. These turn out to be really valuable traits if you have her job. The vision of HDVS is to eliminate domestic and intimate partner violence. Services are free and confidential. They include a wide range of things that counter domestic violence: providing one on one counseling for survivors of domestic violence and sex trafficking, educating people and teaching prevention, helping clients with completing restraining orders, leading weekly support groups, accompanying clients to social service and court appointments, providing food and basic necessities to people in crisis and, of course, running the agency’s shelter. HDVS responds with law enforcement and to hospitals if requested. Services are also available in Spanish.
HDVS is the only 24/7 resource in Humboldt County dedicated to serving people experiencing domestic violence. Last year, they served nearly 400 clients who received direct services, took over 3000 calls, with 418 of the calls being anonymous, and helped with over 150 restraining orders.
I asked Emely what constitutes success. She says a big win is when they see a client regain their autonomy and their confidence, “just being able to see a survivor and their family evolve from being timid to speaking out for themselves, to communicate a different way, and be a different way.”
She added that people now seem to be more frequently questioning their relationships, some of them decades long, and considering whether it’s healthy to stay or leave. She believes our society’s understanding of healthy relationships is changing. In the best of times, working with people facing intimate partner violence and sex trafficking is highly challenging. I sat in on part of one of their staff meetings once, and found the HDVS crew to be mostly young, amazingly enthusiastic and entirely mission-
oriented people. But they face burnout, so taking care of employees and their own mental health is part of Emely’s job. Now, with abrupt budget cuts at the federal level, and continuing uncertainty and chaos, HDVS staff and people at their peer organizations are experiencing one of their toughest periods yet. So how can we—you, me and our fellow citizens—help?
Due to the highly confidential nature of HDVS’ services, there aren’t a ton of opportunities to volunteer. Still, the organization would benefit from advocates to elected officials testifying to the critical nature of their services and the ongoing need for funding. They are currently seeking board members who represent the diversity of the Humboldt area and have a passion and skills that advance the agency’s goals. To learn more about contributing in these ways, visit www.HDVS.org or call their non-emergency line (707) 444-9255.
While the situation in Washington, D.C. remains unclear, the agency has prepared for a 44% cut in their federal funding, which represents nearly 30% of HDVS’s overall funding. There is no way that such a level of cuts would not result in decreased services. With financial resources representing the organization’s greatest hurdle, then, donations from the community are key. To donate, click here: https://hdvs.org/donate-2/. Last, but clearly not least, if you or someone you know is potentially experiencing domestic violence, reach out to trained domestic violence advocates on Humboldt Domestic Violence Services 24/7 support line by calling (707) 443-6042 or toll free at (833) 507-2331.
Good Work is a new series written by Michael Kraft, who volunteers on behalf of the Northern California Association of Nonprofits (NorCAN). NorCAN supports connections between people and organizations that work every day to keep our communities healthy and strong by offering professional development, board support, networking connections and more. Learn more at https://norcal-nonprofits.org/. To nominate a deserving nonprofit organization to be profiled in this series, email michael@kraftconsultants.com.
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