LeeDelle Kasper Helps Build Belonging at our Female Victims of Crime Emergency Shelter

For the past two years, LeeDelle Kasper has walked through the doors of our Female Victims of Crime Emergency Shelter carrying more than activities and calendars.  She and her staff of 14 volunteers (and growing!) bring consistency, compassion, laughter, and a deep belief that healing happens in relationships.

As the ministry leader of Beacon4Victims, a ministry of Refuge Calvary Chapel, LeeDelle has dedicated more than a decade to serving survivors and victims of human trafficking.  What began as a calling 11 years ago has grown into a life of advocacy, mentorship, and unwavering support for women rebuilding their lives.

At our Female Victims of Crime Emergency Shelter, that support shows up in deeply human ways.

Some days it looks like Bible Bingo, crafts, ukulele lessons, or movie nights complete with hot dogs and popcorn.  Other days it looks like quiet conversations, prayer, laughter shared over games, or simply sitting beside someone who needs to know they are seen.

“We want to make sure the women have activities throughout the month that help them become even healthier,” LeeDelle shared.  “We believe healing happens in healthy environments, through connection, encouragement, and faith.”

What started with a single bracelet-making activity has blossomed into a thriving volunteer program with 14 dedicated volunteers serving Female Victims of Crime Emergency Shelter participants multiple times each week. Rather than assigning activities, LeeDelle encourages volunteers to bring their own gifts and passions into the home.

One volunteer leads crafts.  Another teaches ukulele.  One brings a therapy dog each month — an experience LeeDelle says transformed the atmosphere in the room almost instantly.

“Some of the women were withdrawn at first,” she recalled.  “But by the end of the hour, everyone was smiling. You could actually see the effects of the therapy.”

Beyond the activities themselves, what matters most is the trust being built.

LeeDelle hopes to expand that trust through a growing mentorship program, creating opportunities for volunteers and residents to form deeper one-on-one connections.

“If you make a connection and they start trusting you, then you can help them,” she explained.  “Not necessarily in a monetary way, but emotionally, spiritually, and in stability. You can help guide them.”

That guidance can become life-changing.

Over the years, LeeDelle has watched women arrive guarded and withdrawn, only to slowly begin laughing, participating, and opening their hearts.  She sees the same transformation happen at Female Victims of Crime Emergency Shelter.

“When someone first comes in, they may not talk much,” she said. “But after trust is built, you see them laughing and engaging.  Watching that growth fills my heart.”

The women look forward to the visits from Beacon4Victims volunteers. Participants eagerly check upcoming calendars and celebrate the activities planned for the month ahead.

“They’re so appreciative,” LeeDelle said. “When we tell them we’re coming for movie night or Bible study, they get excited. They look forward to it.”

For LeeDelle, the greatest reward is not found in programs or schedules, but in the relationships formed along the way.

Sometimes it’s hearing a room full of women laughing together during a game night.  Sometimes it’s a resident sharing part of her story for the first time.

Sometimes it’s a phone call on Mother’s Day from a survivor who simply wanted to say,  “I love you. Thank you for everything.”

“When they say things like that, your heart just grows,” she said. “That’s when you know why you’re doing this.”

As someone who has worked extensively with survivors of trafficking and addiction, LeeDelle understands how critical long-term support is after emergency shelter ends.  She deeply values Grandma’s House of Hope’s commitment to AfterCare, their alumni association, and helping women transition successfully into permanent housing.

“A lot of places don’t follow through afterwards,” she said. “I think the support Grandma’s House of Hope offers is so important.”

She also believes the environment at Female Victims of Crime Emergency Shelter sets it apart.

“The staff is amazing,” she said. “The residents are kind, and there’s such appreciation for the programs and support being offered. The women want to move forward with their lives. They want to heal.”

For LeeDelle and her volunteers, serving at Female Victims of Crime Emergency Shelter has become far more than volunteer work.  It is a shared blessing.

“A lot of these women feel forgotten,” she said.  “But getting to know them, seeing them trust you, hearing them laugh — it’s a blessing for us too. It’s not a chore. It’s an honor.”

And in those moments of connection, healing begins — not only for the women rebuilding their lives, but for everyone fortunate enough to walk beside them.