Today we’d like to introduce you to Elva Chase, BCCC.
Hi Elva, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story really starts with my first marriage. I was in a domestic violence situation for 15 years, and for a long time, I lived in silence, trying to hold everything together while struggling internally. Leaving wasn’t easy, but it was necessary, and it became the beginning of a completely new chapter in my life, as well as my children, who are now grown.
Over the past 20+ years, I’ve been on a journey of healing and restoration. Along the way, I realized that getting out was only one part of the process. What many survivors really need is ongoing support, a safe place to process what they’ve been through, and someone who truly understands.
That realization is what led me to start Precious Hearts Foundation in December 2009. I didn’t start it from a place of theory; I started it from lived experience. I knew what it felt like to be broken, to question your worth, and to try to rebuild your life from the ground up.
Today, the foundation is all about helping others do just that—heal, rebuild, and rediscover who they are. It’s incredibly meaningful to be able to walk alongside other women and men to remind them that their story doesn’t end with what they’ve been through. There is hope, there is healing, and there is life beyond it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not even close—it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
Starting Precious Hearts Foundation came from a place of passion, but building a nonprofit takes more than passion. In the early days, one of the biggest challenges was resources, funding, support, and even getting people to understand the vision. There were times I questioned whether I could really sustain it, especially while balancing my own continued healing and personal responsibilities.
Another challenge was emotional. Doing this work means you’re constantly hearing stories that reflect what you’ve lived through. At times, that can be heavy. I had to learn how to set healthy boundaries, take care of myself, and not carry every story as my own while still showing up with compassion.
There were also moments of doubt, wondering if I was reaching enough people or if I was doing enough. And like many organizations, there have been seasons of growth and seasons that felt very slow.
But even with those struggles, I’ve seen too much transformation to ever give up. Every woman and man who found their voice again, every life that begins to heal—it reminds me why I started. The road hasn’t been easy, but it’s been purposeful, and that’s what has kept me going.
As you know, we’re big fans of Precious Hearts Foundation. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Precious Hearts Foundation is a domestic violence nonprofit built on one clear mission: to be a place of refuge, restoration, and real transformation for survivors. We serve both women and men who have experienced domestic abuse, and homelessness because trauma does not discriminate, and neither should support.
This is not just an organization that provides services. We walk with people through one of the most difficult transitions of their lives, moving from crisis to stability and from survival to healing.
Our services are intentionally designed to meet both immediate and long-term needs. We offer counseling, advocacy, a mobile food pantry, a caring closet for clothing and essential items, and temporary emergency housing for men and women.
One of the things that truly sets us apart is our 3–6 month supportive housing program. While many shelters require individuals to exit within 12 weeks or less, we intentionally provide extended time for stabilization. Healing is not rushed, and neither is rebuilding a life. Our goal is to give survivors the space, structure, and support they need to truly get back on their feet.
At our core, we are known for meeting people where they are, without judgment, without labels, and without conditions. Every person’s story is different, so our approach is deeply personalized and rooted in compassion. Many we serve are not only recovering from abuse, but also navigating emotional trauma, financial instability, and spiritual rebuilding.
What makes Precious Hearts Foundation distinct is that it is built on lived experience. “This is not theory, it is testimony.” That lived understanding shapes everything we do, from how we listen to how we serve. Survivors don’t just find resources here; they find real, genuine love, understanding, and hope. We bring a level of empathy and authenticity that people can truly feel when they connect with us.
We also offer faith-based support for those who desire it, helping individuals reconnect spiritually and rediscover identity after trauma has shaken their sense of self. “Healing the heart also means restoring the whole person.”
Above all, Precious Hearts Foundation is rooted in one belief: every person is precious, valuable, and worthy of safety and restoration. “We don’t see cases, we see hearts and individuals with purpose.”
What we want readers to know is simple but powerful: leaving abuse is not the end of the journey; it is the beginning of rebuilding a life. And at Precious Hearts Foundation, no one has to do that alone.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me is helping people rediscover their worth and rebuild their lives after trauma, especially survivors of domestic violence who may feel forgotten, silenced, or stripped of their identity.
This is deeply personal for me because I’ve lived it. I know what it feels like to survive abuse and homelessness with my children, then have to figure out how to live again afterward, not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. That experience changed how I see people forever. It taught me that healing is not just about leaving a situation; it’s about rebuilding a life that feels whole again.
I also believe that no one should have to walk that journey alone or feel rushed through their healing. People need time, support, safety, and dignity while they rebuild. That’s why everything I do through Precious Hearts Foundation is rooted in patience, compassion, and restoration, not just crisis response.
At the end of the day, what matters most to me is impact. If someone walks away feeling seen, valued, and hopeful again, if they begin to believe that their life is not over because of what they’ve been through, that is everything to me.
Because I truly believe this: when a heart is restored, a life can be rebuilt.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.PreciousHeartsFoundation.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preciousheartsfoundation
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/preciousheartsfoundation
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/@PHFoundationINC
