Appfire Town - Ronit Barkai Opportunity Fund

About this Giving Opportunity

Transition House is a nonprofit based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that has been serving survivors of domestic violence for nearly 50 years. Transition House provides emergency housing services, case management, legal support, therapy for adults and children, and many more services to the survivors in our programs.

When people think about domestic violence, we tend to imagine physical or emotional abuse. Financial abuse gets less attention, but has a huge impact on survivors. When someone flees an abusive person, and comes to stay at Transition House, they've made a very difficult decision to leave a whole life behind to escape the abuse. These survivors need to start over completely. Survivors often need to quit their schooling, end their employment, try to find new childcare, change their children's school, and do so much more with so very little.

Ronit Barkai, current Assistant Director of Transition House, is retiring after working with us for over 22 years. Throughout her 22+ years of service, Ronit has consistently demonstrated her dedication to survivors of domestic violence. Her commitment to advocacy and centering the needs of survivors has inspired and influenced so many of us, and her impact will be felt for many years to come. As she steps into the next chapter of her life, we want to express our deepest gratitude for all that she has done. To celebrate all she has accomplished, we are launching the Ronit Barkai Opportunity Fund, to be revealed on March 14, 2025, during a party to commemorate Ronit’s retirement.

During Ronit's long tenure, we have seen her eyes light-up when survivors who were past program participants, call to share what's been happening in their lives as they have further recovered from the domestic violence. The stories they tell are about how they have been able to pursue their own dreams. Recently we have heard from survivors who, 10 years after being in our program, have purchased their first home, gone back to school, became a nurse, purchased a first car…and more.

Currently, Transition House is able to provide some financial support to survivors while they are in our programs. With the launch of the Ronit Barkai Opportunity Fund, we will be able to provide financial support in new ways as survivors continue to pursue their dreams. Recovery from domestic violence is a long process, and this fund will be dedicated to survivors who are pursuing their own personal dreams and plans. This may be to supplement a down payment on a home, finance a portion of an advanced degree, dreams that will shift the trajectory of a survivor's life for the better.

We ask that you join us as we support the dreams of survivors of domestic violence. Help us honor Ronit Barkai, her many years of service, and the many survivors the Opportunity Fund will support for years to come.

To learn more about Transition House's impact, visit our website and watch some of our stories, like Robyn's video here: https://vimeo.com/153615854