The ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning for Chez Hope’s office in New Iberia served less as an introduction to the nonprofit organization to the city and more as a way for the city to thank the group for its services this past year. 

After all, Chez Hope has been in business here for about five months. When the Safety Net for Abused Persons closed its doors in March, the St. Mary Parish-based organization moved in to fill the vital role of protecting vulnerable survivors of domestic abuse.

Janet Faulk-Gonzales, Greater Iberia Chamber of Commerce executive director, noted the ribbon-cutting was one of the first in recent memory in which the amount of people exceeded the capacity of the location. The ceremony was held at Chez Hope’s office on Admiral Doyle Drive, where event-goers had to move outside to accommodate the large number of people who showed up in support of the organization.

“I want to thank Chez Hope for stepping in at a crucial time,” Faulk-Gonzales said at the event.

Cherrise Picard, Chez Hope’s executive director, said that opening a New Iberia branch for Chez Hope was a step “outside of our comfort zone,” but the acceptance and graciousness of the New Iberia community paved the way for an effortless transition for the organization.

“Since we’ve been in Iberia Parish, everyone has been very gracious to us, everyone has been there,” Picard said.

Iberia Parish officials like Parish President Larry Richard, New Iberia City Councilwoman Deidre Ledbetter and 16th Judicial District Attorney Bo Duhe also spoke to praise the organization and the work it has done so far in town. Speaking to that work, Picard said Chez Hope had serviced 200 clients in New Iberia since first setting up shop.

The event continued Thursday night when a candlelight vigil was held at the Steamboat Warehouse Pavilion to honor survivors and remember the victims to those lost to domestic violence.

An even larger crowd turned out for that, with Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies and firefighters lined along the back and to the side to witness the vigil.

Duhe, a special speaker for the event, talked about the importance of a domestic shelter like Chez Hope from a criminal justice standpoint.

There was a poignant moment when Tiffany Morgan Dupas, an actress and domestic abuse survivor, told her story of being abused and shot by the father of her child in 2008, and how important a group the women and volunteers of Chez Hope are to victims.

“These women at Chez Hope have been my second family, without them I wouldn’t know where I would be,” Dupas said. “They believe in me sometimes when I don’t believe in myself.”

At the end of the event, lit candles were distributed to those in attendance while a song was sung.