Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, surprised Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support in Dallas on Sunday with a donation to repair the roof of the temporary housing complex and help with other urgent needs.
“We were told that through the actions of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s nonprofit, Archewell Foundation, Prince Harry and Meghan will make a donation to get us back on our feet,” said the shelter’s CEO, Jan Langbein, in a statement.
“This gift not only meets our critical needs, it also sheds an international spotlight on violence against women and children and lets survivors know they are not alone.”
Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support is an essential lifeline for families who have experienced domestic violence, providing a way out for women in situations of abuse. According to Amy Norton, the shelter’s senior director of fund development, the roof of the temporary housing has collapsed, pipes cracked and furniture destroyed.
The women and children inside were moved quickly and no one was injured, Norton said.
Millions of people in Texas lost power and water after a deadly record-breaking freezer began on Feb. 11. The shelter closed its doors for the first time in 35 years due to the storm, Norton said.
The world is seeing a domestic violence crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic, and some support services have been put on hold, according to a CNN special report on domestic violence.
Some domestic violence victims face challenges to leave, including a lack of food, shelter, transportation, childcare and job opportunities, according to a 2020 study from Rutgers University. Those factors may have pressured them to live in communities near their abusive partners.
This women’s shelter is one of the charities that Prince Harry and the former Meghan Markle have supported since officially relinquishing their royal duties.
In addition to the roof repairs, money from the couple’s foundation will go towards the shelter’s immediate emergency relief needs, the shelter said.
“Despite the devastating winter storms here in Texas, our hearts have been warmed by the support and generosity of people from all 50 states and five other countries,” Langbein said in the statement.
