When She Makes the Call

A woman’s healing journey at The Dwelling Place doesn’t start when she walks through the door, it starts when she makes the brave decision to call for help. For ten years, Cindy has picked up the phone.

What’s the hardest phone call you’ve had to make? Maybe you delivered bad news or had to ask a difficult question. Or, maybe you allowed yourself to acknowledge that you felt unsafe in your own home and had the terrifying realization that you needed help. In 2024, 427 people had that moment and made a call.

Cindy Hall, the Intake Coordinator at The Dwelling Place, answered each of those calls. When she picks up the phone, Cindy does something that few of the women expect, she believes them. “They’re so used to being beaten down, that they question their sanity,” she said. “My job is to build that girl up.”

She listens to what they’ve experienced, believes them, and encourages them that there’s hope for a different life. Cindy will look up at Jeremiah 29:11 hanging in her office and read it to the woman with their name. “I’ll say, ‘God knows the plans He has for you, Sarah. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and future.’”

Women call from their abuser’s home, shelters, staying on couches, or living on the streets. Oftentimes, they have been isolated from family or friends. Cindy helps decipher their immediate needs like shelter, childcare, and food, and provides information for emergency resources. Then, they talk about The Dwelling Place.

“I know they’re a right fit for our program if they’re looking for more than a roof over their head,” said Cindy. “They want to heal.”

Cindy guides families through the intake process, which includes multiple meetings with staff to ensure The Dwelling Place is the best fit for a family. Afterward, she gets to tell women they can move in and hear the excitement in their responses.

Cindy has been answering calls and case managing at The Dwelling Place for ten years. “Some calls are so horrible; they take your breath away,” she said. “But I keep doing it because I love these women, watching them grow, and telling them to dream big.”

Cindy Hall

Intake and Case Manager