Before - Cold & Sterile	After - Now a Place of Healing!
Before - Sad & Dreary	After - Now, Imagine, Dream & Believe!
Before - A Blah Area to Work & Study	After - A Relaxing Retreat Area!
Before - Just a Boring Multi-purpose Room	After - Refreshed & Restyled for the WCA!

Boise, ID – Two years ago Irene Woodworth, owner of The Color and Redesign Academy and formally trained interior designer, took the “If These Walls Could Talk” informational tour at the Women’s and Children’s Alliance in downtown Boise. After the tour she knew that she would someday help the WCA in her own unique way and that someday came this winter.

“I had recently attended an Interior Redesign conference in San Diego where they had launched Get Redesigned Month. Interior Redesigners were encouraged to go back to their communities and raise awareness about the benefits of redesign,” said Woodworth. “I was inspired to give back to my community. With the help of my dedicated staff, we decided to award two redesign projects in the Boise Metro area.”

Woodworth solicited applications and nominations from local non-profit agencies. Applicants included pictures of their redesign need. Woodworth presented the nominations to her staff and asked them to choose who they thought would most benefit from a redesign. The staff chose WCA as one of the two who would receive the most impact from this outreach.

WCA operates the Serena House, a transitional shelter for women and their children who are victims of domestic and sexual abuse. The house safely shelters 16 women and their 34 children as they receive counseling, education, and opportunities to live new lives. They had nominated the multipurpose room at the Serena House. This room is often one of the first places a domestic violence victim might visit as her needs are assessed. It is also used for group counseling and meetings.

“The room was cold and sterile,” said Woodworth. “I knew it needed to be a place of healing and hope. A place where these women and their children could come to refocus their lives and find peace. I also knew I would need help from the community because of the size of the project.”

Recognizing the downturn in the economy, Woodworth decided to go forward and ask for help from local businesses, knowing that many were struggling just as her own.

“I couldn’t believe how things started to come together,” said Woodworth. “It was so inspiring that in this economy people and businesses stepped up and gave so generously. I had many say to me 'I wish I could give more.’”

By the end of the project, 19 businesses or individuals had donated time and resources to the Serena house redesign. From paint to a new leather sofa to food for the volunteers, the businesses Woodworth approached gave approximately $5,000.00 in donated items. Woodworth and her staff at the Interior Redesign Institute donated over $15,000 in labor, goods, and services to the project.

Recently one of the Serena House counselors asked a resident how it felt when she walked into the room. “I feel loved,” the resident simply stated.

“Enough said. Because of this project, I’m a changed woman,” said Woodworth. “My late mother-in-law always said ‘Do something like somebody cares’ and that was part of the motivation behind this project.”

Woodworth and many of those who helped in the WCA project have continued to meet and are now forming an organization to donate redesigns to charitable organizations on a consistent basis. If you are interested in being part of this group contact Woodworth here.

About WCA: Established in 1980, the Women’s and Children’s Alliance provides safe shelter, education, opportunity, and hope to victims of domestic or sexual violence. The WCA operates secure shelters and transitional homes, while also providing professional counseling, legal advocacy, outreach, and crisis services to women and children. For more information visit WCABoise.org.

Click here for Thanks and Testimonials.