Make a Difference While You Shop
Support Domestic Violence Shelters at Safe Harbor’s Shop and Share Event
Sasha Bush
Then Ashland Beacon

The community will come together once again for the annual Shop & Share event on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This statewide project, aimed at supporting domestic violence shelters across Kentucky, will be held locally at the Ashland Walmart, Cannonsburg Walmart, Family Dollar on Blackburn Avenue in Ashland, Pennington’s Food Fair in Flatwoods, and Food City in Louisa.
The event, which is organized by the First Lady’s Office and the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence, is dedicated to helping shelters like Safe Harbor of Northeast Kentucky. Safe Harbor, which serves the FIVCO ADD counties of Boyd, Greenup, Carter, Elliott, and Lawrence, relies on community support to continue providing vital services to domestic violence survivors.
Linda Day, PR/Outreach/Volunteer Coordinator for Safe Harbor, shared her thoughts on the significance of this event: “Shop & Share is a big day for our organization with lots of community and volunteer support to make it possible! The items we receive during the event help stock our shelter supplies for a year and provide essential needs for the families staying with us.”
Volunteers will be stationed at the local stores, handing out wish lists and asking shoppers to consider picking up an extra item to donate. Suggested donations include canned goods, peanut butter, jelly, tuna, condiments, diapers, paper towels, and more. Monetary donations and store gift cards are also welcome. The collected items will be gathered at the store exits and delivered to Safe Harbor to support survivors.
The Shop & Share event was the brainchild of former First Lady Jane Beshear, who, after facing budget cuts to domestic violence programs, reached out to the Kroger Corporation to establish a statewide initiative. Her vision has since expanded, and this year, the event includes partnerships with various local grocers to ensure continued support, particularly after local Kroger stores altered their policy on solicitations.
“Mrs. Beshear, Andy’s mom, was the first lady who came up with this idea. Our funding had been cut, and the state was not able to step in and help. So, she came up with this idea for asking every community that had a Kroger to participate in a way to assist all of our programs. She called Kroger Corporation and set up a statewide initiative that has raised millions of dollars for our 15 programs,” stated Day.
Over the years, the Shop & Share event has grown significantly, with donations helping to sustain essential services. Last year, Safe Harbor received just over $3,000 in donations during the event. “We hope that, by partnering with additional stores, the total will grow this year,” Day stated.
In addition to helping fill the pantry, the event plays a crucial role in raising awareness about domestic violence. Day noted, “Safe Harbor is one of 15 domestic violence shelters across Kentucky. We serve Boyd, Carter, Greenup, Lawrence, and Elliott counties. Events like Shop & Share bring awareness to the community that domestic violence is real and happens every day right in our communities, more than most would expect. We need to come together as a community and stop the violence.”
The funds and donations from the event also go toward sustaining the shelter’s daily operations. Safe Harbor feeds over 150 people three meals a day, a responsibility that has become more difficult due to rising grocery costs since the pandemic. "These donations help us take care of them on a daily basis," Day explained. "The more the community gets involved, the better our chances are of ending the violence."
The Shop & Share event not only provides critical resources for domestic violence survivors but also serves as a reminder of the collective strength of the community. By joining together, local residents can make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most.
For more information, or to learn how you can get involved, contact Linda Day at Safe Harbor at 606.329.9304.
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