CLEVELAND — Each year, a certain group hosts a retreat in the city where the Super Bowl takes place to aid domestic violence survivors.

What You Need To Know

  • According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, more than 10 million women and men are victims of domestic violence each year

  • NFL moms group are all domestic violence survivors 

  • The YWCA Greater Cincinnati was invited to help pamper survivors at the retreat and empower them to take the next step 

Four NFL moms started an organization called S.M.O.O.T.H. to empower women affected by domestic violence. 

Every year they host a service project in the city that hosts the Super Bowl and this year they invited the YWCA Greater Cincinnati. 

President and CEO, Rickell Howard Smith, said they are honored to be invited. 

“To talk to survivors about taking your next step, or really the first step of the rest of their lives,” Howard Smith said.

All four of the NFL moms are survivors of domestic violence themselves. 

The retreat will allow the women to spend the day being taken care of, which Howard Smith said doesn’t happen often. 

“To talk to survivors here in Las Vegas and offer a full day of pampering, mindfulness and activities that allow them to really get taken care of for once in a while,” Howard smith said.

They will be handing out self-care items to ensure the survivors are keeping themselves healthy while recovering from traumatic experiences. 

“Throughout the day they will also engage in making perfume and engage in an artistic activity in order to sort of take some time of respite away from the high anxiety that comes along with being a survivor of domestic violence,” Howard Smith said.

Howard Smith said in Cincinnati, they offer domestic violence survivor services, and they operate the only domestic violence shelter in Hamilton County. 

“I would encourage anyone who is watching this now that it is a worthy cause, no matter what city you live in. Donate items to domestic violence shelters. The families really need it,” Howard Smith said.