Blog Posts - Beacon of Hope Crisis Center

Introducing Tiffany!

9/8/2017

By Kristin Scriven

Tiffany Wilson, Beacon of Hope Crisis Center

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!

Why We Care About Cultural Awareness

9/6/2017

By Jess Counsell and Sandra K. Ziebold

Burmese Cultural Awareness Meeting

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%

Single MOMS Here Is An Event For You

9/5/2017

By Sandra K. Ziebold

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!

9/1/2017

By Kristin Scriven

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!

Inaugural "Give Abuse the Boot" Fundraising Gala

8/30/2017

By Kristin Scriven

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

Working Together For Victims

8/29/2017

By Savannah Tipton

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.

Beacon of Hope Crisis Center 2017 Give Abuse The Boot Gala

8/28/2017

PRESS RELEASE

Beacon of Hope Crisis Center Announces Date for 2017 First Annual
Give Abuse The Boot Gala
Benefit Event will take place at the Barn at Bay Horse Inn in Greenwood on October 5th

(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 [email protected].

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

Meet Rosa!

8/25/2017

By Kristin Scriven

Meet Rosa Ponce, Beacon of Hope’s Senior Victim Advocate! Rosa graduated in May of 2017 from Ball State University with a dual degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology and a minor in Social Work.

As Senior Victim Advocate, Rosa oversees the criminal justice team and works directly to support the victims. When asked why she loves working at Beacon of Hope, Rosa said, “I love what we stand for and what we do; I’m passionate about working with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. I love that we get to help spread awareness about such important issues.”

Rosa’s favorite service that Beacon of Hope offers is court accompaniment. She loves being a pillar of support for the victim in their time of need. Her support helps victims feel a sense of safety and security during a scary time.

In her spare time, Rosa loves hiking and reading. Currently, her favorite book is Orphan Train by Christina Baker Cline. A fun fact is that Rosa is initially from California and moved to Indiana when she was six years old! When she’s not working, you can find Rosa at Klipsch Music Center attending country concerts.

We love having you as part of the team, Rosa!

Thanks Coffeehouse FIVE

8/24/2017

By Sandra K. Ziebold

Coffeehouse FIVE is giving Beacon of Hope Crisis Center 10% of their profits for the month of August. They are located at 323 Market Plaza, Greenwood, IN 46142.

Stop in to see them everyday! Scones, coffee, smoothies and lots of other yummy menu items!

Thank you Coffeehouse FIVE for choosing our 501(c)(3) to support during the month of August 2017. We appreciate you!

#WeServeEveryone

8/23/2017

By Sandra K. Ziebold and Merideth Bush

BeaconOfHopeIndy.Org #WeServeEveryone

Beacon of Hope is a Christ-centered crisis center. To some, it may sound as though we exclusively offer services to the Christian community or that we impose Christian beliefs on those we serve, but this could not be further from the truth. When we say that we are a Christ-centered agency, we mean that our approach to victim services seeks to imitate the qualities exemplified by Christ’s interactions with the hurting people in his community: qualities such as kindness, respectfulness, non-judgement, and acceptance.

What does this look like in practice?

It looks like reaching out to leaders of refugee communities, including those which represent ethnic and religious minorities, so that they know what the laws are regarding intimate partner violence, how to recognize it, and where to find service providers that will respect and accommodate their religious and cultural needs alongside traditional legal and advocacy services.

It looks like looking past gender stereotypes to recognize that 1 in 4 men will experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. We welcome and advocate for male victims with the same dedication and compassion we show to female victims.
It looks like reaching out to service providers of our immigrant population to make sure they know that they can seek help to escape intimate partner violence regardless of their citizenship or immigration status.

It looks like seeking partnerships with interpreters so that we can overcome language barriers. Domestic violence and sexual assault are not limited by languages. The advocacy we offer shouldn’t be either.

It looks like recognizing that the LGBTQ+ community suffers from domestic violence and sexual assault with the same frequency and severity as their heterosexual counterparts, and welcoming members of this community with open arms when they choose to seek help.

It looks like the relief on the face of a client from a marginalized community when they turn to us at the end of an advocacy appointment, smile for the first time that day and say, “Thank you. I honestly didn’t think I’d find anyone willing to help me.”

This is Beacon of Hope’s Christ-centered approach to victim advocacy in action. Regardless of race, religion, gender, culture, sexual orientation, or any other label that may differentiate us, the Christ-like qualities of kindness, respectfulness, non-judgment, and acceptance are the inspiration for our interaction with every client, and lie at the very heart of who we are at Beacon of Hope.