In This Issue:

Announcing the Third Annual Autumn Affair
Thank you to our Champion Sponsor Providence Health & Services
Domestic Violence Resource Center partners with United Way on DV summit
Come out and enjoy the best in women’s golf with us in August at the Safeway Classic
We are thankful to Keiko at Nordljus food blog for donating her artwork for this year’s Autumn Affair poster!

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Announcing the Third Annual Autumn Affair

Welcome new sponsor: Providence Health & Services, and new Master of Ceremonies: Kimberly Maus

Domestic Violence Resource Center’s third annual event, Autumn Affair is scheduled for Friday, October 8, 2010 from 6 to 10 PM at the Stockpot Broiler at Redtail Golf Center on 8200 SW Scholls Ferry Rd. in Beaverton, OR.

Last year’s event was packed, so we are expanding this year with a special winery tasting tent connected to the Stockpot’s event room.  Expect a larger silent auction, jazz by the Geoff Fotland Quartet, fabulous wineries, and friends and family of Domestic Violence Resource Center who are coming out for a fun Friday night to build support for survivors of domestic violence.  Don’t wait to purchase your tickets—we expect this event to sell-out!

Tickets are $75 a piece and include a wine tasting provided by six wineries ($50 value) and cocktail reception dinner & dessert ($28 value), music, commemorative tasting glass, and access to raffle and silent auction (stay tuned for more information!  Silent auction packages will be announced in September).  Thanks to the generosity of our business partners, 85% of the proceeds go to support our free and bilingual services.  You can purchase tickets online!

Domestic Violence Resource Center is excited to announce that our 2010 Autumn Affair features a talented community advocate & television reporter, Good Day Oregon (FOX 12) co-anchor Kimberly Maus as our Master of Ceremonies.  Thank you for being a part of Autumn Affair, Ms. Maus!

We hope you will join us at one of Washington County’s premier wine tasting events!  If your business would like to participate please give me a call at 503-640-5352 x 308 to discuss partnership opportunities.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sarah Keefe
Development Coordinator, Domestic Violence Resource Center
503-640-5352 x 308

***

Thank you to our Champion Sponsor Providence Health & Services

Providence Health & Services is the exclusive raffle sponsor at Autumn Affair 2010

“Providence Health & Services is honored to support Domestic Violence Resource Center and the important work they do in our community.”—Steve Fletcher, Community Relations Manager

We are proud to partner with Providence Health & Services to put on our annual event in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Compassionate businesses like Providence Health & Services help to make possible our free and bilingual services!

About Providence:
“Providence Health & Services in Oregon is a not-for-profit network of hospitals, health plans, physicians, clinics, home health services, and affiliated health services. As part of the greater Providence Health & Services, with services in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana and California, we continue a tradition of caring that the Sisters of Providence began more than 150 years ago.”  Read more>>

***

Domestic Violence Resource Center partners with United Way on DV summit

Assessing Needs in Washington County

United Way of the Columbia Willamette is convening a series of inventory meetings to create a “system map” of existing domestic violence intervention, coordination and preventions programs.  The desired outcome of these county specific meetings is to identify critical gaps in services both at the community level and the larger metro region level.  Domestic Violence Resource Center is proud to partner with United Way to help lead this initiative in Washington County.

This ongoing project, started this summer, will help to create a comprehensive picture of services and service providers in Washington County.  This conversation will also help facilitate a dialogue among service providers on how we can work to identify and meet the unmet needs in the community.

The project will culminate in a DV Summit on November 19th, 2010 hosted by Unite Way for lawmakers, stakeholders, funders and others invested in building a safer and healthier community.  The desired outcome of this summit will be a new focus on Domestic Violence victims, with renewed awareness of the current level of services and a spotlight on the gaps in services. Raising awareness—and hopefully funding—for improved programs in the near future.

If you would like to learn more about this project please contact Sarah McDowell, Community Investment Manager at United Way.

***

Come out and enjoy the best in women’s golf with us in August at the Safeway Classic

Purchase tickets to the Safeway Classic LPGA Golf Tournament and 100% of proceeds benefit Domestic Violence Resource Center!

Safeway Classic Schedule of Events:

Kids golfing at Safeway ClassicMonday, August 16
8:00 am - West Coast Bank Pro-Am, Ghost Creek Course
1:30 pm - LPGA Junior Clinic, Ghost Creek Driving Range
Tuesday, August 17
2:45 pm - Les Schwab Par 3 Pro-Am, The Children’s Course, Gladstone
Wednesday, August 18
All Day - Kraft Pro-Am, Ghost Creek/ Witch Hollow
Thursday, August 19
All Day - Kraft Pro-Am, Ghost Creek/ Witch Hollow
Friday, August 20
All Day - Safeway Classic (1st Round), Ghost Creek Course
Golfer at Safeway Classic 2009Saturday, August 21
All Day - Safeway Classic (2nd Round), Ghost Creek Course
Sunday, August 22
All Day - Safeway Classic (Final Round), Ghost Creek Course

Weekly grounds tickets give you access to tournament grounds every day of the event, August 16-22, 2010.

Weekly Grounds Ticket…...$25.00
Weekly 10-Pack Ticket…...$200.00 (saves $50—great package for businesses!)

HOW TO ORDER:

1. Online (Accepting VISA, MasterCard)—please select Domestic Violence Resource Center from the drop-down menu as your “designated charity”
2. Fax order form to 503.643.3556 (Accepting VISA, MasterCard)
3. Mail order form to TGF (Accepting VISA, MasterCard, Check (Payable to Tournament Golf Foundation))
4. Or, call Sarah Keefe at 503-640-5352 x 308.

All tickets purchased through July 30th will be mailed out the first week of August.  Tickets purchased in August will be placed at Will Call for the participants to pick up.
If you have questions please don’t hesitate to give Sarah a ring at 503-640-5352 x 308 or email sarahk (at) dvrc-or (dot) org.

Thank you so much!  Hope to see you enjoying the beautiful August sunshine and best in women’s golf in the nation at Pumpkin Ridge!

***

We are thankful to Keiko at Nordljus food blog for donating her artwork for this year’s Autumn Affair poster!

Ms. Keiko Oikawa, world renowned food blogger & photographer, donates photo to Domestic Violence Resource Center’s Autumn Affair from her Nordljus blog



To see more of her work check out her amazing food blog here and her photography portfolio website here.

Keiko shares some delicious ideas for how to take advantage of Oregon’s summer berry bounty!  Check it out.

Thanks for helping to make Autumn Affair a reality, Keiko!

In This Issue:

Two fatal incidents of domestic violence in our community in June
Come out and enjoy the best in women’s golf with us in August at the Safeway Classic
Thank you to our childcare volunteer at Monika’s House Shelter
New Supreme Court ruling casts doubt on domestic violence related gun laws

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Two fatal incidents of domestic violence in our community in June

Only by working together can we break the cycle of violence

Domestic violence turned deadly once more in Hillsboro, OR, June 17th, Thursday night at a local restaurant. Our condolences and support to the friends and family who lost loved ones.  Domestic violence took more lives in our community this week after a winter of record fatalities-with another fatal stabbing in Portland on the following Tuesday, days after the Hillsboro incident.

No piece of legislation can be passed that will stop this. No number of law enforcement agencies can stop this.  No number of non-profits providing services for survivors of domestic violence can stop this.

