Hagar's Heart receives $1,000 donation as part of CBS News Texas 11 Days of Giving
NORTH TEXAS — As the season of giving shines bright, CBS News Texas has teamed up with Tom Thumb, Albertsons, and the Dallas Cowboys to highlight nonprofits making a difference in their communities year-round, while offering a $1,000 donation. Among them is Hagar's Heart, a Fort Worth nonprofit dedicated to uplifting survivors of domestic abuse.
In 2020, Jennifer Jones felt a powerful calling. As a survivor herself, she knew firsthand how impactful even the smallest gesture of care could be. That's when she launched Hagar's Heart.
"One of the biggest things Hagar's Heart stands for is that we see you," said Jones.
The organization partners with domestic violence advocacy centers across North Texas. One of their core initiatives is the "I See You" boxes filled with self-care items. Each box is topped off with a handwritten note of encouragement, and they're given to survivors when they arrive at shelters.
"Self-care is more than a haircut or getting a shower, but self-care is retraining your brain. It's journaling. It's finding healthy ways to deal with conflict or healthy ways to deal with the abuse you've endured."
Volunteers play a big role in assembling the boxes distributed to advocacy centers like One Safe Place in Fort Worth.
For survivors like Carolyn Duff, receiving an "I See You" box was a turning point.
"When it became physical, I left," said Duff. "To have someone write, 'You are seen, you are worthy, you are loved.' To have someone care after being uncared for, for so long. It was extraordinary."
With the $1,000 donation, Jones said the funds will be used to expand the initiative to more shelters in the metroplex.
"Sadly, domestic violence isn't going away, and shelters across the area have already reached out asking for our support," said Jones.
Hagar's Heart's mission remains strong: to remind survivors that they are seen, worthy, and loved.
