Cupcake event in Branford to benefit BHcare

BRANFORD -  A Shoreline benefit for BHcare featuring Cupcake War 2014 will be held from 5:30-9:30 p.m. May 15 at The Owenego Beach and Tennis Club. 

The evening will feature a full menu, silent auction, music, a beautiful view of  Long Island Sound, and delectable cupcake desserts.

Five local bakeries are participating in the cupcake war. They are: JCakes (North Branford), Marjolaine Pastry Shop (New Haven), Meriano’s Bakery & Cannoli Truck (Madison), Pastry Fusions (North Branford), and Take the Cake (Guilford).

 

The committee, chaired by Charlotte Mattei, Senior Vice President, Webster Bank, and a BHcare board member, is seeking event sponsors and ad sponsors.  

Event sponsorships range from $250-$1,000 and ad book space is available for as little as $50.

Tickets are currently on sale for $50 each and are selling quickly.  Any persons or businesses interested in sponsorship or tickets are asked to call Debbie Soulsby,  203-736-2601, ext. 1321 or visit www.bhcare.org.

Decreases in state and federal funding coupled with increases in demand for services make fund-raising events such as this benefit critical to sustaining services for those at risk and in need.  

The BHcare Shoreline Benefit is sponsored by Guilford Savings Bank, as well as by Connecticut Mental Health Center, Rose & Kiernan, and VNA Community Healthcare. 

Media partner is Shore Publishing.

BHcare is a regional community provider of behavioral health, addiction prevention, and domestic violence services for the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Greater New Haven and Shoreline communities. 

For more information, visit www.bhcare.org.

This is a press release from BHcare. 

New Haven conference to address domestic violence issues

By Neal McNamara, New Haven Register

Posted: 09/22/13, 10:19 PM EDT 

NEW HAVEN >> By all appearances, Leslie Morgan Steiner has everything. She’s a graduate of Harvard and the Wharton School, and she’s had a successful career as a magazine journalist, book author and marketing executive.
And, she’s a mother who carts her kids around in a minivan.
She’s also a survivor of domestic violence. She was married to a man who beat her so severely she feared he would kill her.
“I come off as someone who’s strong and confident,” Morgan Steiner said. “The stereotype of a domestic violence victim is that they have self-esteem problems, they’re weak, impoverished. “I deliver the message obliquely that this” – domestic violence – “is an everyone problem.”
Morgan Steiner is one of three experts on domestic violence set to speak at a conference called “Beyond the Bruises: A Conference on Psychological Abuse and Stalking” set for Sept. 30 in New Haven.
Also speaking will be Mark Wynn, a former police officer and a consultant and trainer on domestic violence and sexual assault issues, and Hema Khan, an attorney for the Stalking Resource Center.
The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services is holding the conference. The Umbrella Center is a program of BHcare, a nonprofit health service provider based in Branford.
BHcare recently tried, unsuccessfully, to open a domestic violence shelter in Milford. Neighbors near the proposed site exposed the address in public, leading the BHcare executive board to vote to abandon the plans. Most shelter addresses are kept confidential to protect the residents.
BHcare spokesperson Emily Granelli said the seminar is about spreading awareness of domestic violence and stalking.
A grim statistic cited on the flier for the conference reports that 12 people died in 2012 in domestic violence situations, and six have died this year, according to statistics from the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Morgan Steiner wrote the book “Crazy Love” about her experience being married to a batterer. Her abuse took place more than two decades ago, but it also took her that long before she could talk about it publicly.
“It took about five years before I could talk about (the abuse), and another 10 years before I could write ‘Crazy Love,’” she said.
She began speaking publicly about domestic violence after the book was published. Her story is an example of how it’s possible to survive an abusive relationship, she said.
“The most important thing I can do is get up there and say, ‘It happened to me, I’m not ashamed, and I made it out,’” she said.
Wynn, a former Nashville, Tenn., police officer, said he’ll talk about the entire sphere of violence against women, including domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, and what kind of law enforcement response those crimes bring.
“Often, we focus on just domestic violence, which is a large component, but when you look at all the crimes committed against women, it’s a big, big problem for the community and law enforcement,” he said. “When we show that most of the crimes in the country are committed against women, you refocus your resources.”
He’ll also talk about empathizing with domestic violence victims and how, for a victim, leaving an abuser is an intense process.
“We’re still dealing with this problem of people focusing more on the victim than the offender,” he said. “The question should be, what are we going to do for her when she decides to leave? When you talk to victims, it’s the process of leaving that’s the most difficult.”
Morgan Steiner had the rare opportunity to walk away from her abuser. One night, when they were both students at Wharton, she experienced “the worst one” of his beatings. After, he simply left their apartment. That was the end of their relationship, but he was never punished for his crimes.

For more information about the conference, visit BHcare.org.


Note: BHcare is a behavioral health organization serving the Valley, Greater New Haven, and Shoreline communities.

Center for domestic violence services changes name

The Center for Domestic Violence Services name has been changed to The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services. 
The program will continue to serve the Valley, New Haven and the Shoreline communities.


This information is taken from the Center's Facebook page.

Fashion show to benefit BHcare programs in Valley, Greater New Haven, Shoreline

BRANFORD - BHcare will hold the 4th Annual Girl’s Night Out Fashion Show Fundraiser from 7-10 p.m. May 10 at WoodWinds in Branford.

All proceeds will benefit BHcare programs and services that provide comprehensive behavioral health, prevention and domestic violence services to individuals and families throughout the Greater New Haven, Shoreline and Valley communities.

The evening will feature fashions and accessories by Carol’s Creations and Ella where She Shops…, as well as a red carpet entrance, signature cocktails, boutique shopping, silent auction, giveaways, photo booth, DJ, food and more.

Tickets to the event, which is being emceed by Chris Velardi, News 8 Morning Anchor, are $35.

BHcare is still accepting vendors, auction items, and additional sponsors for this year’s fundraiser. For information or to purchase tickets, visit the BHcare website at www.bhcare.org.

The 4th Annual Girl’s Night Out is being sponsored by Guilford Savings Bank, VNA Community Healthcare and Rose & Kiernan, Inc. Shore Publishing is the event’s media sponsor. 


This information is taken from a press release. 

BHcare wins funding in ABC Marketing contest

Pictured from left are Jack Rival, ABC Marketing, Roberta Cook, CEO, BHcare, and Sal Vadala, President, ABC Marketing. / Contributed photo


ABC Marketing presented BHcare a check for $1,803.67 as a result of their nonprofit marketing contest in the fall. 
BHcare was nominated through ABC Marketing’s Facebook page. The winner received a portion of ABC Marketing’s profits for a set period of time along with marketing support to raise awareness and aid in their fundraising efforts.

This is the third year ABC Marketing has held its nonprofit marketing contest. 
Every year they try to pick a local nonprofit agency they can help out.

 “This year BHcare, with all of their great support that they provide to the local community, won our non-profit contest. ABC Marketing was proud to represent them in our fundraising event and will continue to support them,” said Sal Vadala, President, ABC Marketing.

“We are very grateful and appreciate the donation and support from ABC Marketing. Their generosity will directly benefit our clients and their families,” said Roberta Cook, CEO, BHcare.

ABC Marketing is located in East Haven. It specializes in services such as graphic design, logo design, website development, SEO, offset printing, large format printing, digital printing, email broadcasting, and mailing. 

Visit abcprintingink.com for  information.

BHcare is a regional community provider of behavioral health, addiction prevention, and domestic violence services for the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Greater New Haven and shoreline communities. For information, visit bhcare.org.

This information is taken from a press release from BHcare.