Inspiring Conversations with Laura Pahules of Control Alt Delete

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Pahules.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I founded my nonprofit Control Alt Delete on 9/2/2019. There were many reasons and various factors for deciding to start my own nonprofit specifically to help people escape domestic violence.

The first reason is having worked in the nonprofit human service sector for a number of years I saw how domestic violence touched every single human service area I had been a part of; from the unsheltered, to foster care, to food insecurity. I wanted to make sure people have a way to escape when they need it most.

The second reason is that I grew up in a house full of domestic violence. That was the life I knew so when I married an abuser I thought that was what life was supposed to be.

Additionally at my last paying job before starting Control Alt Delete my supervisor married an abuser. I still worry for this woman every day.

So I thought about how Control Alt Delete could have the biggest impact on the Survivors of domestic violence that needed a way out. My goal was to empower those escaping, not enable them. Empower them by providing one-time assistance to escape and start a life free from the trauma of domestic violence.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There are challenges every day with having a nonprofit, funding being the number one struggle.

When I started the agency before we were a federally designated 501(c)3 nonprofit the cost of escapes came directly from my savings account and every now and then when funding gets low that is still how escapes happen. Right now nearly all of the domestic violence organizations (heavily funded organizations) in the Phoenix Metro area come to Control Alt Delete for assistance as well as victim advocates, the prosecutor offices, and crisis response teams including police and fire departments. Control Alt Delete provides a service that is unique and doesn’t have any of the constraints those larger agencies have.

In the past, I struggled with requests that do not fall within the scope of our mission as well as fraudulent requests for services and I still get a large number of asks for help like that. To combat that I developed a simple yet effective vetting process. Even the requests I cannot help because they do not fall within our scope, I send a full list of resources that may be more in line with what their needs are.

Compassion fatigue is a real struggle at times. Mostly for those requests for assistance that I cannot help. I never want to leave someone in need but have to stick to the guidelines of the agency. Control Alt Delete helps one time and there are times when the Survivors we have helped come back and ask for additional services and that can weigh on me because I cannot help but I do send those Survivors additional resources.

We’ve been impressed with Control Alt Delete LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Control Alt Delete helps people escape domestic violence by removing the barriers that keep them in unsafe domestic violence situations. We provide one-time assistance to flee when requests come in from victim advocates, the prosecutor’s offices, and crisis response teams including police and fire departments.

We help in 4 key areas:
*Transportation – gas cards, cab, ride share rides, bus tickets – all to get Survivors to their safety network.
*Lodging – up to 2 nights in a hotel – this helps for many reasons, There are waitlists for the shelters, waiting for an order of protection to be served, or coordinating travel to safety.
*Food & Necessities – We provide a BIN Bin (basic immediate need) to Survivors escaping. This is a basket full of hygiene items and essentials allowing the survivor’s dignity by not having to ask for necessities. We also help with grocery assistance which is the number one requested service for our senior citizen escapes.
*Security – Safety Kits, prepaid cell phones, lock changes, or security camera systems – lock changes are for when a Survivor is staying in their home.

Every escape is unique with its own barriers that need to be removed so I look at everyone and identify the specific needs then remove that barrier. For one escape the abuser took the car seats so the mother couldn’t flee. Control Alt Delete provided 3 new car seats and they are safe today because of that.

Another escape was a mother who needed unscented laundry soap for a medically fragile child before she could flee. Control Alt Delete provided that laundry soap.

What sets Control Alt Delete apart from other agencies is that because we are not state or federally funded we do not have the same constraints those agencies do. For example, if a Survivor needs to get to safety in another city, county, or state we can help get them there. Our funding is not specific to any geographical area.

Another way Control Alt Delete is unique is that I do not ever ask for any demographic information. I believe that everyone should have the ability to escape and there are no demographics that matter in getting them to safety. This can impact grant funding as many funders want specific data on how many clients fall into certain demographic data points. I believe that it shouldn’t matter or be asked what ethnic group, religion, or background a person is to help.

Control Alt Delete helps in the whole state of Arizona and beyond.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Control Alt Delete is always looking for open fundraising support!

We also need help from our community to collect tennis shoes in all sizes and any condition. I think people might be shocked at how many times Survivors flee and are barefoot. We keep the new and gently loved sneakers for those Survivors in need and send the old worm-out tennis shoes to a company that recycles them and sends Control Alt Delete funds! This keeps sneakers available to Survivors, keeps the old gym shoes out of the landfill, and brings in some funding. Just tennis shoes though, no other types of shoes.

Volunteers create “Survivor” Morse Code bracelets. These get handed out at speaking engagements and to every single Survivor we assist. They are a tangible reminder that they survived.

Volunteers can help collect hygiene items and essentials for the BIN Bins given to each escape.

Our community can come to the “Strides For Survivors” monthly neighborhood walk that takes place on the last Saturday of each month at 6:00 am. This is a 3-mile walk through the Control Alt Delete neighborhood, Anyone interested in walking with Control Alt Delete can email cad@dvcontrolaltdelete.org for details.

I know that people want to help, they just need to know how. Hopefully, these ideas spark creativity and a willingness to help – especially with fundraising.

The very easiest way people can help is to like, follow, retweet, repost, and share our social media posts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dvcontrolaltdelete.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dv.ctrlaltdel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dv.ctrlaltdel/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dv-control-alt-delete/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dvctrlaltdel
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@dv.ctrlaltdel

Image Credits
Control Alt Delete