Peace House in Need as Winter Approaches

With cold weather arriving, Peace House is seeking donations of outerwear in addition to dry goods and household staples. Photo:

The holidays are joyous for many; stressful and depressing for others. Adding in the fears and economic challenges of the Covid pandemic has resulted in a year like no other – and sadly has caused a major uptick in domestic violence and child abuse emergencies.

From hospital emergency rooms to shelters for victims of abuse, need for assistance and services has been terribly high since last spring, said Maggie Duncan, volunteer coordinator for Peace House, a licensed non-profit in Park City dedicated to ending family violence.

“Our hotline calls have been up 50 percent since the pandemic started, and capacity has been much much higher since the last fiscal year,” Duncan said.

As Peace House employees and volunteers work to meet the community’s needs, they could use a hand. They need outerwear – clean, used jackets in good condition – for adult men and women and for children, especially sizes that fit kids in fourth through sixth grades. They also need dry goods: trash bags, toilet paper, laundry soap, etc.

Peace House accepts non-perishable food provided it is not near or past its expiration date. They respectfully request no opened food items, and no used clothing other than outerwear.

Donations can be dropped off at 700 Round Valley Drive (near Park City Hospital). For more information, email Duncan at maggie@peacehouse.org

If you are in danger or experiencing a domestic violence crisis, call Peace House’s emergency helpline 24 hours a day at 800-647-9161.