5K on Derby Greenway to support domestic violence services

DERBY - Walnut Hill Community Church 5K Easter Run-Walk April 12 to fight domestic violence has received the support of the Valley’s top elected officials.

“I am very grateful to each of the Valley’s top elected officials for their agreeing to become advocates for the Walnut Hill Community Church Easter 5K Run-Walk. Their support is vital in our battle against domestic violence,” said the Rev. Walt Mayhew, pastor of Walnut Hill’s Derby campus.

 
Net proceeds are donated to The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services.

Statistics provided by The Umbrella Center demonstrate that this past year alone, more than 1,500 Valley residents have experienced domestic abuse and received services. 
The hotline has received more than 1,000 calls during that same period.
Their statistics further reveal the average age of the children impacted by this violence is 5.5 years old and that of those children 85 percent have witnessed the violence leading to inappropriate behavior including outbursts of anger, hitting and biting (69 percent), as well as experiencing sleeplessness (25 percent), fear (30 percent and nightmares (30 percent).

“It was statistics such as these that led us to launch the Easter 5K Run-Walk last year and come alongside these families who are precious in God’s sight,” Mayhew said. “This being our second year we wanted to reach out to the top elected officials in the Valley looking to raise both awareness and participation."

Top elected officials in agreeing to be an advocate and join the battle against domestic abuse agreed to place materials to publicize the Run-Walk in government buildings, and ask supporters to place lawn signs promoting the event. 

The Easter 5K Run-Walk will be held April 12 on the Derby Greenway.
Registration is $25. Check-in is at 8 a.m. A Fun Run is at 8:40 a.m. and 5K Walk–Run is at 9 a.m.

For more information or to sign up to participate visit www.easterrunwalk.com.

This post is taken from a press release.

 

Ansonia agency gets $20K grant for domestic violence services

ANSONIA - In advance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, The Mary Kay Foundation^SM has awarded $3 million in grants to 150 domestic violence shelters in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

BHcare’s The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services received one of the $20,000 unrestricted grants to maintain critical services and programs for individuals who are survivors of domestic abuse.

UCDVS provides free, confidential services to more than 9,000 victims of domestic violence and their children each year.
The funds received from The Mary Kay Foundation will help UCDVS provide crisis services including shelter for women and children, a 24-hour crisis hotline, and in-person counseling for victims of domestic violence and their children.  

“Mary Kay is an incredible organization that is committed to supporting victims of domestic violence,” said Susan DeLeon, director of UCDVS.
“Their financial contribution is helping us at a critical time as client numbers have doubled in the last six months, and we’ve had an overwhelming increase in intakes for sheltering.  We are very appreciative of the support of The Mary Kay Foundation and look forward to working in partnership with them to continue making a difference in the lives of survivors and their children.”  

For nearly 20 years The Mary Kay Foundation^SM has supported the prevention and elimination of domestic violence, an epidemic that touches one in every four women in her lifetime. Through the Foundation’s annual shelter grant program, $34 million has been granted to domestic violence organizations since 2000.

“The Mary Kay Foundation^SM is proud to support local shelters that are on the front lines of helping the thousands of women and children who seek shelter and support from abuse,” said Anne Crews, Vice President of Government Relations for Mary Kay Inc. and board member for The Mary Kay Foundation^SM.
“The shelter grants are a signature program for The Mary Kay Foundation and represent just one of the ways we are committed to breaking the cycle of domestic violence.”

Vvisit marykayfoundation.org for additional information.

UCDVS is a program of BHcare that provides services for victims and children of domestic violence free of charge. Each year, over 9,000 abused women and their children walk through the door of UCDVS looking for shelter, help and hope. Learn more at bhcare.org.

To learn more about The Mary Kay Foundation^SM, visit www.marykayfoundation.org or call 1-877-MKCARES (652-2737).

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.

Oxford kids raise funds for Bowl-2-Benefit event

Here's a heartwarming story for Valentine's Day: 

Students at Oxford Center School are busy collecting donations for BHcare’s Bowl-2-Benefit.

The Bowl-2-Benefit raises money for the Center for Domestic Violence Services.
The Center provides free emergency safe shelter, 24-hour crisis, counseling, advocacy, support and other crucial services to more than 9,000 battered women and their children.

“I have the most enterprising students this year, many of them have opened little businesses around their neighborhoods shoveling snow, walking dogs, or taking out garbage, all for donations,” said Courtney DeMatteo, Physical Education Teacher and Student Council Advisor at Oxford Center School. 

“These kids are pumped to raise money and spread the good word about the Center for Domestic Violence Services!”

Oxford Center School has been the top youth fundraiser group for over six years.

Matt asked his mom to bake chocolate chip cookies. He is selling them by the dozen throughout his neighborhood. They became so popular he had to create an order form and fill orders. / Contributed photo

Mark passed flyers around his neighborhood offering to walk dogs in exchange for a donation to his Bowl-2-Benefit team.  / Contributed photo


Matt and Mark and all the children at Oxford Center School are to be commended for their efforts to help others in the community. Great job!

BHcare’s 25th Annual Bowl-2-Benefit will be held March 9 at AMF Lanes, 1717 Boston Post Road, Milford. 

All proceeds benefit domestic violence programs and services throughout the Valley, Greater New Haven and the Shoreline.

Participants of Bowl-2-Benefit raise money for the event by forming bowling teams and collecting pledges. 

Bowl sessions are at 9 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. or 8 p.m. Individuals and/or businesses and organizations can get involved by becoming an event or lane sponsor. 

The 25^th Annual Bowl-2-Benefit is sponsored by Bassett Brands and by Cox Radio: WPLR 99.1-FM and Star 99.9-FM. 

For information or to participate, call Debbie Soulsby, 203-736-2601, ext. 1321 or visit  www.bhcare.org.

Deadline for bowler registration is Feb. 27.

This information is taken from a press release from Tracy Bruno, Communications Specialist, BHcare.