Laura Beth Weaver began working at the Women’s Resource Center in Radford, Va. in 2011 and was promoted to director in 2019. The non-profit center has been providing shelter, counseling and programs to adult and child victims of sexual and domestic violence since 1977.

On March 10th, Weaver was a new director finishing up a strategic planning retreat with her staff and their executive board. They left excited about all the things they planned to accomplish in 2020. On March 11th, the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a pandemic.

Immediately, Weaver decided she couldn’t allow her community to feel like they had to choose between staying at home in an abusive relationship or reaching out for services and shelter during the health crisis.