A Flagler County organization that cares for abused and homeless women and children is celebrating 15 years of service today.

The anniversary celebration was held Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Palm Coast Community Center. Samaritan Ministries founder Lorraine Vickery said she's blessed to celebrate 15 years helping families.

"There was a gap in services and we stepped in to fill that gap," said Vickery. "[Samaritan Ministries] would take women who needed to just move forward and needed a place of peace and safety, where they had no bills, where they didn't have to worry about their safety."

The organization works to help those it can with housing, food, clothes and car assistance.

Brandy Coleman says Samaritan Ministries has been her saving grace. Just weeks ago, she and her five children had been without a permanent home in nearly a year.

"It was very extreme," said Coleman, "the shelters didn't have room for us, so we had literally no place to go."

Coleman said three of her children live with disabilities, and taking care of them as a single parent has been rough. At one point she said she was arrested for child neglect, as a home she and her kids were staying in had a mold situation that the landlord had not attended to.

After that, she said they squatted in another home for a few days. The child neglect charges were eventually dropped.

Coleman said at that point she turned to Samaritan Ministries for help.

"Everything that we needed, to not only survive at the point, but to get us to a comfortable living spot," said Coleman.

So far, through the efforts of 10 volunteers and thousands of dollars in donations from local clubs in Flagler County, the nonprofit has rescued nearly 400 women like Brandy. Some were battered and abused, while others simply were homeless.

Now, Coleman and her kids are enjoying their new backyard. She said her family couldn't be more thankful for Samaritan Ministries getting them on track.

"We are happy and healthy in a beautiful house in a wonderful community," said Coleman.

The organization hopes to reopen their group home for women later this year.