The spirit of generosity that fills the air during the holidays is a beautiful thing. At PREVAIL, we are profoundly grateful for the outpouring of compassion each December, when your kindness results in shelves overflowing with new toys, warm coats, and holiday cheer for families in our care. These gifts make a tangible difference, bringing much-needed light into a dark time.

But we must speak frankly about a persistent misconception: the belief that the peak of a survivor’s need aligns neatly with the holiday season.

To truly stand beside survivors—to embody our mission of safety, compassion, and respect—we must look beyond the holidays and see the crucial financial demands that persist every single day of the year. Our goal is to empower survivors, and that requires a culture of understanding that lasts from January through December.

The True Cost of a New Beginning

Safety is a journey, and every survivor’s path is unique. We recently worked with “Elizabeth”, a survivor of sex trafficking. When she finally found refuge, her most urgent, life-changing need wasn't a holiday gift. Her entire future—her safety and reunification with family—depended on airplane tickets home. This was a costly, one-time emergency expense that no seasonal drive could cover.

Elizabeth’s story reminds us that what safety means is individualized. For one person, it’s reunification; for another, it’s secure housing, specialized employment training, or crucial counseling. Because the journey is complex, our support must be flexible.

For survivors rebuilding their lives after escaping domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking, your support often covers essentials like:

  • Security deposits to finally secure a safe apartment.
  • Legal advocacy fees to secure custody or protection orders.
  • Transportation aid to get to work, court, or vital therapy appointments.
  • Study and work related expenses

Keeping the Doors Open, Year-Round

While the generous wave of donations in December is a blessing, it inevitably creates a resource gap from January through November. Since 1976, PREVAIL has been San Joaquin County's primary provider of free, confidential services and shelters, and our doors never close. Our crisis shelters—which serve homeless and runaway youth and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking—operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The needs that keep a shelter running aren't glamorous, but they are absolutely non-negotiable: keeping the lights, heat, and water on; replacing a broken washing machine; and ensuring that trauma-informed advocates and counselors are always on-site. The reality is that holiday toy and coat donations overflow in December, but the need for operational funds and flexible emergency aid creates a critical gap throughout the rest of the year.

The Power of an Unrestricted Gift

In the past 12 months (2024–2025), PREVAIL provided over 15,000 nights of safe shelter and connected over 2,500 clients with legal and survivor advocacy. This critical impact is sustained by the flexibility of your support.

The challenge we face is that outside funding is often hyper-specific. While crucial, restricted grants cannot always cover the immediate, unexpected crisis that survivors face when they walk in the door. Unrestricted funds are the foundation of our nimble, survivor-centered support. They allow us to move beyond rigid categories and truly empower the survivor’s immediate needs, fostering their healing journey from the moment they arrive.

This is why your year-end unrestricted donation is so powerful.

Your gift, made before the December 31st deadline, acts as a flexible lifeline. It allows us to:

  • Respond Nimble-ly to unexpected needs, like Elizabeth's necessary airfare, throughout all of 2026.
  • Weather the Storm of unknown funding availability via grants, securing the basic resources that keep our services available and confidential.
  • Invest in Ongoing Operations—ensuring the stability and warmth that defines a safe haven.

A Gift With Impact — and Tax Benefits

The true power of your giving lies not in the holiday rush, but in the sustained commitment to a survivor's journey, long after the decorations are put away. Because PREVAIL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your year-end gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.

By making an unrestricted, tax-deductible gift before December 31st, you're doing more than just donating; you're providing the fundamental stability and hope that underpins everything we do in 2026.

A year-end donation may also offer:

  • Potential tax savings if you itemize.
  • Opportunities to reduce taxable income through charitable giving.
  • Benefits for individuals, families, and businesses seeking to make meaningful, values-aligned contributions before the close of the tax year.

Please consult your tax professional for guidance on how your support can best fit into your overall giving and financial strategy.

You are securing the safety, light, and warmth of our shelters, ensuring that when Elizabeth or any other survivor walks through our doors next April or July with an unexpected, critical need, PREVAIL is ready to say, "Yes."

Join us in transforming safety from a holiday wish into a reliable, year-round reality.