SmithStoreit, a self storage facility in Huntsville, Alabama, announced Friday that it will donate 30 units to local survivors of domestic violence. Each unit will be used to provide three months of free storage at a time for a domestic violence survivor. Storage can be an important part of a battered woman's escape plan for leaving a dangerous relationship. Often, women plan their departures for months before they actually leave an abusive partner. They may need to slowly and gradually accumulate possessions in a storage unit, so that when the time comes, they can leave quickly without having to pack.
Self storage units are not expensive, but domestic violence survivors often fear retaliation from their former partners. They may need to know that they are not creating a paper trail (in the form of bills or credit card statements) that could lead abusive ex-partners to find them. Moreover, in many cases survivors of domestic violence cannot afford even the small monthly rental fee for a self storage unit. Having a free self storage unit solves these problems. Using a storage unit also means that survivors need not impose on family and friends, which can be important -- survivors may not want to be traced through family and friends, and also may be concerned about the possibility of placing family and friends at risk.
"This is one less obstacle for them to overcome," commented Bill Farris, the director of Crisis Family Services of North Alabama, in Friday's Huntsville Times. Farris noted that not only does storage give domestic violence survivors a place to store essential items that they may need after leaving a violent family situation, but it also gives them a place to store items of sentimental value, such as family photos and heirlooms, that otherwise might be taken or destroyed by their ex-partners.
SmithStoreIt will do whatever it can to protect the privacy of domestic violence survivors, and for that matter all of its customers. There is no reason that an abusive partner would need to know that a storage unit was being used. In the event that the storage unit was discovered, however, SmithStoreIt's security features should keep stored items safe. Each unit has its own alarm, and digital cameras monitor the property at all times. The facility also has high intensity lighting every 35 feet, which not only helps the security video cameras to operate efficiently, but also makes it possible for survivors of violence to be able to verify that no one is nearby when they put things into or take things out of storage.
The idea to donate self storage units came from SmithStoreit's general manager, Brent Smith. He phoned Hope Place, a Madison County domestic violence shelter, to ask whether he could donate units. Hope Place is operated by Crisis Family Services of North Alabama. If they wish, survivors can arrange to use a storage unit by contacting Hope Place. Alternatively, survivors may contact SmithStoreIt directly, as long as they bring documentation such as a police report.
SmithStoreIt may be, as Smith claims, the only self storage company in the United States to offer free storage directly to domestic violence survivors. Coastal Carrier Moving & Storage offers free moving to domestic violence survivors in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Several self storage companies, such as A-1 Self Storage of California, and Westy Self Storage of New York, support domestic violence organizations with donations and storage space that can be used to collect donations. But storage companies are just beginning to think of offering units directly to survivors themselves.
"I challenge other storage businesses to do the same," said Smith.
Sources used:
"A-1 Self Storage supports domestic-violence shelter in San Diego." Inside Self-Storage. Dec. 15, 2009.
"Community Involvement." Coastal Carrier Moving and Storage.
Cumbow, Victoria. "SmithStoreit offers free storage to victims of domestic violence." The Huntsville Times. April 30, 2010.
"Westy Self Storage coordinates four for four donation drive." Long Island Exchange. Nov. 16, 2009.