A Year in Review: The volunteers who have furthered our work in 2009

As 2009 comes to a close, we wish to pay tribute to the countless volunteers who have furthered our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women throughout the past year. While these photos capture just a tiny fraction of our volunteer base, we thank ALL of our volunteers from the bottom of our hearts for thousands of hours contributed, hundreds of donations collected, and countless lives touched by their generosity.

Jeanne Cochran and WSAZ's Jessica Ralston pose with Soroptimist Club chairwoman Margi High at the annual Soroptimist Fashion Show to benefit YWCA Sojourner's on April 4.

Morgan Miller won WSAZ's "Hometown Hero" award for her Easter basket surprises for homeless children at the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter.

Volunteers at the YWCA's "24: The Underground" rave party on April 24.

DJ Brian Blackout and creative volunteer extraordinaire Alex Morgado.

Volunteers at the India Heritage Fair on May 16, who donated all of the proceeds from their delicious home cooked Indian dishes to the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program.

Members of the Vandalia Rotary Club donated a truck full of laundry supplies along with two sets of washers and dryers to the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter.

Local artists Kemp McElwee and Susan Poffenbarger again volunteered as co-chairs of our annual Vintage Art Auction.

Erin Brewster and Julie Jarrett volunteered countless hours to the planning of our 2009 Girls Night Out "Girls in Pearls" event to benefit victims of domestic violence through YWCA Resolve.

Graphic designer Amanda Easter and Girls Night Out co-chair Karen Farmer were instrumental in organizing and spreading the word about Girls Night Out.

Volunteers from the Kanawha County Association of Retired School Employees spruced up the grounds of the YWCA Alicia McCormick Homes.

Immogene Bennington volunteers more than 40 hours each week in the front office of the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter and saves our program the cost of an entire full time staff member's salary each year.

Volunteers from BB&T cleaned windows inside and out at the YWCA Shanklin Center during the United Way Day of Caring on September 16.

BrickStreet Insurance volunteers spent their Day of Caring completing landscaping projects outside the YWCA Past & Present Gently Used Clothing Store.

Volunteers from Star USA Federal Credit Union gave rooms at the YWCA Child Enrichment Center much-needed coats of paint.

Ladies volunteered their time to make our Guys Night Out event on October 1 run smoothly.

Tom and Bobbi Grant, co-owners of Wellington's of Scarlet Oaks, have donated their time, talent, and restaurant space for 23 consecutive years to host the annual Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner to Aid the Homeless.

Volunteers serving a delicious meal at the Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner.

NFL superstar Randy Moss and his entourage surprised the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter with a truck full of new bedding, games and toys for the children on November 25.

Volunteers from Read Aloud West Virginia brought Santa to the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter, along with boxes of books for the residents on December 9.

Not In Our Town

Patrice O'Neil producer and filmmaker traveled to Charleston, WV last month in a whirlwind of follow up presentations to her award-winning PBS documentary “Not in Our Town." Patrice, along with NIOT Civic Engagement Coordinator Jason Wallach, toured West Virginia and led a series of open discussions about how to build safe, strong, hate-free communities throughout the state. Their new NIOT website was created in response to an overwhelming interest nationally as a tool for more discussion on race and tolerance and anti-violence measures.

Individuals from Morgantown, Logan, Charleston, and Montgomery, among others, attended the various sessions to learn more about continuing the dialogue, putting a stop to hate crimes and creating inclusive communities. At the first meeting held at the Charleston Area Alliance, the crowd was larger than expected and quite diverse. Guest speakers from Montgomery, WV were present to tell their story about being the target of a racially motivated harassment and beating (the officers have since been sentenced and incarcerated for their crimes). Attendees were moved by their story and expressed mixed feelings on how to move past dialogue into action and what kinds of dialogue and/or actions would be practical and useful. The crowd was motivated to make use of the new NIOT web page for continued discussion and brainstorming.

The subsequent meeting held here at our YWCA headquarters was also well attended, and several young people expressed their disappointment at the failure of their local school board for not including language to protect the rights of gay and lesbian students under the anti-violence policy. It was encouraging to see young people tell their stories and continue to voice their concerns.

