——— CENTER FOR Hope AND SArETY Officers President Jefe Fenser Vice President Gal Seine! Secretary Shey Kien, LS “Teeacer Pla MS Inamedinte Pst Present Sian ODeper Board of Trustees Maa Bskin BA [any RCo Daido “hte Dome Dane Mate Harden, Mswast on Roe M. Heck ‘Willan Melero. Ey. Kimberly EJ: Mowsavian Gata A ye ra Weis MPA Pau K. Yoon Ex Ine Mine PRD Diner of Development Jean Kc Newsletter Sli end Writes Jeti Fer Jean ich IhlyeMyoe PhD U's. POSTAGE PERMIT NO. 1818 HOW TO REACH U: -cmisvav ee 2014965287 * 12 Overlook Ave, Ste. A * Rocha ak NI O7662 Julye Myner, PhD, Exective Director ® Jean Kirch, Director of Development Soler Program Offic: 209-836-1078 * 2ou" Notre 201-944-9600 ‘or infoehopeandsafetynjorg * Webs: wunwhopeandsafetyn rg ~~ ~~ CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS ~~ ~~ eee ee rns tn Socning of Hope IOC ES IETS Annual Golf Classic Vigil Walk Together Against Domestic Violence 7 An Evening of Hope Honorees ; Music for All Seasons S Glitzzie.com Susan O'Dwyer Save THE DATE FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS June 12, 2017 Oct. 4, 2017 Oct. 14, 2017 ‘Marx Your Caenpar For THESE UPCOMING Votunreer Opportunies Mother's Day Giftwrapping May 13, 2017 Client Picnic June 3, 2017 Paine the Town Purple cx. 27, 2017 ‘Thanksgiving Giveaway Nov. 13-17, 2017 Holiday Giftweapping Dec, 1-24, 2017 Contact Gervonn Rice, Volunteer Director, at 201-498-9247 x333 or gervonn@hopeandsafetynj.org. For more details on the above events visit: wwwhopeandsafetyn).org——nm™ CENTER FOR HOPE AND SAFETY Pa — Celebrating 41 Years — beyond eke ana toma ates stele ‘Annual Newsletter 2017 New at the Center: A Full-Fledged Legal Services Program and mos difficulc and dangerous—step for an abused caving an abuser is considered the biggest, most important — Le to take, As momentous and courageous a itis, leaving is just te firs step fon what is often a long and difficult journey toward safety, security independence, and hope. The road can In 2016 we took a major step forward by establishing, forthe fest ‘ime, a program thac gives women direct legal representation across a host of issues that arse in domestie violence situations, from obtaining temporary and final restraining orders to handling custody and visitation disputes (ee the story of Irene and Bob below). The program does not provide direct legal representation A jin divorce cases but will offer advice and counsel Belong and winding with quent psi 4 =e brane of hve women] nance cst wll ofr ave and co cut of our court system along the way icici Wesel bem | women es — Working hough che cours can ba daunting | “We are hee for you and | Ot Eta Service Progam ok ar in 2016 = ir ba hesppurtuarene a = ee _ PY HP | cone arcorncy and Lizmar DePrima as a full-time and alone, ican be utterly terrifying. Victims of | gf the tnay”™ : eee eaaert a legal program administrator, working out of our a : typically fearful Katheryn Miller, E59. ency’s headquarters in Rochelle Park. Both despairingly low self-esteem, and donit know theit legal rights Batterets often try to convince vitims that they have ro legal recourse and may use children as a weapon to manipulate the relationship. The legal process is especially intimidating for women with limited proficiency in English and viesims who are At CHS, itis our mission to ensure that an abused! woman never hha to travel this road alone. When ic comes co legal matters, we have consistently offered counseling and support throughout our 4-year history, accompanying our clients to court appointments, discussing legal options, and advocating for them in other ways. ‘women bring a strong profesional background to the job. Kate worked for Partners for Women and Justice in Essex County, an ‘organization providing legal aid co DY vietims, and before that she was with the Women’ Law Center in Maryland, Lizmar fuene in both English and Spanish, worked ar domestic violence agencies in New York and is experienced in handling a wide range of paralegal responsibilities “The program is made possible by a generous donation from Judy ‘Taub Gold and a Vietim Assistance Grane from the state government. “Our legal services initiative serves a much-needed Continued on page 7 Our Legal Team Takes Action rene and Bob were married for 25 years. Irene supported Bob through medical sehool and