into silence. Despite the abuse and his
Elva “Precious Love” Thompson Founder/President
Precious Hearts Foundation, Inc. ABOUT THE PUBLISHER
violence and abuse can look like anyone, and be anywhere…even right next door to you. One woman has made it her personal mission to tackle domestic violence wherever she may find it, and provide a hand of help to victims seeking a way out. Her name is Elva
Thompson, but she also goes by ‘Precious Love.’ The young- est of eight siblings, she was raised in Harrisburg, PA. She recalls her childhood as rather typical, although her mother was left to raise the family alone after 15 years of mar- riage, her father left the coun- try to follow his spiritual pur- suits. Her mother’s humility, grace and strength made her family a happy one. Her personal connection to
A victim of domestic
controlling ways, she tried to make it work, and they would have three children to- gether—now between the ages of 25 and 19. A desire to spare them the emotional toll of living in such an environ- ment gave her the drive she needed to leave her abusive husband and start a life of her own. She viewed her own self- sufficiency as the key to re- gaining her power as a woman and a mother. She went to school, and
said it is important for victims of domestic abuse to know that there is a way out of the situation. She offers this ad- vice to abused men and women “always have a backup plan; have a bag packed with extra clothing; go to the authorities and always have a safe haven.” She goes on to state “if you have kids leave immediately or it only gets worse.” Precious Love has some
earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English, and an Associate’s Degree in Medical Editing. She began a business called Geor- gia Editing Services, LLC, which provides medical and general editorial services to a variety of clients. She also started her own publishing firm called, Esquire Publications. But her proudest
the subject of domestic violence runs deep. A relation- ship that started when she was 15—with a man who would later become her hus- band—turned violent only months in, and shocked her
accomplishment (besides her family, of course) is a charitable foundation she formed to aid and provide resources for victims of domestic abuse. Determined to assist those who are in the same situation she was in for so long, she founded Precious Hearts Foundation, Inc., which helps victims of abuse by pro- viding temporary emergency shelter, as well as working with shelters across the US to help victims regroup when facing difficult situations. Precious Hearts Foundation
provides food pantry, cloth- ing, counseling, education, permanent housing, as well as other programs through organizations Precious Hearts Foundation has formed alliances with. ‘Precious Love’
6
advice for those wanting to help a victim of domestic abuse: Listen. Be a confidante. Be a source of comfort. You can put together a list of shelters and agencies in your area that specialize in helping victims of abuse. Let them know they don’t have to go it alone. If they need someone to go with them when they make a police report or enter a
shelter, be there for them. Ms. Thompson warns
anyone in a relationship with an abusive person (especially someone in a long-term relationship with one, who may be contemplating marriage to their abuser) to RUN and not walk away from this relationship and never look back. Things will not get better, and may—on the contrary—get worse once you make a commitment to them.
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