The YWCA of Charleston, in conjunction with its umbrella organization OneKanawha, has since decided to become a virtual NIOT organization to put Charleston, West Virginia on the NIOT map. OneKanawha is a coalition of Charleston area organizations and individuals who share a commitment to living as a part of an inclusive community. Born during the summer of 2008 out of a series of community dialogs, OneKanawha's central purpose is to foster dialogues and conversations that will increase understanding among diverse people. OneKanawha is based out of the YWCA of Charleston, whose Racial Justice Coordinator serves as a facilitator.

Any person who shares a commitment to insuring that the greater Charleston continues to develop as an inclusive community is welcome to join the OneKanawha online network and keep up on the activities and events of OneKanawha. Email nfleming@ywcacharleston.org if you'd like to join the OneKanawha network - OR put yourself on the map by telling us what you've done to take positive action against hate and stand up for inclusion!

Plus, click here for a slideshow of photos from NIOT's visit to Charleston.

Hate Crimes Prevention Act signed into law after a decade of advocacy

More than 10 years after the brutal murders of gay college student Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., an African-American man, President Obama signed legislation named for them on October 28, 2009: The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The new law updates existing federal hate crimes statutes by expanding the legal definition of a hate crime to cover crimes committed because of a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability and lift restrictive requirements regarding engagement in a federally-protected activity. Also, the law provides resources to law enforcement officials including federal training and direct assistance, to combat violent, bias-motivated crime.

President Obama offered words of praise and encouragement to those who worked tirelessly on this legislation. "You understand we must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break break bones but to break spirits. Not only to inflict harm but to instill fear," the President told a crowd gathered in the White House East Room on October 28. The President cited FBI statistics of more than 12,000 reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation over the last 10 years. He noted that many incidents are never even reported.

Together with teary-eyed family members of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., President Obama stood at the podium and announced: "No one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love. No one in America should be forced to look over their shoulder because of who they are or because they live with a disability." We encourage you to watch the full video below on this milestone celebration.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has cited a rise in the number of hate groups resulting from anti-immigration rhetoric, the severe recession and the election of a black president. The FBI has reported an increase in hate-motivated violence particularly against Hispanics and lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Hate crimes victimize both individuals and communities and tend to be much more violent than other crimes.

Passage of the legislation culminates more than a decade of advocacy by over 300 organizations including the YWCA USA. We are so encouraged that measures such as this bring us small steps closer to our mission and the mission of YWCAs across the globe: eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

"The Choice" - Poem by a domestic violence victim's father

As National Domestic Violence Awareness Month draws to a close, we would like to illuminate an often overlooked aspect of domestic violence: the perspective of parents who see first hand the devastating effects domestic violence has on their children and grandchildren. The following is a personal testimony and poem submitted to the YWCA Resolve Program by Philip Jarrett - a caring father whose life has been changed by violence in his daughter's life.


Philip Jarrett: "My situation is shared by many. I have a daughter who is in an abusive relationship. I have five grandchildren watching their mother and father in violent, physical confrontations and learning that this is normal behavior for a man and a wife - that you're either the one giving the beating or you're the one getting beaten. I didn't know what to do. I really believed the best thing to do was to go along silently. Being a pacifist means I take violence out of my repertoire of reactions. It doesn't mean that I can't fight back in my own way. And the first step was naming what it was and what my daughter's abuser was aloud. I told him he was an abuser and a user."

"It's especially hard on a man in our culture of violence and vengeance under the guise of protection and love. I listen to people…men and women…on a bus talking about how they would beat up or kill someone over some minor offense to their worn out and unjustified pride. I watch movies that show victims of abuse learning to fight back, whicn can even end in the murder of their abuser. The wrongness and futility of using violence against violence both saddens and angers me."

