AVOYELLES PARISH — A women's shelter closed its doors during the pandemic but has now reopened back to those in need. The founder of this shelter is making sure no one is left behind.
Tucked somewhere in rural Louisiana in Avoyelles Parish, the Evergreen house stands 5,000 square feet, with six bedrooms and four bathrooms. It can house up to 20 people.
"I have hundreds of women come through here from 2015 to 2020," said Annette Goudeau.
The Founder, Goudeau, is no stranger to abuse.
"You can't think when someone is slaying you under their bed, you say if I ever get from under this bed, I am going to kill this man; that's the mindset we have when someone is beating us, but not me, I fought back," said Goudeau.
After that relationship, she moved on and married her husband, Albert "Sam" Goudeau, in 2002. They both decided to build this home, but Sam passed away a decade later.
She had many questions about what to do next: sell the house or move, but she had something more grand in mind.
"You are inside the Evergreen safe house. The place where we give women another chance to live after coming off the streets, or for women who are being battered and abused," said Goudeau.
She opened in 2015, but five years later, the pandemic shut down the shelter; however, three years later, Goudeau is now reopening the shelter and receiving a $23,000 grant from Home Depot to do home renovations.
She is also partnering up with Opelousas councilwoman Chasity Davis Warren, who recently opened her temporary shelter last week. In the hopes of assisting more women in St. Landry Parish, Goudeau, and Warren plan to transport women to Avoyelles when the shelter in Opelousas becomes too full.
"I am now having some footing in St. Landry Parish, I have someone on watch who could help and get the women transferred to me; I love the partnership," said Goudeau.
Her haven is full of ministry and rehabilitation for hundreds of women across south Louisiana, helping women to leave abusive relationships, get jobs, and find permanent housing.
Goudeau says saving women is her life's mission; if you need help, it just takes one simple task.
"Call me, I promise I will come and get you," said Goudeau.
Goudeau is currently working to build low-income housing so that survivors have a place to call home.
If you want to learn more about the Evergreen Safe Haven, you can call 708-751-8196