These networks of support in law and social services play a vital part, but they are only a band-aid-working on their own they won’t break this deadly cycle of domestic violence.  But you and I can stop this, working together.

It may seem that it’s too big of a problem to truly solve, and you can’t help as one person.  But you could be one of the most important people in the world to someone.  And this person you know may be in an abusive relationship.  1 in 4 people will be in a domestic violence relationship at some point in their life. And you can make a difference.  A sympathetic ear, a steady shoulder to lean on can help provide a survivor the support he or she needs to take a step in a better direction.

How can you tell if someone you know may be in a domestic violence relationship?  How can you support that person?  If you want to learn more please come to our two-night long informational class on the first and second Thursday of the month designed for friends and family of individuals in abusive relationships. Classes are held from 6 to 8 PM at Christ United Methodist Church, 12755 Northwest Dogwood Street, Portland, OR 97229.

Join us. Together we must break the cycle of violence.

La Donna Burgess
Executive Director, Domestic Violence Resource Center

***

Come and enjoy the best in women’s golf at the internationally renowned Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, August 16-22

Purchase tickets to the Safeway Classic LPGA Golf Tournament and 100% of proceeds benefit Domestic Violence Resource Center!

Safeway Classic Schedule of Events:

Kids golfing at Safeway ClassicMonday, August 16
8:00 am - West Coast Bank Pro-Am, Ghost Creek Course
1:30 pm - LPGA Junior Clinic, Ghost Creek Driving Range
Tuesday, August 17
2:45 pm - Les Schwab Par 3 Pro-Am, The Children’s Course, Gladstone
Wednesday, August 18
All Day - Kraft Pro-Am, Ghost Creek/ Witch Hollow
Thursday, August 19
All Day - Kraft Pro-Am, Ghost Creek/ Witch Hollow
Friday, August 20
All Day - Safeway Classic (1st Round), Ghost Creek Course
Golfer at Safeway Classic 2009Saturday, August 21
All Day - Safeway Classic (2nd Round), Ghost Creek Course
Sunday, August 22
All Day - Safeway Classic (Final Round), Ghost Creek Course

Weekly grounds tickets give you access to tournament grounds every day of the event, August 16-22, 2010.

Weekly Grounds Ticket…...$25.00
Weekly 10-Pack Ticket…...$200.00 (saves $50—great package for businesses!)

HOW TO ORDER:

1. Online (Accepting VISA, MasterCard)—please select Domestic Violence Resource Center from the drop-down menu as your “designated charity”
2. Fax order form to 503.643.3556 (Accepting VISA, MasterCard)
3. Mail order form to TGF (Accepting VISA, MasterCard, Check (Payable to Tournament Golf Foundation))
4. Or, call Sarah Keefe at 503-640-5352 x 308.

All tickets purchased through July 30th will be mailed out the first week of August.  Tickets purchased in August will be placed at Will Call for the participants to pick up.
If you have questions please don’t hesitate to give Sarah a ring at 503-640-5352 x 308 or email sarahk (at) dvrc-or (dot) org.

Thank you so much!  Hope to see you enjoying the beautiful August sunshine and best in women’s golf in the nation at Pumpkin Ridge!

***

Volunteer makes services at Monika’s House Shelter possible

A big thank you to our volunteer Paisly Nejal for helping to look after kids at shelter since March, 2010, so their parents can concentrate on their next steps

How did you first hear about us?  Why did you want to volunteer?

I first heard about Monika’s House from a flyer with a list of shelters and other resources for people in the Portland Metro area. I wanted to volunteer in order to give back to my community and also to gain some experience working with people as I plan to apply to the Graduate Counseling Program at PSU. I am a student at PSU now, although I am taking the summer off!

What else do you do in your free time?

I am teaching summer gymnastics camps for Portland Parks and Recreation.  I love working with kids. In my spare time I like to take ballet classes, read books, and hang out with my family.
What does a volunteer like you do at Monika’s House Shelter?

I look after the children at Monika’s House once a week while the adults are having a group meeting. It is very rewarding to spend time with kids just hanging out and playing games. It is so nice to be able to help provide a safe space for them to play and explore. Spending time with the children keeps me grounded and helps me remember not to take myself too seriously. The staff at Monika’s House are amazing. They are so grateful for the volunteers. They always make me feel so welcome.

Thank you so much for helping survivors of domestic violence in need!  Your time, energy, and passion makes our services possible.  Thank you Paisly!  We are blessed to have you at Monika’s House Shelter.  Thank you for continuing to volunteer with us!

***

The June 28th, 2010, Supreme Court ruling on gun law casts doubt on existing laws limiting gun ownership

“Mr. HERB TITUS (Counsel, Gun Owners of America): I believe that the prohibition against people who’ve been convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence will probably be the area of litigation down the road.”

NPR reported earlier this week on the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on June 28th to limit local gun laws. From the transcript:

NINA TOTENBERG: State and local gun laws may not unconstitutionally infringe an individual’s right to keep and bear arms.

Justice Alito indicated that “reasonable” regulation is allowed:

We have made clear, said Alito, that bans on handguns for felons and the mentally ill are permissible so, too, are laws barring the carrying of handguns near schools, in government buildings and laws that impose conditions on the commercial sale of guns.

Due to the fact that the decision leaves “reasonable” regulation fairly undefined, many are anticipating that this ruling will result in more challenges to gun laws all over the country.

TOTENBERG: Herb Titus, counsel for the Gun Owners of America, agrees. He sees challenges as well to registration and licensing restrictions to age restrictions for gun ownership and to limits on the number of guns that can be bought at one time. But first in the pipeline of challenges, he says, will be the challenges to laws banning guns for those convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors.

Mr. HERB TITUS (Counsel, Gun Owners of America): I believe that the prohibition against people who’ve been convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence will probably be the area of litigation down the road.

Domestic Violence Resource Center is strongly opposed to challenging gun laws restricting access to those convicted of domestic violence related charges.  The laws in place are there to help keep people safe who are in danger.  But how do we know these laws make sense?^

A recent study shows that access to firearms increases the risk of intimate partner homicide more than five times compared to instances where there are no weapons. In addition, abusers who possess guns tend to inflict the most severe abuse on their partners. (J.C. Campbell, Webster J, Koziol-McLain, CR, et al. 2003. Risk Factors For Femicide in Abusive Relationships: Results From A Multi-Site Case Control Study. American Journal of Public Health. 93 (7).)

We have seen record numbers of domestic violence related homicide in the last 12 months in the Portland-area.  Do we want to put guns back into the hands of known abusers?  But what information do we have that tells us that these abusive partners would commit further violence, after being charged?

According to a 2000 study which interviewed the former and current partners of male batterers referred to batterer programs by the court:

* 41% of participants reported that the men committed a re-assault during the 30-month follow-up period.

* Nearly 2/3 of the first time re-assaults occurred in the first 6 months.

* About 20 percent of the men repeatedly re-assaulted their partners and account for most of the reported injuries.

In an examination of 1,309 cases under a program mandate at the Bronx misdemeanor domestic violence court:

* 8% of the defendants were rearrested between the initial arrest and case disposition, 35% during the program mandate period, 31% during the one year following the end of the mandate and 44% during the two years following the mandate.

* Overall, from the moment of index arrest to two years post release, 62 % of all defendants were rearrested.