"It has been difficult for me, as a man, to learn the only thing I can give my daughter, the best thing I can give her, is the choice to make her own decisions. So, as odd as it may seem, I am offering this poem for your use...or the use of any domestic violence group anywhere...in the hopes that other men who are faced with this nightmare I am living can be taught that violence from one man cannot be solved by violence from another."


the choice by Philip Jarrett

if i could catch you like a dark firefly
and hold you in my hand
prick my thumb with your mosquito’s tongue
till your eyes glowed bright again
then i would think my life completed
that i had finally done my part
and as my soul depleted
give my blood, not just my heart

but you are not an insect
to spare or slay with a swatter
and i am not so perfect
yet i claim you as my daughter
and life is not so gentle
and fate is never kind
and the price of love parental
is to give up love that’s blind

so i sit in stony silence
as befits a man who’s died
watch you suffer another’s violence
bear the bruises of false pride
i scream behind lips tightly stitched
burning bile has stole my voice
knowing you, alone, must come un-bewitched
and the best i have to offer you
is the choice

Copyright 2009 by Philip Jarrett

Flowers of appreciation

Tomorrow, (Tuesday, October 20) KIDS COUNT will honor West Virginia's 2,400 professional childcare providers by sponsoring a statewide "Take a Flower to Childcare Day." We encourage parents, young children and community leaders to show their appreciation for childcare providers by showering them with flowers of appreciation! Roses. Daisies. Carnations. Lillies. Real flowers. Silk flowers. Homemade paper flowers. Anything goes!

The goal of this celebration of our area childcare professionals is to raise awareness about the important role childcare providers play in the healthy development of young children, the stability of working families and the future of the state's economy. Researchers at Marshall University found that for every dollar West Virginia spends toward a high-quality early childhood development system, the state can expect a $5.20 return through higher academic achievement and future earning power and fewer juvenile delinquents and high school dropouts.

Take a Flower to Childcare Day is part of KIDS COUNT’s Kids First Communities Campaign, a statewide effort to build broad public support for new state dollars to improve childcare. In the Kanawah Valley, the YWCA Child Enrichment Center serves as the regional leader of the Kids First Communities campaign. If you don't have a childcare provider but simply wish to show your support, we would welcome your flower at the YWCA Child Enrichment Center at 201 Donnally Street in downtown Charleston. Join us in recognizing the importance of early childhood development and showing childcare providers how much we appreciate them!

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

As our president so poignantly stated in his official proclamation last week, October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month - a month to recommit ourselves to ending violence within our homes, our communities, and our country. An excerpt of his proclamation can be read below:

"Domestic violence touches the lives of Americans of all ages, leaving a devastating impact on women, men, and children of every background and circumstance. A family's home becomes a place of fear, hopelessness, and desperation when a woman is battered by her partner, a child witnesses the abuse of a loved one, or a senior is victimized by family members. Since the 1994 passage of the landmark Violence Against Women Act, championed by then Senator Joe Biden, our Nation has strengthened its response to this crime and increased services for victims. Still, far too many women and families in this country and around the world are affected by domestic violence. During National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we recommit ourselves to ending violence within our homes, our communities, and our country."

"During this month, we rededicate ourselves to breaking the cycle of violence. By providing young people with education about healthy relationships, and by changing attitudes that support violence, we recognize that domestic violence can be prevented. We must build the capacity of our Nation's victim service providers to reach and serve those in need. We urge community leaders to raise awareness and bring attention to this quiet crisis. And across America, we encourage victims and their families to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE. Together, we must ensure that, in America, no victim of domestic violence ever struggles alone."

The YWCA of Charleston echos President Obama's sentiments and encourages you to get involved and show your support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in and around the greater Kanawha Valley. Our October calendar highlights domestic violence awareness activities occurring in our area throughout the month. We also encourage you to participate in the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence's (WVCADV) “Light In the Window” public awareness campaign and display a purple candle in your window this month to show support for survivors of domestic violence. Purple electric candles can be obtained by calling the YWCA Resolve Program at (304) 340-3573 or the WVCADV at (304) 965-3552.

With Domestic Violence Awareness Month in mind, please consider that:

• A domestic violence homicide occurs once every 8 days in West Virginia.
• Domestic violence is the single greatest cause of injury to women in the United States – more than car accidents, muggings, and rapes combined.
• Homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women in the United States.
• 1 out of 3 women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused during her lifetime.
• 40% of teen girls ages 14-17 know someone their age who has been hit or beaten by a boyfriend.
• Domestic violence costs the U.S. economy $3 to $5 billion annually in job absenteeism, and another $100 million annually in medical expenses.
• Gay and bisexual men experience abuse in intimate partner relationships at a rate of 2 in 5 – comparable to the amount experienced by heterosexual women.
• Approximately 50% of the lesbian population has experienced or will experience domestic violence in their lifetimes.
• While 73% of domestic violence victims are female, domestic violence can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion or gender.

