Beacon of Hope Crisis Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer McCloud as the new Chair of our Board of Directors. An experienced nonprofit leader in the Indianapolis community, Jennifer currently serves as Vice President of Development and Marketing for Steward Speakers, Inc., and is also a member of the leadership team at The Indianapolis Foundation. Jennifer formerly served as the Director of Chancellor's Office Operations at Ivy Tech Community College. She knows that it takes vision, creativity, and strategy to transform and support mission-focused organizations toward sound sustainable outcomes. She intuitively creates organizational cultures where operational effectiveness is enhanced by developing staff and preparing them to better understand the interconnectedness of operational areas, enhancing collaborative efforts, while achieving strategic goals, developing others, and creating advantage. Attuned to creating legacies, she welcomes and looks for opportunities to build future leaders and develop initiatives that further support long-term sustainability.
Jennifer was initially appointed to BOHCC's Board in 2021, serving most recently as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors. Jennifer is drawn to the innovative work being done at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center that focuses on reducing crime. She understands that when we can intervene early and get victims safe before domestic violence escalates, we are helping to reduce violence and the chance of felony assaults and domestic homicides. Beacon of Hope Crisis Center appreciates Jennifer’s continued leadership on the Board in her expanded role and the contributions she will make toward the continued growth and success of our work serving victims of crime. By: Savannah Tipton  Everyone at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center is committed to impacting positive change. Together we work to make a difference in the community and help survivors break free from the grip of domestic violence and sexual assault. We could not do this without our fantastic team of Victim Advocates. We are so grateful for their ongoing support and dedication to serve victims.
Beacon of Hope Crisis Center has been serving victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in our community since 2009. Our agency is looking for more dedicated employees to continue this legacy and provide these services to the survivors we work with. If you or anyone you know has a background in victim advocacy, criminal justice, grant writing, program management, or computer science we encourage you to apply! You will find you are supporting survivors and feeling fulfilled with a career at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. Please share! Why I Love Working at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center
Benefits of Working with Beacon of Hope Crisis Center
By: Kaylee Kriese  If you’ve been on social media lately, we are hopeful that you have seen plenty of posts about Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Perhaps you’ve been acquainted with domestic violence before. Many people have. In general, if you or a loved one haven’t experienced abuse in a relationship, you know someone who has.
There’s a reason you see #WeStandTogether on our social media so often. For us, it’s more than a hashtag. It continues to exceed beyond a trend or another social media bandwagon to hop onto. For survivors, abuse is incredibly isolating. It leaves them feeling separated from their loved ones and spiraling in guilt, fear, and self-hatred. One of the most common tactics of abusers is to perpetuate the “us vs. them” fallacy, and for a while, it may feel to the victims that their abusers are the only person they have for companionship. Even so, we know that in toxic relationships, this feeling never lasts. Victims of abuse are somehow always the ones left feeling powerless, wanting, and alone. When our advocates champion #WeStandTogether, it is because we never want survivors to feel alone. Our goal is that from this point on, you will forever know that you have a team offering support without judgement. With the dedication of the entire month to domestic violence awareness, we hope that this is especially apparent, not just from our advocates but from other nonprofits, groups, or individuals out there who stand with survivors. Today, on Purple Thursday, we wear purple, a color of peace, courage, survival, and honor, as one unified front.[1] We post because we know that only when we stand together can we all work to help survivors break free from the grip of domestic violence. With the help of our community, we will continue to save lives. Thank you to everyone who stands as an ally to survivors. [1]https://mmcenter.org/stay-informed/domestic-violence-awareness-month#:~:text=The%20color%20purple%20is%20a,end%20the%20cycle%20of%20violence.  Giving back to your community is always an amazing idea, but getting started can sometimes be tricky. We suggest supporting survivors. Beacon of Hope Crisis Center is a local nonprofit organization that serves ALL individuals facing domestic violence or sexual assault. Donations will directly benefit victims in central Indiana by providing services and resources such as safety, education, financial assistance, and counseling at no cost to our clients. Below are two ways you can become a donor and ally to survivors. We hope you consider joining us in the fight to end domestic violence and sexual assault.
AmazonSmile: AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When shopping with AmazonSmile you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping experience as Amazon. The added bonus is that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to an organization of your choice. To support survivors receiving services at our agency, please choose Beacon of Hope Center for Women, Inc. / Beacon of Hope Crisis Center as your organization to support.
Kroger Community Rewards Kroger is committed to helping our communities grow and prosper. Kroger Community Rewards makes fund-raising easy! All you have to do is shop at Kroger and swipe your Plus Card! If you are looking for unique ways to donate to local organizations, enroll for your rewards to benefit and support Beacon of Hope Center for Women, Inc. / Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. Click here to enroll: www.kroger.com/account/enrollCommunityRewardsNow By: Katie Schneider  Domestic violence and sexual assault can cause lifelong negative impacts on a victim’s mental and physical health. Victims that are in marginalized communities face more barriers to accessing services than those who do not. A marginalized community is a group of people who for whatever reason are denied involvement in mainstream economic, political, cultural and social activities. [1] They tend to be underserved when it comes to receiving services for domestic violence and sexual assault. People who are living with trauma from domestic violence and sexual assault within these communities may be scared to turn to those that can help them (community resources or law enforcement).
