In This Issue:
A Preventable Tragedy?
Argus Feature: Domestic Violence Resource Center
Shortcake Fundraiser at a New Seasons Near You
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available!
Touching thank you to our clinical interns
Protective Order Advocacy Program Office Hours Change
A Preventable Tragedy?
The African Women’s Coalition called a community meeting Thursday, March 19th, to build awareness and action around the murder of Nabintou Kelekele Kalamba by her husband Monday night, March 16th. She had six children who are now without a mother in Beaverton, OR.
At this meeting people came to break the silence around domestic violence, to say that abuse should not be tolerated, and that we all needed to support each other to have safe and healthy lives. Community members brainstormed different ways they could take action to make sure this tragedy would not happen again.
You can donate to her family by going to any Bank of America branch and ask to donate to the Nabintou Kalamba Memorial Fund, an approved contribution account (if out of state, mention the account was created in Oregon).
As I was leaving the meeting and picking up leftover agency brochures and safety planning cards, one of the organizers gave me a hug and said “remember what they said! We need easier access to shelters.” One of the brainstormed ways to take action against this atrocity was that people needed easier access to emergency shelters when they were in crisis.
As I left the meeting I remembered last year’s DHS report on shelters. The number of unmet requests for shelter in the State of Oregon last year was 18,000. That number is not a count of unique individuals, but it still demonstrates a tremendous unmet need in our community. These heart-breaking statistics call out the question: if Nabintou had called, would she have been able to find a bed in a safe place?
Donate today so that Monika’s House Shelter can prevent tragedies such as befell Nabintou Kelekele Kalamba and Monika Voit, the namesake of our shelter (January 2nd, three months ago, was the 10th anniversary of her murder in 1999). We must bear witness for these victims, for they can no longer speak for themselves. This meeting underscored for me that it truly does take the community to witness and address the community-wide problem of domestic violence: it’s not just the survivor’s responsibility to speak out. Can you donate $50 today to help ensure that survivors and their children in Washington county are safe? Click here to make a secure donation now.
This sort of tragedy cannot be tolerated in our community. This was the first murder of the year in Washington County and it was a domestic violence homicide. This was not a violent act against a stranger, this was not gang-related or drug-related. These were neighbors—classmates, friends, family—living in our community. Going about daily life in the same way each of us as law-abiding citizens seem to go. Except that this unhealthy relationship lead to the ultimate extreme of murder, which happens in this country every day (On average, more than three women and one man are murdered by their intimate partners in this country every day- Bureau of Justice Statistics). This is the reason we must have open, frank, and continued conversations about what healthy relationships should be and why unhealthy relationships are a threat to all of us. We should all care, we should all want to take action: this is real life stuff, and we can do something about it. We must build awareness about healthy vs. unhealthy relationships and offer support to those families who are suffering.
There are many ways to get involved. Invite us to your community group to give a presentation about domestic violence. Have a chili cook-off at your office and donate the proceeds to our program. Sponsor a room, make a commitment to give starter plants for a vegetable garden at shelter, help us haul away yard waste or mow the lawn. Reduce your personal cable commitment and sponsor a subscription to cable for Monika’s House shelter, to Netflix, to a new electronic gaming system for our younger guests.
Please feel free to call me (Sarah at 503-640-5352, ext. 308) for ideas on what you or your workplace or community group can do, or what to do if someone you know is in an abusive relationship. It takes a community to keep each other safe.
Argus Feature: Domestic Violence Resource Center
Friday, March 27th, Hillsboro Argus: “In a widely publicized survey of 200 Boston teenagers, 46 percent answered that Rihanna was responsible for her own beating, and 44 percent thought that violent acts are typical of all relationships. That attitudes like these are so widespread shows the need for organizations like the Domestic Violence Resource Center.” Read the full article to learn more about domestic violence and a survivor who broke the cycle through her courage and the Domestic Violence Resource Center>> Thank you to the Argus for helping to build greater awareness about the cycle of domestic violence.
Saturday and Sunday, May 9th & 10th, come out and eat delicious shortcake to benefit survivors!
Saturday & Sunday, May 9th & 10th at all New Seasons Market locations from noon to 4 PM! Domestic Violence Resource Center representatives will be at the Orenco and Cedar Hills locations, but you can support our cause through enjoying delicious shortcake at any greater Portland area New Seasons. Download the flyer here.
All proceeds from this Soroptimist International & New Seasons fundraiser will be donated equally among local domestic violence survivor service providers: Bradley-Angle House, Clackamas Women & Children’s Services, Domestic Violence Resource Center, Raphael House of Portland, the Salvation Army West Women’s and Children’s Shelter, and YWCA - Yolanda House.
Autumn Affair 2009 Sponsorships Now Available
Save the date for Autumn Affair 2009: October 2nd
Thank you to the Mauss Company, Certified Public Accountant (Champion Sponsor), & Henningsen Cold Storage (Advocate Sponsor) for stepping up as supporters of survivors of domestic violence in our community!
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Celebrate your business as a champion of safe and healthy relationships during October, Domestic Violence Awareness month, by sponsoring the Domestic Violence Resource Center’s annual event: Autumn Affair on October 2, 2009.
Autumn Affair 2009 will provide first-rate community outreach through our event promotional materials, website, and press releases, as well as promoting your business at the event itself to approximately 150 involved community leaders in attendance. Autumn Affair is the largest fundraising event of the year for the Domestic Violence Resource Center and is vital to supporting the only non-profit serving specifically survivors in Washington County.
Visit our website for more information and for a menu of sponsorship opportunities. Or, please call Sarah Keefe at 503-680-5352, ext. 308, or email sarahk (at) dvrc-or (dot) org. We’d be delighted to discuss how we can partner with your business to support survivors!
Touching thank you to our clinical interns
The Domestic Violence Resource Center is unique among non-profits in that many of our services are provided in a cost effective and professional manner due to our Masters Level counseling/ clinical internship program. The agency hosts an average of 12 interns each year in their last year of study as they work towards their licensure in the State of Oregon.
These passionate individuals are the best and brightest going into the field of social work, clinical psychology and art therapy. We could not reach half as many survivors as we do without their help and expertise!
We were touched this week to receive the following thank you and generous donation of $500 in honor of our interns:
“We would like to say thank you for the counseling help the Domestic Violence Resource Center has given us during a rough time in our lives. [Intern] and [intern] were wonderful and helped us see things in a different light and to create tools to deal with problems.
We would like to share our appreciation of your program with a donation to be used to benefit the interns.
The community counseling program has been a great help to us and we greatly appreciate it.”—Survivor
Thank you for your sweet note! It really meant a lot to everyone here at the Domestic Violence Resource Center and our phenomenal intern team.
Protective Order Advocacy Program Office Hours Change
New Schedule
The Protective Order Advocacy Program is housed within the Washington County Center for Victims’ Services, located on the first floor of the Washington County Courthouse in downtown Hillsboro, Oregon.
This program’s office hours are now Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Closed for lunch from 12:00-12:30. To reach the Protective Order Advocacy Program please call 503.846.3020 or 503.846.3830, or the fax number is 503.846.3040.
