In This Issue:
40-hour training now open to the public
Benefit Show on Saturday, March 27th
Volunteer Feature: Charlotte Corelle
Oregon legislature bans the insurance company practice of defining domestic violence as a pre-existing condition
Survivor Letter to Our Supporters
Thank You!
40-hour training now open to the public
One month away—reserve a space now!
Next Training: April 12th through the 16th, 2010-six spots still available. Next 40 Hour Training: September, 2010
Cost: $500*
Time: 9 am to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, April 12th-16th
Place: Multiple locations in Washington County
This five-day, forty hour training covers the State of Oregon mandated information needed for staff and volunteers to serve survivors of domestic violence in-person and unsupervised.
ALL 40+ hours of the training are mandatory according to State requirements. For any community members taking the training any missed sessions will disqualify you from certification of completion of the 40-hour training. Please see the Registration Form for more details. Scholarships are available.
*Scholarships are available. Of course, partner agency participants and interns will, as in past years, benefit from continued free access to Domestic Violence Resource Center 40-hour trainings. We rely on strong collaboration between partner agencies in our community, and look forward to continuing this tradition that is so critical to the success of our clients. The decision to charge for the training is in response to outside demand for the training, agency analysis of the unsustainable amount of time and resources spent coordinating and giving trainings, the market value provided by the trainings, other similar agencies best practices, as well as our commitment to responsible stewardship of resources entrusted to us by the community. We are happy to discuss this process with any interested partner agencies.
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Benefit Show on Saturday, March 27th
Local bands and singer-songwriter’s put on a concert to benefit Domestic Violence Resource Center
Saturday, March 27th, 7:00pm
The Parlour on 2628 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR.
Featuring Dasha & the Bear, A. King, Julia Lucille, Oakland Birds, and The Terrible Dogfish.
Singer-songstresses extraordinaire! Jazzy-folk crooning and multi-instrumented orchestration of indie sing-songs!
100% of cover ($5-$10) benefits our program—a donation from all of these wonderful local musicians. Come out and rock out with us!
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Volunteer Feature: Charlotte Corelle
This month, we’re paying tribute to Domestic Violence Resource Center volunteer Charlotte Corelle (pictured at right with her son). Since January Charlotte has been helping us create relationships in our local business community. She’s joined our first ever Autumn Affair event committee and every week has been making cold calls, putting applications together, and all of the leg work that comes with landing sponsorships. Charlotte started as a donor with our organization, but wanted to get more involved.
How did you first hear about us?
I was planning on making a donation during Christmas to a local non-profit, and was researching non-profits on the Donors Resource website. I was specifically looking to make a donation to an agency that deals with domestic violence, because I was very upset about the recent, horrible spate of violence.
What interested you in volunteering for us?
I had made a donation to your organization and was shocked to learn that Domestic Violence Resource Center is the only resource of its kind providing shelter in Washington County. I couldn’t personally contribute additional funds to DVRC at that time; however, I wanted to learn how I might otherwise help expand such services in Washington County.
What keeps you coming back to volunteer?
It’s a sense of making a contribution to the cause and making a difference. Also, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you all in the office and working with people who are motivated to make a difference. I’ve also enjoyed learning about non-profits and how they function.
I know we’re not the only people you volunteer for. What else do you do in your free time?
I’m on the Board of my home owner’s association. I also volunteer with No One Dies Alone, where you sit vigil with people who are transitioning to the next stage; people who are dying. I’m also on the Tigard Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. Volunteering has always been important to me. Years ago I volunteered for Portland Women’s Crisis Line in the 1980’s, so this cause has always been close to my heart. In addition to volunteering I’m also looking for a new position. I spent many years in the healthcare data analysis field, and am looking for related positions, but also possibly work in the non-profit field.
Thank you so much for all of your hard work and dedication, Charlotte! It’s people like you that make our free services possible.
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Oregon legislature bans defining domestic violence as a pre-existing condition
Oregon House & Senate take a stand for survivors of domestic & sexual violence
As the health care reform debate rages on the national stage, the practice of some insurance companies defining domestic violence as a pre-existing condition has come to light
The practice is not happening in Oregon currently, said VanOrman, but she wants to make sure it will never happen here.
She sponsored House Bill 3631, which prevents a company from denying or reducing coverage based on “physical or mental injuries sustained as a result of domestic violence or sexual violence or treatment received for such injuries” as a pre-existing condition in the State of Oregon.
This bill is a pro-active step by our local government so that domestic and sexual violence victims can’t be discriminated against. We are proud to be Oregonians!
An informal survey by the House Judiciary Committee in 1994 found that half of the 16 largest insurers in the country considered domestic violence in deciding whether to approve health coverage. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department reported a year or so later that nearly one out of four insurance companies factored in domestic violence when deciding whether to issue or renew policies.
Currently, eight states and the District of Columbia don’t have laws that specifically bar insurance companies from using domestic violence as a pre-existing condition to deny health coverage, according to a study from the National Women’s Law Center.
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Survivor Letter to Our Supporters
Monika’s House Shelter Resident Story
“To Whom It May Concern,
I arrived at Monika’s House Shelter on November 30, 2009. I was referred to Monika’s House by a non-profit for immigrants. I came to Monika’s House in search of guidance, to assist in rebuilding my life. From the time I was a child living outside the country, I have endured severe physical and verbal abuse from my family. As an adult I encountered the same abuse with my significant other. I have suffered traumatic experiences, physically, emotionally and sexually. Including severe bodily injury; verbal attacks, cultural and social isolation, and rape.
I feel very thankful that I had the opportunity to be at Monika’s House. I never knew places like this existed, especially for men. I was treated with dignity and respect at all times from staff and other people at shelter. I was given the opportunity to think clearly and feel like a human being. Most importantly, through the domestic violence groups I was able to learn about domestic violence and its affects. This left me feeling free of self blame, and gave me a better understanding of what I was dealing with. I have made improvements through counseling and my life is better due to the time and help DVRC and Monika’s House gave to me. I now have full-time employment and was able to secure stable housing.
Thank you.”
Thank You!
Wonderful Community Response
Thank you all so much for reaching out to us and for forwarding our needs (2/10/2010 in-kind donation ask email) to your friends, family and community. Thank you for looking at our in kind donation needs list and seeing what you have that we need. We have received enough yarn to start our crocheting group, and have received mattresses to put on our empty beds! We also have a few leads for new computers that we’re working on. Over a dozen of you reached out to us and responded to our call.
Thank you all so much for your support in helping us with these last-second needs!