raised their thee children while he worked asa doctor. Bob, however, often controlled Irene. He told her what kind of clothes to wear, and Irene was always sure to sake the food that Bob enjoyed. When Bob fos his job, he started to control Irene even more. He demanded thac she beg him for gas and grocery money. He told hie that his unemployment vwas her Fauland called her stupid and ugly. He ‘began throwing houschold items acher and demanding tharshe be quiet around hhim unless he was speaking ther. IFshe tried co leave the home without his 4. Permission, he'd accuse her of having an af Katheryn Miller, Attorney at Law, ané Lemar DePrima, Legal Adminstrator Irene did not know what to do, Bob had been the breadwinner in the family, and she had not worked in many years. She was also embarrassed bout what was happening and did not ‘want to tell her family oF friends, Finally, Bob broke a table and threw inside this issue A Letter From the President page 2 ‘A Letter From the Executive Director one ofthe ley at her page? ee 2016: Making a Difference stomach, rms ‘Acknowledging Our Commun Irene called che Center for aaa Hope and Safery Hotline pages 6 and was referred ro Kare Upcoming Evens ase Continued on page 7CENTER FOR HOPE AND SAFETY A Letter From the President of the Board Together, dear friends, we can change the face of domestic violence «came up to meata community networking lunch in January slancing at my name badge. “Youte from the Center for Hope and Safety,” he noted. He paused and sighed. “I dont know cexactly where to begin.” [And I didnt know exactly what to expec. His name was Peter, He looked me in the eye and said quietly, “My daughter was a victim of domestic violence. Six months ago. We gave her clothes to your agency. ‘We made a donation at the holidays i ike to help in other ways All the seatstes about domesti violence are simply numbers on paper until you see the face and hear the voice of someone whos life has ‘been seared, someone who has suffered an ireparable los. Ac the lunch I had an opportunity to introduce Peter to Julye Myner, ‘our Executive Director, and Jean Kirch, Director of Development, 0 explore the best ways for him ro connect with us, knowing thacin che most important way we were already connected to one another, and always will be ‘Connections are what we seek, connections are how we help cach ‘other. Last summer Jean staffed an information rable a the iPic movie theater in Fort Lee; management was kind enough to donate a portion of the evening’s proceeds. Just before the show began, a young woman hurried up to the table and sad, “Ihave to alk to you while my boyfriend isin the res room. I really need your help.” We connected with her “The face of domestic violence isa face of worry, fear, anxie and anguish, [cis face our staff sees every day, a face they ate determined to transform into a face of hope and promise by investing an endless measure of time, thought effort, energy and love, You don't have to be a CHS staffer to make a difference and rouch the lives of people who live in harms way. Our many friends in che Bergen ‘Couney community show how they eare in endlessly creative and individual ways, whether they give oftheir time, talent, resources, or any combination thereof. + Angela Stevenson just held her seventh annual “rubber stamping” party (think ink, paperraft, homemade Valentines) to benefie CHS, raising ‘more than $4,000 (and more chan $16,000 over the years). ‘+ Maggie Rabelo knits scarves throughout the year, then swaps them for donations to our agency—S1,500 in 2016 alone. + More than 200 volunteers fom high school students to retirees, showed up to gift-wrap at local shopping centers over the holidays, sing ‘more chan $17,000 and helping build awareness of domestic violence. ‘These are cottage industries of hope. We are grateful for every such fiend we have. Right now we need as many friends as we can find in ‘our own Bergen County neighborhood, a atime when government suppor tall levels is iffier chan i has been in many years, Yes, there is alk of totally eliminating federal funding from the Violence Against Women Act. Asa cating nation, I choose o believe we're better than tha, ‘May weall find common ground and common purpose in the will .o rake domestic violence a relic ofthe past. Together we can make