Be more than aware. Help us end domestic violence in our homes, our communities and our country.

WVIDA Program Launch - A new resource for domestic violence victims

Tomorrow morning marks the launch of an initiative that could change the lives of countless domestic violence victims and their families in West Virginia: the West Virginia IDA (WVIDA) savings match program. Both the media and the general public are invited to join us tomorrow (Thursday, October 1) at 10:00 am at BB&T Bank on Summers Street (6th floor dining room) to celebrate this groundbreaking opportunity to economically empower domestic violence victims in our state. Below we've answered some frequently asked questions about this new WVIDA initiative, as well as how it relates to our mission and programs.

What is an IDA savings match?
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are special matched savings accounts designed to help families and individuals of modest means establish a pattern of regular saving and ultimately purchase a productive asset – something of value that is likely to return substantial long-term benefits to its owner, like security, stability and opportunities for more income. A savings match is a promise to supplement a WVIDA participant’s savings deposits at a specific rate. For example, a 3:1 savings match means that for every dollar a WVIDA participant saves, he or she will have another $3 added to his or her total account balance.

What does an IDA have to do with domestic violence?
Economic abuse is a tactic commonly used by abusers to control their victims' finances and prevent them from leaving the relationship. Many people associate domestic violence with physical attacks, but damage to your credit score and being cut off from access to money create lasting scars that make it hard, if not impossible, for abuse victims to recover. Many victims stay in abusive relationships due to lack of resources to stand on their own two feet.

How does the WVIDA program fit into YWCA Resolve’s services?
The YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program is the pilot domestic violence agency in the state to launch this initiative. Our ability to offer the WVIDA savings match to qualified program participants is a valuable tool in our overall Keys to Financial Freedom financial literacy program, which enable domestic violence survivors to fully understand their financial circumstances and how to engage in short-term and long-term financial planning to accomplish their personal goals.

What can the WVIDA savings match be used toward?
The WVIDA savings match can specifically be used for the following productive assets: homeownership, home repair, small business development, and post secondary education.

Is there more to the WVIDA program than just savings matches?
Absolutely. Most people need more than just cash to become economically independent. For this reason, WVIDA participants must attend both a 10-part personal finance and money management workshop series, and a special asset-specific preparation program. These workshops are designed to help participants acquire or polish personal and financial skills that are essential for long-term success – skills like long-range planning, household budgeting, credit repair and savvy consumer habits.

What is required of IDA participants?
IDA participants are asked to commit to make monthly savings deposits of at least $25 for at least 12 months, attend a personal finance and money management workshop series, participate in asset-specific ownership preparation training (homeownership and business plan development) and support one another through on-going peer support meetings.

How is the WVIDA program made possible?
The WVIDA program is made possible through a partnership between KISRA, the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program. The 3:1 savings match is funded by a grant from The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and from the DHHS Administration for Children and Families.

YWCA and WVJC Helping Students "Dress for Success"

Tomorrow, West Virginia Junior College (WVJC) will begin its partnership with the YWCA Past & Present Gently Used Clothing Store to help students learn to dress for success. The college's new "Dress for Success" program will provide students with an opportunity to collect inexpensive interview-ready and career-appropriate attire and/or accessories. Donated business attire for both women and men will be supplied by YWCA Past & Present and made available to students in a make-shift clothing shop tomorrow in Room 102, and will become a recurring program to take place once every 12 week quarter.

Rose Winland, WVJC Student Services Coordinator and initiator of the "Dress for Success" program states:

"While it may be cliché, it is certainly true that individuals who 'dress for the position they want, not for the position they have,' tend to find this among other strategies they employ to achieve success in the business community. Our goal at West Virginia Junior College is to assist the students in obtaining the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in both professional and personal environments – and the ‘Dress for Success’ program is a way to further that goal."

All proceeds from the sale go to YWCA Past & Present, which generates critically-needed revenue to support the YWCA Alicia McCormick Homes for battered and homeless women and children. Donations of business attire and accessories are greatly appreciated, and can be dropped off at YWCA Past & Present, located at 1598 Lee Street, East, Charleston, WV 25311.

