The Survivor Empowerment Center — Local services in Carbondale

The bad reviews are NOT lying. They will get you to sign papers and agree to silly things so that they won't be held accountable for their crimes.

I speak about how my baby had marks on her after two rude workers had held her. Which is the new case manager and an ld overnight worker. I get confronted by the Program Coordinator & Service Manager with, "You cant be making allegations like that so none of the workers will hold your children anymore. We're just trying to help." She came at me confrontational, didnt even ask me any questions when I told her it's just two workers. I had to be the one to ask someone below her position that I wanted to actually speak to her. When I speak to her she says everything is a miscommunication between the rude workers and her team tells me "I'm sorry you feel that way." What you truly meant was, "I'm afraid of being liable so I'll be dismissive of what you say, even if it means there is harm and disrespect."

The new case manager walks into my room without even knocking at like 10:45 pm when everyone is sleeping. I even have a newborn and one year old I'm trying to put to bed. This is all over giving me housing papers information. Why not just give it to me in the morning! Than inviting yourself in for a few minutes, picking up my child without my consent when I said that I got it. Yes she even asked me but didnt litsen to my answer! So don't tell me you guys are trying to help and "make a mother less stressed."

They will cost me a lot of money. I had TWO stolen carseats and I'm told "we're not liable for stolen or lost things." No one else staying even has a newborn here for the carseat I brought. Anyone else who owns a car with kids should have their own carseats already. No other family is keeping carseats in their room. So tell me that how does that even make any sense? Stolen by who. I refuse to believe any of the families would have stolen it. It also became missing on when the rude workers were actively working. No one apparently could find it.

This so called women's empowerment place will tell me they're not responsible for helping you carry items like your luggage, carseats etc ALL WHILE HAVING A NEWBORN and one year old. There are flights of stairs and you already are bringing in your own small children. They're NOT A FAMILY FRIENDLY PLACE. I even had multiple chores. Kitchen dinner cleanup plus fridge and few other shared chores. I didn't do any of it another person staying offered to do it for me.

If you want a women's shelter that DOESN'T help women this is the place. LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. Get your friend to pick you up, get an uber, just relocate from this bad...

I would give this place negative stars if I could.

I came to the shelter after escaping domestic violence with my two year old. I was hoping for peace, but instead was met with rampant drug use and a man living in the shelter who had a tendency to get loud with the women without repercussion.

The staff have no clue how to help residents. The on-site director does not care about the residents. Even those who want to help themselves are unsure what resources to access because the "casework" is a joke. This place is a disaster.

After getting into a verbal argument with another resident for refusing to store her drug paraphernalia in my car, I was forced to leave for using "vulgar and threatening language" along with the woman that started the argument. My child and I had no access to money, water or food and were forced to sleep in my car in 90 plus degree weather. They did not even try to connect us with additional shelters or services knowing I had no income, gas, or way to provide for my child after being forced out. I begged for help or advice on where to go next, the simple answer from them was "not here."

I was luckily able to scrounge up enough gas money to go to the family shelter in Cairo after almost a week of living in my car. The Cairo shelter goes above and beyond. If you can, avoid this shelter and go to Cairo. You'll be safe, secure, and taken care of until you can take care of yourself again. This "Women Empowerment Center" in Carbondale is a disgrace...

ZERO STARS. This place is a joke. Domestic battery shelters are meant to empower and help victims and their families escape abusive homes and guide them in the right direction to get on their feet. This place is a TEMPORARY shelter and that is it. After 5 weeks they will kick you back out and likely right back to that abusive situation. They offer zero help getting you on your feet and on your own. A friend who had to utilize this place learned the hard way. And to think I'm the one who sent her there. Thinking they would be of assistance in helping her get on her own two feet after escaping a violent situation. She literally went in with nothing as many do and she was barely fed and had very little counciling. Does this place get funding? I'll be looking into all of it. Needs new management now and someone who knows what they are doing. I have worked with DB shelters in the past and have never heard of such horrendous conditions. The ones I have worked with kept it's victims focused and on track to escape abusive situations PERMANENTLY. This is NOT the case here. Very unfortunate. Not to mention they give out their address freely and db vicim could easily be found here. Ridiculous. Can't wait to dig up the dirt on this place and present it to the appropriate branches of government. Cut the funding or straighten it out. Bottom line. EDIT : This place was given a grant for 250,000$ in 2023. You have to wonder where the money...