AIKEN, SC. () – A nonprofit focusing on women who may feel stuck in the cycle of abuse. The woman who started this agency tells us why it’s so important to her.

The founder of the Colin James Barth Outreach named the organization for her late husband. He died from pancreatic cancer about 15 years ago. Julie Barth says she eventually remarried and found herself in a situation of emotional abuse. She says she wanted to create this nonprofit support and be there for women going through the same thing. 

“Our charity is focused on providing legal services for women who are going through divorce situations for emotional, economic, and financial abuse,” said Julie Barth, Founder and President of Colin James Bath Outreach. “Because there’s so many different legalities related to it. You’re trying to protect your children when you are losing pretty much everything at hand. Right out the gate, you’re talking like $ 20,000 just to represent yourself.”

Clients come to the Outreach through referrals from counselors or legal teams.  If you know someone who needs help, you could reach out.  They are also interested in future mentoring programs.

“It’s hard being a woman right now. You know there are 20 different spots you’re trying to do 80 different things. You don’t want to ask for help, but if we don’t stand up for ourselves and start doing things to take back the power. You know we work so hard for everybody else,” said Barth.

Taytem, a self-taught artist and Barth’s daughter creates artwork, and a percentage of the sales goes directly to the foundation.

“I was like, we’ll pay mortgages, we’ll pay for childcare, and hopefully, that’s our future. For right now, I just feel like we can take that one burden off of women who are in these horrible situations. They don’t know where the next dollars is coming from. They’re worried about their children. If we can just make them feel supported,” said Barth.

They will be holding fundraisers in the next few months. For more information on when they will be announced, you can find it on Colin James Barth Outreach’s website or Facebook page. You can learn more about Taytem and her art on her website, Hope4Tayt.