About Us...

Our Purpose

Our Mission

Our Vision

The purpose of this Corporation is to provide a safe place/shelter, provide counseling, and resources for survivors of domestic violence, empowering them to rebuild their lives free from abuse. Offering confidential exigency (emergency), enduring (transitional), provisional (temporary) and blooming (flourishing) shelters where victims and their kids (living at home up to 18 years of age), can sleep safely while we help them heal and begin living independently. Addressing any physical wounds with immediate medical attention first, we help heal the emotional scares of domestic violence through spiritual and mental counseling that puts men, women and children on the path toward rehabilitation and recovery.

Refuge at The Little Water Inn, Inc. is a faith-based, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering encouragement, hope, support, education, spiritual direction and assistance to teens, women, and families who experience intimate partner domestic violence. We are dedicated to helping these victims through sheltering from harm, emotional and spiritual counseling, legal advocacy, education and self-defense training, safety planning, and peer support groups.

Our vision is to help and give hope to those that have been in an abusive relationship and desire to live a better life. We want to help heal the scares through emotional and spiritual counseling, and educational courses. We want to give everyone a chance for a safe and happy life.

Our Healing Spaces

Refuge at Little Water Inn (RLWI) is proud to offer the only emergency shelter in the Greater Richmond area, featuring 85 private rooms dedicated to those seeking safety from domestic violence. We are here to provide a sanctuary where healing begins.

Our accommodations are designed with your comfort in mind. We offer studio rooms for single women, along with one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites for women with children. Each suite includes a living area and a kitchenette equipped with a refrigerator, sink, and microwave. To make your stay easier, each floor features laundry facilities and a shared cafeteria. We also offer a trauma-informed meditation room for quiet reflection, a library, and a cheerful play area for children.

While you are with us, our compassionate staff ensures your essential needs—including food, clothing, and transportation—are met. We walk alongside you by providing professional in-house case management, counseling, and legal advocacy. Every service we provide, including your stay at the shelter, is fully confidential and offered at no cost to you.

Our emergency shelter welcomes adult female and male survivors and their children (sons and daughters up to age 18) who are enrolled in school. We also provide a dedicated facility for men with children, featuring studio suites, one-bedroom suites, and two-bedroom suites, each with the same comfortable amenities and laundry access.

We understand that pets are family, too. Our facility welcomes dogs, cats, birds, and fish (please note we cannot accommodate reptiles). To ensure everyone’s comfort, our first floor is reserved for families with pets, while our second floor remains a pet-free environment.

Our Facilities - Our Programs

Our Emergency Shelter Campus will serve as a secure sanctuary, offering protection for up to 90 days to those in immediate crisis. Throughout your residence, our dedicated professionals provide holistic case management, licensed counseling, and robust legal advocacy. We additionally facilitate life-skills and financial literacy workshops to equip you for a life of self-sufficiency and lasting peace.

For participants requiring extended support, our "Enduring Growth" program provides a structured environment for up to 12 months, centered on a comprehensive healing curriculum. To ensure a smooth transition into permanent housing, the "Provisional Growth" initiative extends residential support for individuals and families for up to 18 months. Our commitment to your success includes continuous wrap-around services, direct rental assistance, and professional guidance in housing placement.

Our programs consist of:

Counseling
Children's / Youth Counseling Program
Safe Haven's
Legal Representation & Advocacy
Mental Health Support
Life Skills & Workforce Development