These studies clearly show that putting guns back into the hands of known domestic violence offenders would cause more lives to be lost.

^Thanks to Women Against Gun Violence for their excellent statistics page.

Nursing students research effects of domestic violence

Friday, June 04, 2010
By JoAnn Boatwright
The Hillsboro Argus

A trio of students from Oregon Health & Sciences University’s School of Nursing were surprised to find how prevalent domestic violence is in Washington County - and the rest of Oregon.

Their findings, compiled through a survey of literature, research and public documents on the topic, has prompted Mary Gow of Hillsboro, Sharon Voss of Portland and Shannon Gilman of Beaverton to go public with their project.

Washington County is estimated to have about a third of all domestic violence calls for help in the Washington, Multnomah and Clackamas county area, they found. In 2008, Washington County accounted for around 10,000 calls from a total of 29,589 in the tri-county region.

And, for all of Washington County, there is only one shelter to house victims of domestic violence, according to Sarah Keefe, community outreach/education/development coordinator for the Domestic Violence Resource Center, which operates the lone shelter. In comparison, she said, Multnomah County has 22 domestic violence service providers and four shelters.

Gow, Voss and Gilman - all three are completing their junior year in the OHSU School of Nursing - are now pushing for more connection and communication between service agencies and further training for workers who often are the first to suspect domestic violence.

“An assessment should be part of any routine health screening,” said Gow.

“We should go at it correctly,” said Voss. “For instance, don’t ask about domestic violence while the partner is in the room.”

Amy Gettings, clinical director for the Domestic Violence Resource Center, agrees.

She suggests that just as healthcare workers don rubber gloves and masks as part of their “universal precautions” when tending patients, they also might consider knowing and using correct terminology when asking about a patient’s relationship health.

“Bless our nurses,” said Sarah Keefe “We depend on them as the frontline in our community response to domestic violence. They see it before even friends and families sometimes.”

Gilman, who plans to specialize in pediatric nursing, is especially concerned about domestic violence’s affect on children. Research shows children who witness domestic violence are more prone to behavioral and physical problems and are more likely to become abusers or abused themselves.

The Domestic Violence Resource Center is the only program of its kind in Oregon to offer free counseling for children who experience or witness domestic violence, said Gettings.

In addition, the center has started a new two-class workshop for friends, family, coworkers and anyone else who suspects someone they know is a victim of domestic violence. The workshop gives an overview of domestic violence and tips on how to help.

The Domestic Violence Resource Center offers services in Hillsboro at the Center for Victim Services in the county courthouse in downtown Hillsboro, and maintains a Beaverton office central to the bulk of the county’s population and accessible by mass transit.

The nursing students’ research report is printed here as “Healthy Relationships: Hands and Words Shouldn’t Hurt.” Additional information also is included on the new class.

Article can be found on oregonlive.com, here.

©2010 Hillsboro Argus

In This Issue:

“My Experience at Monika’s House”
Home Depot & Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue update children’s spaces at Monika’s House
Century H.S. student builds awareness about domestic violence & raises funds to support services
New informational class for friends & family of survivors of domestic violence
Thank you to New Seasons, Soroptimists & all of you who went out and ate shortcake!

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“My Experience at Monika’s House”

Written by a survivor who recently stayed at shelter and later sent this letter to shelter staff

When I first came to Monika’s House the inside of the house was decorated with thought and a home-like appeal.  The house’s personality felt comfortable, welcoming and safe.  And, the Monika’s House Staffed added to this with being friendly and in making me feel safe and welcomed.

My stay at Monika’s House was a very rewarding one.  All of the staff personnel, besides being very professional, were courteous and understanding of my problems, as well as of my needs…

This brings me to the subject of the excellent counseling programs Monika’s House provided to me!  There were Tuesday & Thursday night group therapy sessions, in which all of us were educated about domestic violence and where most of us shared our thoughts or stories (from the Circle of Abuse, all the way to Self Image, Boundaries; etc… and other topics) with a Domestic Violence Resource Center counselor leading our group.  Following these hard and painful educational sessions (at least they were to me!)—we had art therapy with the same DVRC counselor, in which we worked out and expressed, in various types of art forms, of what we had just thought-processed in our group sessions.  Sometimes, we were given the choice to not to relate to anything, and were able to just let go, and be creative in art.

In doing this above last mentioned art therapy, it brought back to me how much I loved drawing, or painting, in the past.  I came to realize from doing this artwork that I need to take this hobby up again—to take better care of myself, to make time for myself!

The way in which these sessions are set up, I feel is brilliant!  I started opening up in group, with bits and pieces of information… these bits and pieces, of information I was sharing was leading up to a “break-through” for me.

Over approximately three weeks of sharing to group selective memories of this abusive situation which had happened to me and loved family members—crying, I opened up in full, about what had happened to my daughter, grandson & I, in a one-to one, counseling session.

Luckily, I had this break-through, and even though I have just left Monika’s House- I’m able to continue this one-to-one counseling, free of cost.  I look forward to this counseling to be able to heal, and to be able to happily move on in my life, and not to be a bitter person who carries the anger of what had happened to me and my family.

Without Monika’s House providing me this counseling, and without help of staff—I wonder where I, and others, would be today—If we would be lucky enough to be working towards being healthy and productive people.  And in not repeating bad patterns!

At the time of leaving Monika’s House I felt sad, but yet at the same time excited about going to my next place, a step forward towards reaching my goals!!  When I think of this special House, I will always have good reflections about my experiences there; of what I learned and whom I met; and most important of all—of what I took from there in which I’ll apply to the remaining years of my life!

Thank you Monika’s House

Your Friend,
xxxxxx”

***

Home Depot updates children’s spaces at Monika’s House Shelter!

Thanks to Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue also for making this project possible!

Shelter staff looked out the window in March to see a big fire truck coming down the driveway.  Firefighters jumped out of the truck and asked shelter staff if Monika’s House needed help from a team of Home Depot volunteers and Home Depot grant.

Home Depot had approached the fire department and asked if they wanted their station repainted.  Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue said: “That’s a good idea, but we know a place that really needs your help.  How about helping out at Monika’s House Shelter?”

So Home Depot generously agreed to come to Monika’s House Shelter and update our children’s counseling room (volunteers seen below painting mural in room) as well as create a children’s play room.  For many years the shelter had shut down the second kitchen area and used it as a play area.  Home Depot helped the shelter take out the old appliances and convert the kitchen into a countertop for art projects.

Thank you so much for all of your help, Home Depot!  Over two dozen employees came out to volunteer and Home Depot granted funds to finance the project.

***

High school senior makes domestic violence awareness video & t-shirts and sells them to support our services for her senior project!

High school senior Mariah Gonzales (pictured at right) wanted to make a difference for her senior project.  She enlisted the help of her friends, Kamilia Kanso (pictured above at left) and Alex Rangeo (pictured middle).

Together they made a video about what domestic violence is and how it effects people and presented it to their classes.  They made posters about the subject and posted them around their school, Century High School.

They also created t-shirts in red and purple that say “STOP domestic violence” and sold-out.  They raised $300 and decided to donate it to Domestic Violence Resource Center, Washington County’s only non-profit provider of free and bilingual services to all survivors of domestic violence.

