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By: Savannah Tipton  The Board supports the work of Beacon of Hope Crisis Center and provides mission-based leadership and strategic governance. Each board member also makes annual personal donations, helps bring additional funding from outside donors and supports various fundraising events. We would love to add powerhouse fundraisers, HR experts, and individuals with experiences in financial governance. If you believe in the mission and vision of Beacon of Hope Crisis Center and would like to contribute your skills and talents to the growth of our agency, we have a chair for you on our Board of Directors. What's involved in being a board member?
Benefits of Being a Board Member
By: Kristen Board  As we approach a year of being in the pandemic, many people are feeling exhausted and drained. Many people cling to the comfort of their precious pets when going through hard times. Others find it rewarding to reach out and help other people in times of despair. The Foster Pet Program at Beacon of Hope Crisis Center provides several opportunities for people to volunteer their time to help people and pets. The work of our agency and Foster Pet Program is more crucial than ever at this time because domestic violence and sexual assault have only increased within our community during the pandemic.
Many shelters in Indiana do not accept pets, so victims of domestic violence and sexual assault are left to decide whether to leave their beloved pet behind with their abuser or permanently rehome their pet while they find shelter. Statistics show that up to 40% of victims do not leave their abusive situations for fear of what will happen to their beloved pet. 71% of women in DV shelters have reported that their abuser has threatened, harmed, or killed their pet. Our program provides a temporary home to pet victims until the owner can secure safe housing and be reunited with their beloved pet. Our Foster Pet Program would not exist without the time and dedication of our volunteer foster caregivers, donors, and program volunteers. We are so grateful for everyone who has supported our program and helped us to save the lives of countless human and pet victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. We are actively recruiting for volunteer foster pet caregivers and other program volunteers for our Foster Pet Program. If you want to learn more about the Link between pet abuse and domestic violence, how our Foster Pet Program works, or the several ways to get involved by volunteering with our program, consider attending one of our virtual information sessions coming up in March. Register for one of our information sessions here: Tuesday, March 2nd 12pm-1pm Tuesday March 2nd 4pm-5pm 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: Marty Burtt Beacon of Hope Crisis Center’s Foster Pet Program eliminates a very common barrier for domestic violence and/or sexual assault victims. Research has shown that 48% of battered women will delay leaving their abuser because they fear what will happen to their pet(s) after they leave. Pets are a common tool used by abusers to control the victim by threatening, harming, or killing the pet. Our Foster Pet Program gives domestic violence and/or sexual assault victims a temporary, safe home for their furry family members while they work on becoming self-sufficient.
Our volunteer foster families have the unique opportunity to provide much needed help to victims of domestic violence and/or sexual assault. Instead of having to choose between leaving their beloved pet with their abuser, or surrender the pet to a shelter, victims can apply for our program and know that their pet is being loved and cared for until it can come back home. Being a foster family offers the companionship of having a pet, without the lifelong commitment. Every year, 68% of abused women report violence towards their pet from their abuser. Our foster families can give love and affection to pets that have experienced their own trauma. If you are interested in learning more about the program or signing up to become a foster family, please click here. By Savannah Tipton  Everyone can take part in raising domestic violence awareness. Some efforts may take a large time commitment while others can be done in seconds. Take a second to show your support by sharing or retweeting information and resources. The simple act of clicking a button to share content may have a greater impact than you expect. That information could help someone identify domestic violence in their own life, with a friend, or with a family member. Posting about resources in your community may connect a victim to a service provider that can support them. Start sharing with a retweet.
Show your support for victims of domestic violence by finding the donation option that best fits you. Beacon of Hope has created a variety of ways for you to support victims. Become a member to make monthly donations or sign up for AmazonSmile and amazon will make a donation at NO COST to you. We also have sponsors, coin-up, and Kroger Community Rewards. To learn more, visit the donate tab on our website. Take an active role in standing against domestic violence and sexual assault by volunteering with Beacon of Hope Crisis Center. Beacon of Hope creates individualized roles for interns and volunteers. We have a team of interns and volunteers that assist with social media, grant writing, event planning, our crisis call line, and our foster pet program. Apply today. Your voice counts. |
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
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