Introducing Tracy Vatne, Beacon of Hope’s Pet Victim Advocate and Foster Pet Program Coordinator! Tracy has been with Beacon of Hope for almost two years heading our foster pet program. Tracy’s favorite part of her job is getting to see a pet reunite with their owner. A fun fact about Tracy is that from 2013 to 2016 she fostered 63 dogs and over 80 cats!
 
A local Indianapolis native, Tracy has spent most of her life advocating on the behalf of animals. Tracy works with people in the community who would be willing to foster animals while their owners are leaving an abusive relationship. In abusive relationships, animals often suffer at the hand of an abuser. Pets are also used to control and manipulate victims of domestic violence.
 
Additionally, Tracy gives presentations around the community to raise awareness about how to prevent animal abuse and how animal abuse is directly linked to family violence. Advocating for animal rights is Tracy’s passion. Working for an organization where she can make a tangible difference in the lives of animals and victims is her dream job!
 
Thanks for your passion, Tracy! We’re so glad to have you on our team!

Our #DVCounts Census Day is here! We are excited to capture the needs of survivors in our community to show the importance of funding and legislation to address domestic violence. Last year Indiana served 1,769 victims. This year we are counting again for @NNEDV’s annual #DVCounts Census. Follow our Beacon of Hope Crisis Center social media channels to see more about #WhyWeCount

Victims of domestic violence and sexual assault are regularly in situations where they cannot go home or gain access to basic items. To lift this burden, we are constantly preparing crisis bundles to serve those immediate needs.

Creating a crisis bundle can be geared to the specific needs of a victim seeking services or preemptively prepared for victims with a general stock of commonly used items. It is important to think about a victim’s perspective and unique needs when preparing a crisis bundle.

Crisis bundles should be prepared with a demographic and geographic location in mind. When making crisis bundles it is helpful to include items that are relevant to the weather or season. For example, when preparing bundles during a season of rain or faced with cold weather adding items such as hats and gloves may be beneficial. When preparing crisis bundles for hot and sunny weather add sunscreen or sunglasses. Everyday items that are taken for granted could easily benefit victims in need. Other considerations when making crisis bundles might include the variance in victims age, ethnicity, gender, if they have children, etc.

Crisis Bundles Include:

• Shampoo & Conditioner
• Body Wash
• Toothbrush & Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Lotion
• Chap-stick*
• Razor & Shaving Cream
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Up-lifting or Encouraging Items*
• New one size fit all comfort item*
  • Fuzzy socks
  • Slippers
• Small notebook and pen*
• Quick reference card with phone numbers for local shelters & food pantries *

*optional items to include

Items for the crisis bundle are placed in reusable bags that can also contribute to meeting a victim’s needs. Encouraging items could include cards, notebooks, magnets, etc. with sayings such as “You Are Strong” “Think Positive” “Smile” or “Believe in Yourself.” There is no one size fits all way to make a crisis bundle, you may add or take out items to more effectively meet a victim’s needs. On average, a crisis bundle can be made with a small donation of $25.

We need your help! You can provide a crisis bundle for a victim each month by signing up for our easy give monthly membership. Easy give memberships provide ongoing funding for essential programs offered by Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. Your monthly donations will go directly towards assisting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Sign up for an easy give monthly membership today!

Introducing Tiffany Wilson, Beacon of Hope’s Director of Victim Advocacy! Tiffany has been with Beacon of Hope for a year and a half and truly loves this organization. Her favorite part about working here is the atmosphere and the people; she loves working in such a supportive environment with coworkers who all have the same passion for helping and empowering women.
 
Tiffany has worked in victim advocacy for the past nine years and has a degree in Criminal Justice from Indiana University. As Director of Victim Advocacy, Tiffany leads the team of advocates and works directly with our CEO/Executive Director on grant writing. She is also responsible for overseeing our informational database of client information for follow ups and data collection.
 
Her favorite service that Beacon of Hope offers is of course our criminal justice team! She loves being able to inform victims of their rights while working with them each step of the way. In such a scary and unsure time, having someone who can provide support and clarity is monumental and Tiffany loves that she can help in that way.
 
This past Spring Tiffany was honored with winning the “Baker One Outstanding Victim Advocate” award! This award is given to an outstanding advocate that demonstrates a consistent excellent effort in the field of domestic violence and sexual assault. Tiffany is a hard worker and a valued member of our team.
 
Thanks for all your hard work, Tiffany! You make us proud!

Building community partnerships is an important part of what we do at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. Attending cultural awareness meetings helps grow our partnerships in the community.

Are you culturally aware?  What does that mean? 
It means the ability of becoming aware of not only ours but other cultural values, beliefs and perceptions.  It involves being sensitive to the similarities and differences that exist between ourselves and people from other countries or other backgrounds, especially differences in values and attitudes.

Staying informed on the diverse cultures within our community is an important part of maintaining the inclusive environment at Beacon of Hope. Partnering with the Burmese Community has helped us gain a brighter perspective on ways we can better assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

The South Side Burmese Cultural Awareness Meeting the last week of August was the perfect opportunity to get information and ask questions. One of the greatest needs that was addressed is in regard to a lack of volunteers that can teach English. Recognizing the potential language barrier helped us gain a greater understanding of what we can do to provide services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault within the Burmese Community.