It was a great project that reached out to many students in her high school and also supported the greater community.  Thank you to Mariah, Kamilia, and Alex for their hard work and for standing up on behalf of survivors of domestic violence in our community.

***

Do you suspect that a loved one isn’t safe?

Join Our New Informational Class & Support Group for Friends & Family

It could be your daughter or your son, your friend, or your co-worker.  They say everything is okay with their husband/wife/intimate partner, but they seem withdrawn and on edge.  You wonder if they are being abused and you aren’t sure how to help.

Domestic violence can happen to anyone—no matter their background—1 in 4 people will be in a domestic violence relationship at some point in their life.  If you believe your loved one is experiencing domestic violence, there are resources available to help you help them.

Domestic Violence Resource Center is offering free informational classes the first and second Thursdays of every month so that friends and family members can learn how to help their loved ones be safe.  It’s a two week long class that repeats every month.

Classes are held at:
Christ United Methodist Church
12755 Northwest Dogwood Street
Portland, OR 97229
Time: 6 - 8 PM

Dates:  June 3 & 10
July 1 & 8
August 5 & 12
September 2 & 9
October 7 & 14
November 4 & 11
December 2 & 9

Help us spread the word!  Download the informational flyer on this class here.

You may drop in, or for more information, please call:
The Domestic Violence Resource Center at 503-640-5352 or email us at dvrc (at) dvrc-or (dot) org.

***

Thank you to New Seasons, Soroptimists & all of you who went out and ate shortcake!

It was the best annual Strawberry Shortcake Benefit yet!  Each shelter received $1,800 from this Soroptimist-organized (it’s a joint effort by local Soroptimist International Clubs & SAVE: Soroptimist Against Domestic Violence Coalition)
fundraiser with delicious shortcake provided and benefit hosted by New Seasons in the Portland area.

Thank you so much to everyone who made this great Mother’s Day weekend event possible and to everyone who went out and enjoyed strawberry shortcake!

In This Issue:

Leadership Beaverton organizes people & businesses to renovate Monika’s House Shelter!
A BIG THANK YOU to our AMAZING 2009-2010 team of interns!
Eden wins advocate award during Crime Victims’ Rights Week
Volunteer writes grant and organizes yoga group for survivors at Monika’s House Shelter

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Leadership Beaverton organizes people & businesses to renovate Monika’s House Shelter!

Monika’s House Shelter has more than a Spring cleaning—thanks to Leadership Beaverton we got a Spring makeover!

A team of aspiring community leaders and business owners decided to come together to benefit the community through the Beaverton Chamber’s Leadership Beaverton program.  Leadership Beaverton’s mission statement is “To develop a diverse network of visionary civic and business leaders who act in accordance with the principles of community-centered stewardship.”

They chose to help out local Washington County shelters—including Good Neighbor Center & Monika’s House!  They walked through our shelter and wrote down a list three pages, single-spaced of all the items in the house that needed fixing. One month later Leadership Beaverton put together an incredible team and pool of resources that helped make-over the shelter!

Leadership Beaverton partnered with the following local businesses to help make this project possible:

Home Depot (3 different Beaverton area locations)
Anthem College Students
City of Beaverton
Pacific Continental Bank
Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District
NW Tree Service
Koeber’s Carpets Inc.
Woodco
Personal donations from 2010 Leadership Beaverton Class

Also, the following businesses gave substantial discounts for lunches and snacks for the volunteers:
Beaverton Sub Station, Java Mama, Pizzicato, and Noah’s Bagels

Last but not least, a huge thank you to the Leadership Beaverton 2010 class!

Please join us in recognizing these generous community leaders:

Sue Balilonis
Kerry Becker St. Claire
Scott Brucker
Ann Burton
Leigh Christopherson
Derek Conrad
Tony Couch
Kimberly Herder
Jaann Hoisington
Caleb Johnson
Jessie Kirk
Matthew Krill
Jinx Kuehn
Kelly Marks
Dan McDonald
Kendal McDonald
Lani Parr
John Smithers
Holly Thompson
Allan Wells

Thank you all so much for all that you’ve done to help make Monika’s House Shelter a better place for survivors of domestic violence!  Your support makes our work possible.  Thank you.

***

A BIG THANK YOU to our AMAZING 2009-2010 team of interns!

These interns make possible our clinical counseling services!

If you called our crisis line, came in for an intake, joined one of our support groups, worked on an art project at shelter, played in the sand tray in children’s counseling… it was likely because of one of the above pictured interns.

These compassionate and dedicated women and men are pursuing a Masters degree in Social Work, Counseling, Art Therapy or other related field.  They are often in their last year of study and are working towards licensure in the State of Oregon.  Each of them volunteer their services an average of 20 hours a week for a total of 12,000 hours of service to the community providing clinical counseling to survivors of domestic violence and their children.
May and June is a bittersweet time for us as we say good bye to an exceptional team who have helped us provide our services this year!  Thank you so much for all that you do, and we wish you the best as you go out in the world and help survivors of domestic violence!  Every day you all make a difference in the lives of those in need.  Thank you.

Thank you to Jimmy John’s & Ava Roasteria for helping us put on a party to thank our interns!

Thank you to Jimmy John’s for catering our party to recognize and honor all of our interns!  They’re pictured here presenting the delicious party platters.  You can visit them in Beaverton, OR, at their brand new location across from the Borders on Cedar Hills Blvd.!  Their address is 2790 SW Cedar Hills Blvd. or you can call them at 503-626-4300.

A big thank you to Ava Roasteria for donating the use of their conference room space to us!  It was a positively elegant space that really made us feel special.  Thank you.  Ms. Saberiyan, owner, opened the event space across from the Beaverton library in downtown Beaverton at the end of the year in 2009.  It’s a welcome addition!  It’s difficult to find beautiful places to host events in Washington County.  To contact their catering about the space, please call 503-372-5100.

***

Eden wins advocate award during Crime Victims’ Rights Week

One of our bilingual advocates, Eden Lopez, won an award for excellence in advocacy for treating all victims of crime with respect and dignity—pictured at right receiving his award from Attorney General John Kroger!  Congratulations Eden!  Eden was honored at the Crime Victims’ Rights Week commemoration on Monday April 19, 2010 in Salem, OR.  Thank you for all of your compassionate service to the community, and for all you’ve done at our Protective Order Advocacy Program!  Eden, Anna, & Rhonda make a fantastic team that we join Crime Victims’ Rights Week and the Oregon Department of Justice in honoring.  Thank you.

***

Volunteer writes grant and organizes yoga group for survivors at Monika’s House Shelter

Amarylis Fernandez volunteers at Monika’s House

Monika’s House Shelter is blessed to have volunteer Amarylis with us once a week!  She organizes and conducts a once-a-week yoga group for survivors at shelter.

Amarylis currently works at the Forest Grove School District as their AmeriCorps Program Assistant in their Partnerships for Student Achievement
program.  Amarylis is passionate about making a difference in her community.  She clearly recognizes the critical importance of volunteerism by not only organizing volunteers for her day job, but also giving her own time, energy, and skills as a volunteer, herself.

“When I moved to Oregon this summer, I was looking to volunteer with a center that serves women escaping situations of domestic violence and found the Domestic Violence Resource Center (DVRC). Specifically, my goal was to teach yoga to women (and men) residing in the shelter and DVRC was very open to the idea.

