CORA serves as the most comprehensive point of assistance for those who have suffered from domestic violence. With services including shelter, legal support, financial guidance, therapy, amazing children's programs and much more, CORA fills a gap for San Mateo County and well beyond, often serving residents across Northern California. As a former board member (and chair), I was and still am deeply impressed by the commitment and care shown every day by the CORA staff for all who come requiring services. The overwhelming level of detail and support shines through for those who most need it, with thousands helped over the decades.
I am a survivor. In 2018 my former spouse attempted to murder me. CORA helped me with legal, therapy and continue to help me in my healing journey. And have built lasting relationships with the team.
I was able to get full custody and a restraining order not just for me but for my children. My children and I received therapy sessions and daycare was provided for my baby girl (5 months) at the time while I received therapy.
CORA has given me the opportunity to share my story to reach others in the community and helped me find my voice. CORA is an amazing agency that I will continue to support and represent.
I work at CoastPride, an LGBTQ+ advocacy non-profit in Half Moon Bay. CORA has provided LGBTQ+- and youth-centered healthy relationships workshops in our teen support group. The LGBTQ+ community is often not seen in healthy relationship/relationship abuse dialog so to have CORA give a training specific to our community and to our young people was really meaningful.
He said,” I am going to make you pay.”
I called 911 and left. The following day I was connected to Cora by the officers who helped me leave. I have two little children with me.
Cora stepped in and provided me with therapy immediately for me and my daughters. Legal assistance. A class on recovering my life. Cora became the filler in the dark spaces. I became educated on DV. I realized I had been charmed into a life with a man who would always abuse me. And even the good moments were a part of the cycle of abuse. Cora saved my life. They are why I never looked back. The resources and opportunity to walk with people is why I am alive.
I became an advocate for victims and even spoke to the rookies up at College of San Mateo on behalf of Cora. The topic was the important of the small details when you go to a domestic call. The report details. The ability to feel the room. Not just see it. Most DV will go undetected and not acknowledged in a court of law. We have to do better.
Cora is paving the way.
My daughter escaped an abusive relationship 3 years ago. He served 4 months in jail and had to attend domestic violence, animal abuse and anger management classes for a year. His restraining order is up at the end of October 2022. She is terrified!
My daughter contacted CORA. This organization is unbelievably amazing. They talked to her for hours including assessing her post traumatic stress syndrome. They offered a group therapy session that meets once a week. She feels this is very helpful.
They arranged for her to meet with a free legal team. Before the meeting 4 women from CORA met her on the Zoom call to offer their support and encouragement before she met with the legal team. This was so heart touching, Their support was so amazing. She felt that she wasn't alone and she is a survivor and not a victim. She cried "happy tears".
The legal team has spent over 8+ hours in total drafting a domestic violence restraining order as well as a criminal restraining order. Just yesterday, both were temporarily approved by the judge.
Without CORA's help this whole process would have been completely overwhelming and almost impossible.
My daughter is looking forward to work closely with CORA to ensure she stays safe while she continues to heal from her abusive relationship.
Support groups at CORA have given me ongoing support in my recovery from Domestic Violence. The DV dynamic is very complicated and the professional staff at CORA has helped me learn about domestic violence and sort through the complicated and difficult emotions involved. They have also given me concrete tools that I have been able to use in order to recognize abuse and stay safe.
Leaving an abusive relationship is extremely difficult, and once you have left it can take years to recover. Many people never leave because they believe they lack the support and resources to do so. If only they knew about CORA. CORA provides both the practical resources (food, shelter, legal services, transitional housing) and emotional support victims need to move out and on with their lives.
Before I found CORA, I didn't know how I would ever get free of my abuser. CORA taught me what my legal rights were. They helped me win a restraining order and secure valuable services for my daughter. Most importantly, they helped me realize that what happened to me was not my fault, and they taught me the difference between a healthy relationship and an abusive one. Thanks to CORA, I feel I am abuse proof.
If you or someone you love is in an abusive relationship, don't wait for things to get better. They won't. Call the CORA hotline and start taking the first steps toward freedom. It's totally confidential and you are under no obligation to take action.
Review from Guidestar