this a better and brighter, sweeter and safer world for all iffy hot. Presiden, Board of Trustees Come. Join ws, A Letter From the Executive Director Community Strong fencer for Hope and Safety is a reflection of ( the strength of our community. Its support js crtieal to our ability to surmount domestic violence, a salient and enduring issue in Bergen County. Over the past 2 years, 70% of all murders inthe county were related to domestic violence. Every year, our Emergency Hotline answers more than 6,000 calls averaging over 16 a day) from our neighbors seeking help because their lives are shattered by domestic violence. We, at Center for Hope and Safty, are fortunate and grateful ro be part of strong community fueling our mission-driven work 0 help vitims ‘of domestic violence Every sep ofthe way and in so many ways, the community is by our side, Dedicated volunteers supplement the work of our professional staff—answering hotline cals, cooking meals with our shelter 2 residents, tutoring the children we serve, providing clerical support, and raising awareness about domestic violence. ‘Much of che suppore we provide for our cients is enhanced by the ‘numerous drives organized in towns and townships throughout the county, whether by groups of friends, students, social clubs, local businesses, corporations, or houses of worship. Our pantry i stocked with food donations, our shelter’ residents have warm coat collected in coat drives, children in our programs always have new back-to- school supplies, and families are deeply touched at che holidays co receive food and gifts from the community so that they can celebrate with theie families. Serong community suppor is also evident by the attendance a so ‘many of our events, including our golf outing, wine tasting, and annual dinner now named An Evening of Hope, all of which funds to provide essential services. This past Continued on page 7Rebuilding Livessyon New at the Center ... continued fom page 1 role,” notes Julye Mynet, CHS Executive Dicctor. "Many of our clients have low incomes and are not able to afford private legal help. We provide free counsel in a wide varity of family law hearings. Without our intervention, they very likely would have to represent themselves.” From March to December of 2016, che ‘program provided legal advice and counsel to 109 clients and direct legal representation to 43 of chem. Of the 109 clients we served, 89 had positive outcomes, including obtaining a final restraining order, winning custody of their children, establishing safe visitation. arrangements for thei children, obtaining child and/or spousal support, and being informed and advised of cheit legal rights. Six clients had negative outcomes, 11 clients ‘withdrew, and theee cases ate ongoing. The typical case involves addressing not just one ‘but epicaly ewo or three differen legal mateces of urgeney Clients are referred to the program from our emergency shelter and transitional housing facilities, from our community outreach program, and from Project CHILD. In addition to representing clients in formal hhcarings and trials, Kate and Lizmar help che client prepare for court appearances, conducting mock direct and cross- examinations to let her know what to expect. ‘They also prepare her for the emotional jole of facing her abuser inthe courtroom, where she may find herself accused of being an unstable person and a bad mother. “Nor everyone can do this—it takes alot of strength,” says Kate. “Is inspiring co see how these women grow. When they make it through the legal and emotional ordeal become empowered, get a job, starta new life—that is the most rewarding thing for us, knowing that we have helped them get there.” ‘There are definive advantages to working as an attorney within a socal service agency like Center for Hope and Safery, Kate adds. “In aadition to eaking care of legal matters, [can coordinate with a caseworker to meet a client's needs in a holistic way, connecting her to other resources that can help her with housing, education, employment, and overall selfsuffciency: les especially gratifying to see hhow much che Centers caseworkers care abouc cheir clients. They are involved and, deeply committed to making things beeen.” As are Kate and Lizmar, our dedicated and passionate Legal Services team, Our Legal Team ... Continued tom pe Mille, our staff atomey. Kate helped her file fora Temporary Restraining Order, and represented her in her hearing. Unfortunatly, afer the court granted Irene 4 Final Restraining Order, Bob began to use the legal system co abuse her. He filed motion afier motion, bringing lene to court once a ‘month for many months, He claimed she was ‘mentally unstable and an unfie mother. Kace was able ta represent Irene on all ofthese ‘motions, Eventually the court ordered sanctions against Bob for his abuse of the legal system and false allegations against Irene. Without CHS, Irene would not have had represent her court butles against Bob, She did not qualify for any other Bergen County legal program Without Kate’ help, Irene could have lost her children. Because of the CHS Legal Services Program, Irene and hae three children ate together and safe A Letter From the Executive Director ... Continued from page2 fall, our first annual Walk to End Domestic Violence in Van Saun County Park was a particular sucess as it connected many new ‘community members o our mission, Our corporate partners ae a pillar of strength for ‘our events through generous sponsorships and employee participation. We also receive remarkable support from fundraisers ‘organized by socal clubs, schools, houses of ‘worship, businesses, Chambers of Commerce, and individuals. “The strength of our community is demonstrated by its vital financial support of Center for Hope and Safety. More than one third of ‘our budget comes from community dollars In addition tothe money raised through vents, a large amount of community Funds come from responses to our Anal Appeal as well as from donations and foundation {grants from individuals, files, financial institutions, associations, and corporations. ‘Without these helping hands, we would noc beable o offer the breadch and scope of intensive services that can be life-changing ‘The survival of our community's domestic violence vietims depends on the community itself, including each and every one of us Your support not only ensures our viability asan organization, it also helps our clients understand that: they are not alone; eheir rnighbors care about them: and chey are part of one community. Your support pierces through the isolation caused by cyees of abuse haunting their lives, further :moving victims toward becoming survivors (Our reliance on community support is increasing, Over the past year, Our programs hhave been impacted by a substancal reduction in government funds resulting ftom a $60 rillion stae budgec cut for emergency assistance, an important source of financial support for shelter stays. These cuts pose a significane challenge co our emergency shelter ‘operations. Compounding the issue, the current federal administration is reportedly considering eliminating all funding for che Violence Against Women Acc (VAWA), \which would also reduce support for our programs and services Despite these challenges, our robust partner- ship with all of you in the community gives us confidence. The strength of the community will continue to be the strength of Center of “Hope and Safety and tha of vitims of | domestic violence. Together, we will continue to make a difference. And for that, we THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts yenye Maen Executive Director OOCENTER FOR HOPE AND SAFETY Acknowledging Our Community Partners vate and corporate grant Funding, along with government support and individual donations, help us bring critical services to families at Center for Hope and Safe. The following grant Funding vas received to assist with our mission Center for Hope and Safety Programs ‘The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation $10.00 Special Services School Distie CME Group Communigy Foundation Nordstrom, Inc. Norwex (OritaniBank Charitable Foundation Providene Bank Foundation “The Wawa Foundation $1,165 10,000 $5,000 10,000 $25,000 $3,500 $2,000 $2975 $8.00 $5,000 ‘Community Chest of Englewood Eascen Bergen County Care Foundation, Project CHILD Program ‘Temple Sinai of Bergen County Project Self Suficiency Ps Allsate Transitional Housing Program ‘Columbia Bank Foundation ‘Avon Foundation Church of the Aronement Lillian P Schenck Foundation PNC Foundation PSEG Foundation 1,500 $6,825 $12,060 17,000 $1,100 $11,000 $5,000 $3,500 Parsee nig Lona pany LLC ae Nan eae ea centent ore etc pero ca Noah Helping Hands Center for Hope and Safety receives many generous donation from local een een ee as ee eer ee eRe pear aretl BREE Ey se = cr mad eae erg er omcatcenrent ns Oe On een Teer none Tete eas er hen ory comer) Rear) nae ron tema ‘oundation Cia Marilyn Sandler hs 4 oe ry na eT es aaary er Peete Seer eer Coreen The Junior League of eee car re ee te Jae Blas Ton peareer ee Peace ac eeten con Ree ee hc ane eee hen) Loti and Gary Cohen ZaNiNar coma cect ae et Barry David Ce $500-$999 rien fam Backinwomen received families received emergency shelter and Follow-Up Services transitional housing non-shelter children families were served were served in Project by our DCP&P / CHILD Domestic Violence Liaison Counselors people in the community received domestic violence education hotline calls were answeredCENTER FOR HOPE AND SAFETY Annual Gala Thank you to the following sponsors for contributing to the success ofthis event: 24-Hour Hotline Sponsor Blavatnik Family Foun¢ Project Self-Sufficiency Sponsors (Cynthia and Jeff Forster Maryrose and William McInerney Gail Scinl Emergency Shelter Sponsors Jane and Michael Muephy Central Unitarian Church Honorees (Pam \illam and Michele Calse poeree cea as Zeldin, Jeff Merrigan, and Robin and Brook Se Cannata) with Jeff Forster, CHS Board Community Outreach & President Follow-Up Sponsors " i Hackensack University Medical Center Susan and John O'Dwyer Client Assistance Sponsors Beneflex, Inc Sheila Bernstein Janet Blaustein Bogota Savings Bank Ridgewood Moving Services Jennifer Porter and Robin Hughes Cynthia Myer, Trustee, and Diane Baviello, Paul K. Yoon, Esq Gala co-chairs with James Tedesco il, County Executive ‘We Par’Teed at our Golf Classic ‘Thank you to the following sponsors for contributing to the success ofthis event: Lunch Sponsors Gaston Electronics, In Inserra Shope Supcrmarkers Kim 8¢ Bae, BC Refreshment Sponsors Haymarket Media, Inc Kim & Bae, PC. ¥ William Meinerny, Trustee, Rich Gomes, Gall Gordon and Roberta Stern “Tee Sponsors ‘Michael McCarthy, and Richard Kelly Air Brook Jee Aviation Teterboro Malesard, Quackenbush, Swift 8 Co. LLC OritaniBanke Charitable Foundation Paula and Alvin Star Closest to the Pin Sponsors Sanzari Companies Scirocco Group, Inc 4 Longest Drive Sponsor {ec Aviation Teterboro - nee Cocen Comtece§ Chris Figula “practicing” his shot, Jim Schappert, Billy Marotta, Tom Powers, Putting Green Contest Sponsors and Mike Marotta Shelby and Al KleinVolunteers from National Council of Jewish Women Bergen County Section created a projet called Making Meals Together for our liens, which includes preparing meals and dining withthe women and children inthe shelter Lin Nelson, center, Melanie Struble, far left, and her staff of The Body Image Boutique provided our cients witha relaxing night of Yoga and Reiki Sonja Clark, Director of Community Relations, ‘Suez North America worked with CHS and Suez ‘employees to provide trucks and manpower for ‘our cent pienc, donated funds for our Purple Purse Challenge, collected shoes and coats for ‘our drives, and provided volunteers for our holiday giftwrapping kristen and Dan Meredith, Dan Meredith ‘Agency, Rutherford partnered with CHS for ‘the Allstate Purple Purse Challenge and presented Jean Kirch, Director of Development, with a check for additional funding from Allstate Foundation, Employees of Glitzie.com came out in fll force for our Fist Walk Together Against Domestic Violence in October. Team Glitzziecom won prizes for having the most team members and raising the most funds. Max and Jake Klein (far left front), founders of Kids That Do Good.com, organized a ‘Thanksgiving food drive at their Leonia School Monica Dressler and Dana White, Jersey Women Strong, delivered complete ‘Thanksgiving dinners and grocery store gift cards for 100 of our clients, Ths organization has been doing ths for our clients since 2013, Employees of GM Financial, Paramus, dressed for the holidays and dropped off holiday gifts for our clients with Adam Weber (far right),.VP of Credit Operations Employees from AT&T were some of the many “elves” who helped us with our giftwrapping fundraiser at Paramus Park Mall Visit www.hopeandsafetynj.org to learn about our services, how you can help and agency news