Beacon of Hope Crisis Center breaks down barriers by offering services to everyone that walks through our door or calls our crisis line. We work alongside community partners to provide language services, refer clients to free legal assistance, safe housing, and much more. Training our advocates to be culturally aware and helping to make survivors feel as comfortable as possible in times of healing. Beacon of Hope Crisis Center also provides services at no cost to any of our clients. Free and completely confidential. This way there is no economic barrier to receiving services either. Our Economic Sustainability Program aims to empower survivors to become self-sufficient and financially independent after experiencing abuse. Domestic violence and sexual assault alike do not discriminate against race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, citizenship status or any other demographic. It can happen to anyone. No one deserves to live in the grip of domestic violence or sexual assault. Abuse is never the victim’s fault. Beacon of Hope Crisis Center serves ALL individuals seeking assistance after domestic violence or sexual assault victimization. Call our confidential and toll free crisis line to speak with an advocate. Crisis Line: (317) 731-6140. [1] https://yali.state.gov/five-ways-to-be-an-ally-to-marginalized-groups/ -groups/ By: Alaina Sermersheim  The Health & Fitness Fair was held Tuesday, August 27th during Harrison Hill Elementary School's 2019 Back to School Night. Over 30 community organizations gathered in the cafeteria to connect with students, parents, staff, and teachers. I connected with staff and families about services at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center, volunteering and talked with families about our Foster Pet Program. Many individuals mentioned how unique the Foster Pet Program is and talk of the program spread quickly. Throughout the night, other families found us to request more information. We are always looking for loving families to join our program, to learn more click here.
Candy and coloring pages were a nice surprise for the kids stopping by our table. This kept them entertained as I spoke with their parents and teachers about healthy relationships, family violence and free services for victims. I also answered questions and provided resources to those looking to educate themselves further. This event was a great opportunity to gain visibility while connecting with families that may need our services. Thank you again to Harrison Hill Elementary School for inviting us to participate in this fantastic event! By: Shelby Bubnick & Savannah Tipton  Focusing on the positives in life can be difficult after experiencing trauma. An excellent way to lift your spirits is to write down everything you are grateful for. You can do this weekly or daily, whatever works for you and your schedule. Keeping a gratitude journal can improve your mood, make you more resilient, and can even help you live longer. It’s simple! Start your gratitude journal with five things you are grateful for. Repeat this activity at least once a week.
TIPS
By: Shelby Bubnick  Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted.* The prevalence of sexual assault is alarming, and it affects more than the primary victim. Sexual assault can also affect the friends, family, and community of the survivor. If your loved one has been sexually assaulted, it is normal to feel upset, or at a loss for words. In some cases, you may be the first person the survivor has told. This may put pressure on you as you search for the right things to say and do. Consider the following when responding to a loved one that is disclosing they have been sexually assaulted.
Advocates at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center are trained to assist victims of sexual assault by providing support and education. Learn more here. If you would like to speak with an advocate, please call our crisis line (317)731-6140. By Katie Foley  Life is full of unexpected changes and we often recognize those changes when it happens to those closest to us. What happens if you start noticing negative changes in a loved ones life? What are the signs of these changes?
Maybe you’ve noticed bruises on a friend or maybe they are constantly negative and showing you a significant change in their confidence. Maybe you’ve even noticed a change in their attitude or personality. Their scarf collection is growing. They don’t laugh anymore. They are always checking their phone and letting their significant other know where they are. While you thought they were always happy, you’re now beginning to question if something is wrong. Reality: domestic violence and abuse can happen to anyone. Sometimes, though, problems are pushed under the table or even denied. Noticing the signs of an abusive relationship can be the first step to ending it. If you immediately think of someone in your life that relates to the points below then we encourage you to take the first step and reach out. There is available help and no one should ever live in fear. Change in habits When someone becomes obsessive about updating their partner on their location or daily activities this may be a sign that something is wrong. Other changes in daily routine and habits may bring light to something more going on behind closed doors. For example, your sister used to always put on makeup, get manicures, and workout. Now, all she does is sulk around and seems to have lost self-confidence. It is possible those changes are the result of domestic violence. Constantly on edge Do they fear their partner all of the time? Do they try everything in their power to never make their partner angry? Are they always complaining of never doing anything right? If answering “yes,” then it is time to step in and help them realize that they aren’t helpless, but that they are worthy of help. Physical wounds Bruises. Scratches. Black Eyes. Jammed Fingers. Lacerations. Above are “obvious” giveaways of physical abuse. Realize that abusers are smart, so these wounds could possibly be in hidden places. Take notice and start asking questions. They’re not communicating While this may seem superficial, it’s important to start noticing how they are communicating is it via text, phone calls, and social media. If they no longer are on social media or even less active – you may have your first sign. If you also notice that your loved one has a “phone manager” and isn’t texting you as often or maybe isn’t even allowed to talk to certain people, then it might be time to talk. Faking emotions “You’ll never find someone else that will love you.” The lie above is a sign that your loved one is being manipulated to stay in a bad situation. If you are noticing that they are forcing smiles and laughs – then it could be time to take action. The more they are faking and lying, the more they will be manipulated to a point of serious abuse. If you or a loved one are a victim of feeling these emotions – it’s time to take back your life. At Beacon of Hope Crisis Center, we are committed to breaking the cycle while empowering victims and survivors to take back their life. From providing emotional support to safety planning, let us be your advocate. For more information, contact our hotline at: (317) 731-6140. |
About this blog
This blog is about our domestic and sexual violence crisis center, Beacon of Hope. We hope you find it full of helpful information, motivation, creativity, serious facts and positivity. We hope that it will help you know what is happening in our center, in our community and with our events. We hope you follow our blog in support of our organization and our mission. Archives
October 2024
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
|
|
CAREER opportunities © 2024 Beacon of Hope Crisis Center Privacy Policy Accessibility Statement Training Portal Login |