Facts To Note:

• The Burmese community contributes greatly to small business growth in our area
• The employment rate within the Burmese Community is at 91%
  

K-LOVE Single Moms Event
Saturday, Sep 23 2017, 12:00 PM

McClelland Elementary School
6740 W Morris St
Indianapolis, Indiana 46241

An afternoon all about you Single MOMS!  K-LOVE Sponsored!
Free Event but tickets are limited; Register because this event will fill up!

Beacon of Hope will be there again this year!  See you at the event!

Meet Merideth Bush, Beacon of Hope’s Crisis Call Team Leader! Merideth joins us fresh out of graduate school where she earned her Master’s degree in International Policy and her MBA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey Bay in California. For her undergraduate education, Merideth studied Spanish at Ashbury University in Kentucky.

As Crisis Call Team Leader Merideth is the first point of contact when a victim of domestic violence and or sexual assault calls. Merideth likes being able to support victims and validate their feelings while connecting them with all of the resources Beacon of Hope has to offer!
 
Her favorite aspect of Beacon of Hope is how inclusive we are of all communities. Domestic violence and sexual assault do discriminate based on ethnicity, religion, language, education, or orientation and getting the chance to serve everyone is one of the things Merideth is most passionate about.
 
A fun fact about Merideth is that she once roasted marshmallows over a volcano in Guatemala! She is also responsible for introducing our staff to Wednesday mid-morning yoga breaks, an office favorite!
 
Thanks for your contagious enthusiasm and passion, Merideth!

We are so excited to introduce our newest fundraiser, Give Abuse the Boot!

This gala will take place on Thursday, October 5th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Barn at Bay Horse Inn in Greenwood, Indiana.

We'll have live music, dinner, a silent auction of baskets from local businesses and organizations, a wine pull, and an incredible live auction!

It’s our pleasure to announce that RTV6 correspondent Lauren Casey will be our emcee and hostess for the evening! Get ready to have a fun time and make a difference in doing so! But what would a party be without some good music? Our band for the evening is Greenwood’s very own “Chicken Bone” from the “Tastes Like Chicken Band”. Their unique acoustic pop and rock style of music is sure to get everyone dancing.

To read about our sponsors and see what kind of items will be up for grabs at the silent and live auctions, follow our Facebook event page to stay up to date.
You won’t want to miss out on our first ever “Give Abuse the Boot” fundraising gala! With your help, we can work toward a world where everyone can live free from the grip of domestic violence and sexual assault. Seating and sponsorship tables are limited so get your tickets today at http://beaconofhopeindy.org/give-abuse-the-boot-gala.html

Beacon of Hope employees, interns, and volunteers work together to provide victims of domestic violence and sexual assault with a variety of free resources. We offer individual advocacy, foster pet care, court accompaniment, a crisis call line, and more! We are committed to empowering victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to become self-sufficient by providing safety, education and support. To learn more about what we provide visit our website.

(INDIANAPOLIS, IN—August 28, 2017)—The 2017 Give Abuse The Boot  Gala (GATB) will take place on October 5, 2017 and is the south-side Indianapolis 501(c)(3) organization’s feature event for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  The fundraising event benefits victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.  This is a not-to-be-missed event at the Greenwood, Indiana Barn at Bay Horse Inn, just named #1 Wedding Venue in Central Indiana by Indy A list. The event emcee will be Lauren Casey of RTV6 and will have live music entertainment by Tastes Like Chicken Band's "Chicken Bone", dinner, a silent auction of baskets from businesses and organizations, a wine pull, and an incredible live auction with a live auction raffle in which a $100 ticket could win a choice of live auction items worth $1000s.
 
Proceeds from GATB contribute to Beacon of Hope Crisis Center’s (BOHCC) general operating fund, which advances a range of crisis intervention, advocacy services and educational programs, supports stewardship of BOHCC’s unparalleled service delivery to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and provides for the care and sustainability of BOHCC’s operational facility.  BOHCC serves victims in Central Indiana and has advocacy partnerships with local police departments serving victims of crime.
 
Tickets are on sale for $60 a seat and table sponsorships as well as larger sponsorship packages ranging from $500-$8000 are available for purchase at:  http://beaconofhopeindy.org/give-abuse-the-boot-gala.html
 
If you would like more information, contact Sandra Ziebold, CEO/Executive Director at 317.731.6131 or email at info@beaconofhopeindy.org.
 
About Beacon of Hope Crisis Center 501(c)3
Beacon of Hope Crisis Center a Christ-centered organization empowering victims of domestic violence and sexual assault to become self-sufficient by providing safety, support and education. Since 2009 Beacon of Hope, through its Crisis Intervention, Victim Advocacy, Counseling, "Teen Talk" Outreach and Education, Criminal Justice, Economic Sustainability and Foster Pet Programs has offered victims of domestic violence assistance in overcoming barriers that hold them in abusive situations. Beacon of Hope is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization located in Indianapolis, Indiana.  More information about Beacon of Hope can be found at beaconofhopeindy.org.
 
BOHCC Blog:  beaconofhopeindy.org/blog
Twitter: @bohindyorg 
Facebook: @Beaconofhopeindy
Instagram: @beacon.of.hope.indy
#giveabusetheboot

For publicity links and images, visit http://beaconofhopeindy.org/news.html
# # #
August 28, 2017
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT
Sandra K. Ziebold, CEO / Executive Director
(or) Jazmine Rivera, Event Planning Intern
Beacon of Hope Crisis Center
317 731 6131
info@beaconofhopeindy.org