America Strong: Local woman seeks to help domestic abuse survivors

AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. — A local woman has been working to help domestic violence survivors for nearly 20 years. She’s also been working to get healthy food for struggling families.

For the last year and a half, the pandemic has overshadowed just about everything, causing an increase in domestic violence. This means more women are in need of more help.

Mable Dunbar spends a lot of time at Cleone’s Closet Food Pantry in Airway Heights. She helps put food on the table for struggling families.

Airway Heights is considered a Level 2 food desert. This means healthy whole food is hard to come by due to unavailability, affordability, distance or limited shopping options. It also provides clothing for people.

Dunbar is also the founder and CEO of Women’s Healing & Empowerment Network. It’s an organization that helps men, women and children escape the cycle of violence.

A pastor’s wife, she knew she had to make a difference when a church member came to her bloody and beaten.

“There are so many people who’ve been hurt and abused by religion that we want them to know that you know God wants everybody to be healed,” Dunbar said. “He wants everybody to live in freedom and to live abuse-free lives and so that’s our message.”

If you’d like to help Dunbar by volunteering or making a donation, click here.

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