I currently lead one hour yoga classes once a week. And thanks to a grant from Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, I was able to purchase a full set of props for them to use: yoga mats, blocks, blankets and straps. I wanted to lead these classes because yoga improves self-esteem, teaches mindfulness, impulse control, patience, acceptance of self and of the surrounding world, and greatly improves personal empowerment. All of these can help break the cycles of violence.

Some of the shelter residents may have begun class a little apprehensive or unenthusiastic, but by the end of class they’ve all expressed how relaxed and peaceful they feel. This is what keeps me coming each week: knowing that, even during this chaotic and transitional time in their lives, yoga allows them to experience presence and peace.”

Thank you so much for providing these resources and your support to survivors at Monika’s House!  Amarylis provides a valuable service to our shelter, and our survivors really appreciate the opportunity!

In This Issue:

Amazing kids make strides in our Children’s Intervention Program
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Soroptimists Against Violent Environments (SAVE) works to support local shelters
Domestic violence in the news

Join Our Mailing List

Amazing kids make strides in our Children’s Intervention Program

The power of bubbles, imaginary friends, and role models

Six year-old Makayla was having nightmares.  So, her Mom decided to bring her to the Domestic Violence Resource Center’s Children’s Intervention Program to work with one of our counselors.  The counselor worked with Makayla every week on creating an imaginary safe place and on relaxation techniques, such as blowing bubbles.  Makayla spent the entire session one week practicing bubbles, her favorite activity.  The next week her Mom reported that the nightmares had stopped.  That session Makayla opened up and started talking about what home was like for her.

12 year-old Dominic created an imaginary friend, Diego, who he would talk about in sessions with one of our Children’s Intervention Program counselors.  The counselor would talk about Diego and asked questions acknowledging Diego and learning his story.  The next session, Dominic opened up to the counselor about life at home, crying in session.  Dominic then felt comfortable enough to discuss the reasons why Diego came to exist.

A mother and her three children, ages 13, 8, and 5, came to Monika’s House Shelter.  Not too long after their arrival, the children had to stay on their own for two weeks at the Shelter and were looked after by shelter staff.  These resilient, brave children did so well because of the eldest: Sierra. Sierra helped the shelter staff bathe, cook for, and play with her younger two siblings.  She stood up without complaint and took the role of caretaker.  She would help the shelter advocate read them all to sleep at night, and let the 5-year-old sleep with her in bed.  Eventually, the children were reunited with their mother, who had been dealing with health issues, and came back to Monika’s House Shelter.  After finally moving out together into a place of their own, Sierra told the shelter advocates that when she grew up she was going to work at a shelter so she could help families like her own.

These amazing children inspire all of us here at the Domestic Violence Resource Center each and every day!  Did you know that we are the only non-profit in Oregon that provides free clinical counseling to children who witness domestic violence?  Please support these services to 250 children like Makayla, Dominic & Sierra, by donating today!

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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Soroptimists Against Violent Environments (SAVE) works to support local shelters

SAVE donates movie night packs & Mothers Day Baskets to Monika’s House Shelter, and organize annual strawberry shortcake fundraiser for May 8th & 9th

SAVE generously put together “movie night” packs for each survivor at Portland-area domestic violence shelters, including Monika’s House (SAVE member & work party pictured at left).  These were enthusiastically received by our survivors.  SAVE is also putting together baskets to celebrate mothers at shelter for Mothers Day, an annual gift by the club.

SAVE is a coalition of local Soroptimist clubs who work to prevent domestic violence and support local domestic violence non-profits. “We know that this issue is huge and multifaceted, and we hope to contribute to the work you do every day in the area of critical need,” says SAVE Funding Committee Chair and the Soroptimist International of Hillsboro Club President Connie Kintz.

Come check out the great work in the community that SAVE does to support local domestic violence service providers at their annual Strawberry Shortcake fundraiser in partnership with New Seasons on May 8th & 9th from 12-4 PM at a New Seasons near you!

***

Domestic violence in the news

A Multnomah County Health Department (with help from the Q Center) study on the LGBTQ population found that people who identify as LGBTQ are more at-risk for domestic violence relationships than the national averages.

A nationwide report, Not Enough: What TANF Offers Family Violence Victims, produced by Legal Momentum and the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence (NRCDV)  came to the conclusion that the current TANF system is letting domestic violence survivors fall through the cracks.  “For too many victims, TANF does not provide what they need to be safe. It is not enough.”  What has your experience been?

Who should enforce restraining orders?  A little-noticed U.S. Supreme Court case could have a major effect on DV survivors. What do you all think?

A press release from the White House proudly trumpets that the health care bill abolishes use of domestic violence as pre-existing condition.

The March 2nd OPB Think Out Loud segment on domestic violence & the economy generates a very lively online debate.

VP Biden focuses on dispelling myths on domestic violence and sexual assault in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April).  Biden, champion of the Violence Against Women Act, also brought attention to the plight of male victims.  “Why don’t you report it? Because you’re ashamed,” Biden said.

Be the first to hear about these issues by becoming a fan of Domestic Violence Resource Center on Facebook!

In This Issue:

40-hour training now open to the public
Benefit Show on Saturday, March 27th
Volunteer Feature: Charlotte Corelle
Oregon legislature bans the insurance company practice of defining domestic violence as a pre-existing condition
Survivor Letter to Our Supporters
Thank You!

Join Our Mailing List

40-hour training now open to the public

One month away—reserve a space now!

Next Training:  April 12th through the 16th, 2010-six spots still available.  Next 40 Hour Training: September, 2010
Cost: $500*
Time: 9 am to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, April 12th-16th
Place: Multiple locations in Washington County

Registration Form

This five-day, forty hour training covers the State of Oregon mandated information needed for staff and volunteers to serve survivors of domestic violence in-person and unsupervised.

ALL 40+ hours of the training are mandatory according to State requirements.  For any community members taking the training any missed sessions will disqualify you from certification of completion of the 40-hour training.  Please see the Registration Form for more details.  Scholarships are available.

*Scholarships are available.  Of course, partner agency participants and interns will, as in past years, benefit from continued free access to Domestic Violence Resource Center 40-hour trainings.  We rely on strong collaboration between partner agencies in our community, and look forward to continuing this tradition that is so critical to the success of our clients.  The decision to charge for the training is in response to outside demand for the training, agency analysis of the unsustainable amount of time and resources spent coordinating and giving trainings, the market value provided by the trainings, other similar agencies best practices, as well as our commitment to responsible stewardship of resources entrusted to us by the community. We are happy to discuss this process with any interested partner agencies.

***

Benefit Show on Saturday, March 27th

Featuring Dasha & the Bear, A. King, Julia Lucille, Oakland Birds, and The Terrible Dogfish.

Singer-songstresses extraordinaire! Jazzy-folk crooning and multi-instrumented orchestration of indie sing-songs!

100% of cover ($5-$10) benefits our program—a donation from all of these wonderful local musicians.  Come out and rock out with us!

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Volunteer Feature: Charlotte Corelle

This month, we’re paying tribute to Domestic Violence Resource Center volunteer Charlotte Corelle (pictured at right with her son). Since January Charlotte has been helping us create relationships in our local business community. She’s joined our first ever Autumn Affair event committee and every week has been making cold calls, putting applications together, and all of the leg work that comes with landing sponsorships. Charlotte started as a donor with our organization, but wanted to get more involved. 

