Kentucky’s 16th annual Shop and Share Event is set for Saturday, February 8 and serves to benefit domestic violence shelters across the state including Sanctuary, Inc.
Sanctuary is a nonprofit that operates in the Pennyrile Region and provides support and resources for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Nonprofit Executive Director Heather Lancaster says 2024 was a busy year and they provided over 11,000 bed nights in their emergency shelter; 885 counseling and therapy sessions; 518 legal and medical advocacy accompaniments; safety, therapy and support group services for 93 children and responded to over 1,600 crisis calls.
Shop and Share is hosted by ZeroV formerly known as the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The one-day fundraiser invites folks to shop at their local Kroger stores and buy some items that domestic violence shelters may need. Lancaster says Sanctuary will be set up at regional Kroger stores and members will be giving out lists with their needs and collecting donations.
Lancaster says they are seeking essential items such as deodorant, body wash, diapers, tooth paste, grocery gift cards, sanitary items, non-perishable foods and much more.
The full shopping list is available at zerov.org. At last year’s event, Sanctuary received around $3,500 worth of grocery items and monetary items and Lancaster says they look forward to topping that.
Sanctuary will set up at Kroger stores in Hopkinsville, Madisonville and Powderly on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.