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WEST JORDAN — Pretty Tough Ladies Resource Center is closing temporarily.
Founder Mckayla Julian runs the center, which helps women who are victims of domestic violence, women in recovery, poverty and those dealing with mental health issues.
"We have helped with police reports … getting them into DV shelters, sometimes the DV shelters are very full, domestic violence is very high in Utah … we have resources for hotel costs and transportation, we also have gift cards that help with groceries, gas," Julian said.
She and her intern, Thalia Lozano, along with volunteers welcome women and children every day and help them get the help they need.
"Within the last few weeks we've helped 12 women and their children," Julian said. "Over the last, less than a year we've helped over 1,300 women and children."
Julian is a domestic violence survivor herself. She saw a gap and the shelves inside her center fill it.
"I noticed there was a gap for resources, a gap for clothing, hygiene, essentials, everything's so expensive these days," she said.
It's the cost of living that led her and her husband to the decision to move and pack up the space with her. She runs Pretty Tough Ladies out of her home.
"The community that we are helping (is) struggling financially as well, but a lot of people don't see that our businesses are also struggling and these nonprofits, organizations are also struggling," Julian said.
Julian said her husband is the sole provider for her family. She doesn't have an income from Pretty Tough Ladies, and she relies on donations to keep it stocked and get resources to those who meet the criteria to need them.
"It just seems to get more and more expensive, every month that goes by, we're having to pay more and more on our utilities," Julian said. "The overall cost of living, in general, is getting to be really hard."
The community that we are helping (is) struggling financially as well, but a lot of people don't see that our businesses are struggling and these nonprofits, organizations are also struggling.
–Mckayla Julian, owner
Julian said she plans to operate Pretty Tough Ladies out of a storage unit until she finds another space that's more affordable, and safe for the survivors. She said she's also looking for a donated space they could use temporarily.
"I've been a little bit heartbroken about it, but I also know that everything happens for a reason," she said.
Julian said she's applying for grants, hosting community fundraisers and working to collaborate with other organizations in order to keep Pretty Tough Ladies up and running.
"I refuse to abandon them," she said.
Pretty Tough Ladies is having its last free boutique shopping session this week because Julian can't take most of the clothing with her to the storage unit.
If you are in need of any items or need to contact Julian, you can reach her through the Pretty Tough Ladies Resource Center website.
Domestic violence resources
Help for people in abusive relationships can be found by contacting:
- Utah Domestic Violence Coalition: Utah's confidential statewide, 24-hour domestic violence hotline at 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- YWCA Women in Jeopardy program: 801-537-8600
- Utah's statewide child abuse and neglect hotline: 1-855-323-DCFS (3237)
- National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