How did you first hear about us?

I was planning on making a donation during Christmas to a local non-profit, and was researching non-profits on the Donors Resource website.  I was specifically looking to make a donation to an agency that deals with domestic violence, because I was very upset about the recent, horrible spate of violence.

What interested you in volunteering for us?

I had made a donation to your organization and was shocked to learn that Domestic Violence Resource Center is the only resource of its kind providing shelter in Washington County.  I couldn’t personally contribute additional funds to DVRC at that time; however, I wanted to learn how I might otherwise help expand such services in Washington County.

What keeps you coming back to volunteer?
It’s a sense of making a contribution to the cause and making a difference.  Also, I’ve enjoyed getting to know you all in the office and working with people who are motivated to make a difference.  I’ve also enjoyed learning about non-profits and how they function.

I know we’re not the only people you volunteer for.  What else do you do in your free time?

I’m on the Board of my home owner’s association.  I also volunteer with No One Dies Alone, where you sit vigil with people who are transitioning to the next stage; people who are dying.  I’m also on the Tigard Parks & Recreation Advisory Board.  Volunteering has always been important to me.  Years ago I volunteered for Portland Women’s Crisis Line in the 1980’s, so this cause has always been close to my heart. In addition to volunteering I’m also looking for a new position.  I spent many years in the healthcare data analysis field, and am looking for related positions, but also possibly work in the non-profit field.

Thank you so much for all of your hard work and dedication, Charlotte!  It’s people like you that make our free services possible.

***

Oregon legislature bans defining domestic violence as a pre-existing condition

“I think my reaction was amazement,” Rep. Suzanne VanOrman (D-Hood River) said. “[I was] truly amazed a victim would be discriminated against, because it’s such a horrific episode in a person’s life.”

The practice is not happening in Oregon currently, said VanOrman, but she wants to make sure it will never happen here.

She sponsored House Bill 3631, which prevents a company from denying or reducing coverage based on “physical or mental injuries sustained as a result of domestic violence or sexual violence or treatment received for such injuries” as a pre-existing condition in the State of Oregon.

This bill is a pro-active step by our local government so that domestic and sexual violence victims can’t be discriminated against.  We are proud to be Oregonians!

An informal survey by the House Judiciary Committee in 1994 found that half of the 16 largest insurers in the country considered domestic violence in deciding whether to approve health coverage. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department reported a year or so later that nearly one out of four insurance companies factored in domestic violence when deciding whether to issue or renew policies.

Currently, eight states and the District of Columbia don’t have laws that specifically bar insurance companies from using domestic violence as a pre-existing condition to deny health coverage, according to a study from the National Women’s Law Center.

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Survivor Letter to Our Supporters

Monika’s House Shelter Resident Story

“To Whom It May Concern,

I arrived at Monika’s House Shelter on November 30, 2009.  I was referred to Monika’s House by a non-profit for immigrants.  I came to Monika’s House in search of guidance, to assist in rebuilding my life.  From the time I was a child living outside the country, I have endured severe physical and verbal abuse from my family.  As an adult I encountered the same abuse with my significant other.  I have suffered traumatic experiences, physically, emotionally and sexually.  Including severe bodily injury; verbal attacks, cultural and social isolation, and rape.

I feel very thankful that I had the opportunity to be at Monika’s House.  I never knew places like this existed, especially for men.  I was treated with dignity and respect at all times from staff and other people at shelter.  I was given the opportunity to think clearly and feel like a human being.  Most importantly, through the domestic violence groups I was able to learn about domestic violence and its affects.  This left me feeling free of self blame, and gave me a better understanding of what I was dealing with.  I have made improvements through counseling and my life is better due to the time and help DVRC and Monika’s House gave to me.  I now have full-time employment and was able to secure stable housing.

Thank you.”

***

Thank You!

Wonderful Community Response

Thank you all so much for reaching out to us and for forwarding our needs (2/10/2010 in-kind donation ask email) to your friends, family and community.  Thank you for looking at our in kind donation needs list and seeing what you have that we need.  We have received enough yarn to start our crocheting group, and have received mattresses to put on our empty beds!  We also have a few leads for new computers that we’re working on.  Over a dozen of you reached out to us and responded to our call.
Thank you all so much for your support in helping us with these last-second needs!

In This Issue:

Survivor Testimonial: a letter update from one of our past clients
THANK YOU!
This Saturday: Sheena Mendoza Memorial Tournament
40-hour training now open to the public
Now Accepting Applications

Join Our Mailing List

A letter update from one of our past clients

Survivor Testimonial

“Dear [counselor name],

Mother and sonI wanted to write you a note to say thank you for helping my children and I through a very hard year.  The DVRC program has really been there for us.  The very nature of DV has been the harshest of beasts to bind and recover from.  You can account for the years of foundation building in simple basics—safety, feelings, constant reality adjustments and perception correcting…. not to mention basics needed—legal help, food, even Christmas presents for the kids.

Finally, the time was right and my children could step forward and face and share their pain, the betrayal, their anger and every other emotion that comes from such horrifying abuses.  If for one moment I had ever thought the bruises were the worst of my pain it quickly burst into feelings that shocked my system so strong as to question even my core understanding of good and evil—deepening my experience of guilt and betrayal.

And so the hurricane has hit our shore and sad eyes at night pierce my heart and flash-backs transport me into scenes of the horror movie he lived and I hold him and tell him he’s home and safe and we cry, and I sit with him at night with all the lights on because he is afraid of the dark. When he finally sleeps I go to the far side of the house and sob into a pillow so as not to wake the children.

It all sounds hard and I won’t lie because, well, it is—but there is a difference that I have come to understand during this storm.  As the stillness of the eye of the hurricane passed over I realized that this pain is different.  It is healing pain—a pain with hope that grows in spite of the hurt.  I think it may be like the cancer victim, whom after being sick for so long finally gets the awful diagnosis—then with the life/death implications of such a diagnosis, begins the painful radiation treatments.  During the treatments they feel worse than they remember ever feeling from the cancer itself—but it is the treatment that gives them any and all hope for life.

I have concluded that this is what is happening and I will grasp onto that hope as I vomit the guilt and anger and disillusionment each day—and hold my children’s hands as they heal—and we will all go bald together but in the end our hair will grow back and we will be new and strong.

You and the DVRC are a major part of our survival. Domestic violence is a hard beast to bind and its families are hard to help.  Thank you for not giving up on us—please never stop reaching out to DV families.

With deepest heart-felt thanks, God Bless You!”

***

Thank you!

This Saturday!  Sheena Mendoza Memorial Tournament

Edit: Guest Article by Aaron Crawford: Losing One of Our Own

Guest article by friend of Sheena, and tournament organizer, below

Date: Saturday, February 6th
Time: 11 am, warm up at 10 am
Place: Hot Shots Billiards
4900 SW Western Ave.
Beaverton, OR 97007

Please call the event organizer, Aaron Crawford, at 503-619-6404 to sign up to play or for more information about the Memorial Tournament.  There are 64 slots available.

  * Silent Auction All Day
  * Hair stylists from Great Clips (her former employer) will be there cutting hair for a suggested $20 donation
  * Information about domestic violence provided on site

Download the event flyer here and place in your work breakroom, you business’s front window, attach in your organization’s newsletter, etc.

Why organize this tournament?  Crawford, friend of Sheena and organizer, said: “in my heart of hearts, I just want people to be aware.”

Losing One of Our Own
Guest Article, By Aaron Crawford

Sheena was a very bright and intelligent young woman, beautiful as she was talented. Looking at her you could tell at a glance there was more to this young woman then could be seen through the naked eye. I suspect even those who don’t believe in a higher power could feel the heavenly love she shared with all of whom she came into contact with.

Sheena Mendoza was always the first person to help when there was a crisis. She was the “strong one” everybody was able to look up too, it’s just who she was.  She was able to take on the troubles of the world, lending a helping hand whenever it was needed (usually no questions asked).  The reason Sheena was able to touch the lives of so many people in her young life was because of the strong family values taught to her by her loving family.

November 28th, 2009

Gage and I showed up to Hot Shots (Beaverton, OR) around 9:00 pm and saw that the pool hall was unusually busy that Saturday night, there were a whole lot of new and old faces there that night…” Read the article in its entirety on this page.

***

40-hour training now open to the public

Reserve a space now!

Next Training:  April 12th through the 16th, 2010-six spots still available.  Next 40 Hour Training: September, 2010
Cost: $500
Time: 9 am to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, April 12th-16th
Place: Multiple locations in Washington County

Registration Form

This five-day, forty hour training covers the State of Oregon mandated information needed for staff and volunteers to serve survivors of domestic violence in-person and unsupervised.

ALL 40+ hours of the training are mandatory according to State requirements.  For any community members taking the training any missed sessions will disqualify you from certification of completion of the 40-hour training.  Please see the Registration Form for more details.  Scholarships are available.

April 12-16, 2010, Training covers:

DV 101 - 3 hrs
Anti-oppression - 3 hrs
Compassion Fatigue and Self Care - 1 hr
General Orientation - 1 hr
Confidentiality - 1 hr
Safety Planning - 1 hr
Dynamics of and Working with Law Enforcement - .5 hr
Effects of Domestic Violence on: Elder and Disabled People - 1 hr
Dynamics of and Working with the Legal System - 1 hr
Dynamics of and Working with Protective Orders - 2 hrs
Dynamics of and Working with Abusers - 3 hrs
Effects of Domestic Violence on: Diverse Cultures   1.5 hrs
Intimate Violence: Stalking - 2.5 hrs
Crisis Response and Advocacy - 1.5 hrs
Effects of Domestic Violence on: Women and Men - 1.5 hrs
Foundations of Counseling - 3 hrs
Dynamics of and Working with Survivors - 2 hrs
Effects of Domestic Violence on: Children - 3 hrs
Intimate Violence: Dating Violence - 1.5 hrs
Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse
Effects of Domestic Violence on: Sexual and Gender Minorities
Intimate Violence: Sexual Assault

***

Now Accepting Applications

Please apply to be on-call as a Monika’s House Shelter advocate

On-call Shelter Advocate at Monika’s House

Hours to be determined at time of hire, at-will employment; Reports to the Shelter Coordinator; Pay rate hourly, DOE.

Overnight, Weekend, or on-call Advocate works at Monika’s House Shelter.  Position requires professional contact with diverse social, ethnic, religious, and cultural groups.  Some driving required.  Must be able to work with representatives from schools, colleges and universities, businesses, law enforcement agencies, social services, government offices, and community service groups. Required dress is at minimum business casual.

Requirements:

Prefer at least one-year experience working with victims of domestic violence.  Must have knowledge of domestic violence including causes, history, cycle of violence, and best practices in serving victims of domestic violence, or be willing to attend agency 40-hour training. Excellent written and oral communications skills.  Computer literate.  Clean driving record with valid driver’s license and proof of insurability. The ability to provide direct services unencumbered by any personal domestic violence relationship.  A calm, caring, well-organized person will excel in this position. Prefer bilingual English-Spanish.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Report to work for the scheduled shifts
Be on time for scheduled shifts, meetings, trainings, and appointments
Speak, read, and write English fluently
Communicate clearly in person and on the telephone
Conduct family and individual intakes
Ensure that clients have read and understand house and agency policies, procedures, and guidelines
Ensure that clients understand confidentiality requirements and protocols
Offer short-term case management for clients working to live independently, free of violence
Advocate for clients regarding housing, transitional housing, transportation, employment, medical and mental health care, legal issues, immigration, public schools, AFS, and SCF
Conduct one-on-one client assessments and goal-setting
Facilitate support groups and parenting groups
Maintain the shelter, grounds, and equipment in safe working order
Develop and maintain effective relationships with other agencies and organizations
Maintain confidentiality of clients’ and agency’s information
Maintain required records in compliance with laws and agency guidelines
Maintain high standards of personal and professional integrity
Represent the agency professionally in the community
Help to develop and maintain a positive work environment
Work respectfully and cordially with staff, volunteers, program directors, clients, and the community
Be mindful of the agency’s budget and conserve agency resources accordingly
Other duties as assigned by supervisor

For employment information please visit this page.

If interested, please send a resume and cover letter to Amy Gettings, Clinical Services Director, at amyg (at) dvrc-or (dot) org.

Guest Article
By Aaron Crawford

Sheena was a very bright and intelligent young woman, beautiful as she was talented. Looking at her you could tell at a glance there was more to this young woman then could be seen through the naked eye. I suspect even those who don’t believe in a higher power could feel the heavenly love she shared with all of whom she came into contact with.

Sheena Mendoza was always the first person to help when there was a crisis. She was the “strong one” everybody was able to look up too, it’s just who she was.  She was able to take on the troubles of the world, lending a helping hand whenever it was needed (usually no questions asked).  The reason Sheena was able to touch the lives of so many people in her young life was because of the strong family values taught to her by her loving family.

November 28th, 2009
Gage and I showed up to Hot Shots (Beaverton, OR) around 9:00 pm and saw that the pool hall was unusually busy that Saturday night, there were a whole lot of new and old faces there that night.  You had Gary and Laura behind the counter, Chris B and Randy on table 3, Pat on 7, Long(time)on table 6 just to name a few. I started to look around and I noticed one of the regulars playing 9 ball with a nicely dressed young woman, she was down on a shot so I wasn’t able to really tell who it was at first, then she looked up and smiled and I did a double take—it was Sheena looking just ABSOLUTLY STUNNING with her long white jacket, black blouse and white slacks, a new hair style and a million dollar smile.

Later that night around 9:30 or so Sheena moved her stuff over to our table (3) she had a smirk on her face and a twinkle in her eye so you knew something was up and it was going to be in interesting night to say the least. It didn’t take long for the jokes and sarcasm to start flying back and forth between all of us; this went on for what seemed liked hours. I’ll never forget the amount of energy and spirit she had that night—she was just electric.

As the night progressed I noticed Sheena kept checking her phone so I asked her, “What’s up, you doin’ OK?” She said “Yes, I just need to call my Aunt’s house and check on my Mom to see how she is doing.” (the Mendoza Family has been hit hard this year with the unexpected passing of Sheena’s father Dennis on October 31, 2009) Sheena excused herself and went outside to make her phone calls, she came back in 10-15 minutes later. She played a couple more games with us and said, “I need to take off before too much later, I need to work in the morning”. She grabbed her Green Viking and her 1x2 case, put on her long white jacket, gave us all a hug and said “I’ll see you Tuesday for the tourney and I’ll make sure to bring my Pom-Poms.” She smiled. She walked out the door, case in hand and that would be the last time we would ever see her again.

Nov 29,2009, Sunday morning
Sheena got up that morning and got ready for work just like she would’ve any other day. Before she left for work that morning she told her Mom that she loved her, she grabbed the keys to the truck and headed out the door. Sheena showed up to the salon where she was the Assistant Manager. Sheena went to the break room and put her jacket away, got her clippers and started doing what she was passionate about, and that was being a stylist, the other thing she had a ninch for was getting to know so many people in such a short time, she was well known and people spoke highly of her.

Later on that day her ex-boyfriend showed up to the salon unexpectedly, she greeted him with a smile as she did with everybody who had walked through the doors of the salon. I don’t know exactly what was said but Sheena and her ex went back into the break room to “talk” and out of nowhere MULTIPLE SHOTS RANG OUT from the break room and in the blink of an eye the beautiful young woman who we all loved and cherished was gone for ever her precious young life taken so suddenly and so violently to domestic violence.
You might ask yourself “what can I do.” Well, you can take the first step, you can call the Domestic Violence Resource Center crisis line toll free 1-866-469-8600 or local 503-469-8620 (http://www.dvrc-or.org) and talk to the staff about your concerns, they can give you information and help on how best to assist victims. When someone is experiencing domestic violence, they often first turn to friends or family members for help. By learning more about domestic violence, you can provide life-saving information to your loved ones experiencing abuse. Speaking out about what you observe could save someone’s life.  END THE SILENCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE!!!!!
“Continuing to keep her spirit alive”
Sheena Mendoza
May 4,1989 November 29, 2009
Memorial Contributions may be made to:
The Sheena Mendoza Memorial Fund
At any US Bank Branch
Or you can call Aaron Crawford 503-619-6404
For all other donation information
Phone numbers and website provided by
Domestic Violence Resource Center
Local 503-469-8620
Toll Free 1-866-469-8600
http://www.dvrc-or.org
Thank you to all of you for your help and support

Laura,thanks for all of your help!

In This Issue:

Annual Ask Progress: We’re almost there!
Sheena Mendoza Memorial Tournament
First survivor and her child placed in new transitional house on Dec. 31st
Car Donated by Mike & Keri Bloom

Join Our Mailing List

Annual Ask Progress: We’re almost there!

31,028 thank you’s to the tremendous outpouring of support

Thank you to all of the wonderful donors who have generously replied to our ask with their personal gifts.  Thanks to these donors we are ALMOST to our goal of $32,100—which is what we need to make ends meet.  We will end our fund drive on 1/31.  So there’s still time to send us a check or donate online.

Here’s a note that one of our donors sent in last week that really made our day:

“Thank you for being there for my daughter and I.  You helped her through a very critical period.  It’s been 5 weeks since she took a firm stand and ended the relationship for the last time.  She is taking a day at a time and actively working on her recovery from this destructive relationship.  I pray daily for her continued safety.

You are providing a “life saver” for so many.

Happy Holidays
Sincerely Yours,

xxxxx”

This year, due to cuts in funding (read about our financials here, or email me for more information), we asked people to give more to us than they have in the past.  And they did.  People recognized that demand for our services was increasing, and knew it took more resources to answer this demand, so they increased their gift.

Help us reach our goal—and surpass it!  It’s a powerful statement to the survivors we serve that we live in a community that cares.

Please donate today.  And track our progress towards our goal on the front page of our website!  This appeal is critical to the health and vitality of our services as we help those in need.  People like you make possible our free and bilingual shelter services, advocacy, counseling and support groups through 13 experienced staff members and 12 Masters-level social work/counseling interns who provide services to over 10,000 people a year at three different locations across the county to people from all over.

If you have any questions or would like more information please don’t hesitate to contact me, Sarah Keefe, Comm. Outreach/Ed./Development Coordinator at sarahk (at) dvrc-or (dot) org or call 503-640-5352 x 308 or 503-926-3245.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support.

***

Sheena Mendoza Memorial Tournament

Edit: Guest Article by Aaron Crawford: Losing One of Our Own

Pool tournament planned in remembrance of Sheena Mendoza, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend on November 29th at her workplace in Hillsboro

Date: Saturday, February 6th
Time: 11 am, warm up at 10 am
Place: Hot Shots Billiards
4900 SW Western Ave.
Beaverton, OR 97007
Entry Fee (to take part in tournament): $25

Please call the event organizer, Aaron Crawford, at 503-619-6404 to sign up to play or for more information about the Memorial Tournament.  There are 64 slots available.

  * Silent Auction All Day
  * Hair stylists from Great Clips (her former employer) will be there cutting hair for a suggested $20 donation
  * Information about domestic violence provided on site

Download the event flyer here and place in your work breakroom, you business’s front window, attach in your organization’s newsletter, etc.

Why organize this tournament?  Crawford, friend of Sheena and organizer, said: “in my heart of hearts, I just want people to be aware.”

Sheena was 20 years old when she was shot to death in the breakroom of her workplace, Great Clips, in Hillsboro by her ex-boyfriend Curt Wise.  He committed suicide shortly afterwards.  Two weeks prior to the murder she had moved back in with her mother.  Sheena had come into the Domestic Violence Resource Center’s office the week prior to her murder for her first appointment to get a restraining order.

The Mendoza family had to suffer the death of Sheena’s father in October of 2009.  Less than two months later Sheena was murdered.  During the investigation, Sheena Mendoza’s family issued a statement through Hillsboro police that they will “honor the memory of the Sheena by working toward and finding solutions, education, and prevention of domestic violence.”

See:
Hillsboro police identify shooter, victim in hair salon killing (Nov. 30th)
Family Mourns Victim In Great Clips Shooting (Dec. 2nd)
Obituary: Sheena Mendoza, 20, service Dec. 5
Domestic violence needs exposure to public’s light (Dec. 4th)

***

First survivor and her child placed in new transitional house on Dec. 31st

Thank you to all who donated to help make this new program possible in time for the new year!

Thanks to the support of the community the Domestic Violence Resource Center now has a transitional housing option in addition to a crisis shelter.  In the economic downturn securing affordable housing is often the largest barrier to a person living a self-sufficient and independent life.  The transitional home opened its doors for the first time this holiday season, and on Dec. 31st the first client and her child moved in to begin the year-long program.

We’d like to thank the following people who donated furniture to help us put together the new home, donated by Martin & Lori Rausch:
Arden Adams
Cindy Coe
Community Warehouse
Marlene Harmon
Pat & Bob Hunter
Sarah Keefe
Sarah Mati
The Rausch’s
Rebecca Sharp
Also, many thanks to those who offered furniture but due to size and space we were unable to accommodate.

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Car Donated by Mike & Keri Bloom

Station wagon in fantastic condition donated for use by Monika’s House Shelter

Thanks to the continued commitment of Keri and Mike Bloom to helping survivors of domestic violence in their community, Monika’s House Shelter now has a station wagon!  This will be enormously helpful in picking up and helping to move shelter clients in and out of shelter, as well as picking up larger donations.

Mr. Bloom has donated cars to the Domestic Violence Resource Center in the past, as well.  He says it’s always been important to him that he do what he can to help support our shelter and the “important work that you do”.