The YWCA of Charleston is proud to partner with WVJC in helping empower students who are working to create better lives for themselves and their families. Comments or suggestions regarding the Dress for Success Program can be addressed to Rose Winland, Student Services Coordinator, West Virginia Junior College, via e-mail: rwinland.wvjc@gmail.com.

YWCA Racial Justice Position a New Opportunity for West Virginia

The following post was written by Hallie Chillag Dunlap, a member of the YWCA of Charleston's Board of Directors and Chair of the YWCA Eliminating Racism Committee.

In the early weeks of the summer, Paul Sheridan came to me, and to the YWCA of Charleston with an idea of reaching out to the United States Justice Administration in the hopes of acquiring federal stimulus dollars to further the work of the Eliminating Racism Committee of the YWCA Board of Directors and our associated community group, One Kanawha. Members of these groups are consummate community activists, motivated by a strong social justice imperative. Members quickly recognized an opportunity to develop a staff position dedicated to this end through personal and community commitment and federal dollars.

As conversations evolved regarding how we could develop a social justice position to support our existing work, we realized that a grant application that reflected the YWCA's mission as well as community needs could truly empower a potential employee to do thoughtful and critically needed work in our community.

Furthermore, this would be a chance to meet both the requirements of the stimulus money (put someone to work) and to hire an individual to help to fulfill the mission of the YWCA, specifically our "eliminating racism" call to action. YWCA staff members (thank you Felicia Bush and Deb Weinstein) and community partners (thank you Paul Sheridan, Tracy Dorsey Chapman, JoEllen Zacks, Crystal Good, and Margaret Chapman among others) worked tirelessly to complete an intensive grant application in less than two weeks!

The dream of having a dedicated employee to push our equity work forward was an exciting and unprecedented opportunity. This individual would not have another job to distract him or her from our important mission! We realized that having a paid YWCA staff position could really grow what had been before exclusively volunteer work. Last month we were notified that we would have the opportunity to hire such an individual, which was an extremely exciting revelation for our community and committee members!

To this end, we are currently looking for a Racial Justice and Hate/Bias Crimes Statewide Coordinator. This position will coordinate a one-year, statewide, racial justice training project. In addition, the position requires that this individual facilitate statewide trainings in racial justice and hate/bias crime issues. This individual will also have the opportunity to develop a model community dialogue. We are looking for an enthusiastic, energetic individual with social justice priorities to come and dedicate themselves to the call to eliminate racism.

For more information, please see extended position specifications here.

To paraphrase the timeless words of Mahatma Gandhi, come and be the change you want to see in this world!

First Lady says "August is Girls Night Out Month"

The following article is a Monthly Message by West Virginia's First Lady Gayle C. Manchin, published on HuntingtonNews.net. The First Lady shares the YWCA of Charleston's passion for making each home in our community a safe place free from domestic violence. We thank her for her voluntary post on this issue and on our Girls Night Out event this coming Thursday that benefits victims of domestic violence through the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program.

August is 'Girls' Night Out' Month

August, 8, 2009 (HNN) -- August is a month of reining in our last summer activities, thinking of our new beginnings--whether it be the opening of school, band and athletic practices, or fundraisers as fall quickly approaches. My mind goes to the ‘Girls’ Night Out’ event which has become an annual favorite, not only here in Charleston, but across the state and nationally.

The theme this year is Girls in pearls: the black and white bash on Thursday, August 13, 6-11 p.m. at the Sunrise Mansion. All of these similar events were designed to draw attention and awareness to debilitating effects of domestic violence and the essential need for women to know they can and should be able to turn to other women for resources, support, and maybe above all, unconditional friendship. The YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program offers 24/7 shelter and supportive services for victims of domestic violence.

Unfortunately domestic violence is a horrific problem that continues to plague West Virginia at alarming rates; therefore, the YWCA of Charleston has begun a discussion on ending the cycle of domestic violence in our state. The YWCA of Charleston believes that all people – women, men and children – have the right to live their lives free of violence, oppression, and intimidation. Our very nation was founded on this premise; however, domestic violence directly violates these rights and makes the home a place of terror instead of a place of peace.

In our most recent data, the West Virginia State Police Crime Statistics Report, noted 14,315 reported incidents of domestic violence. Of these, 10,530 of the victims were female and 3,518 were male, illuminating the fact that violence and abuse is not limited to one gender and certainly no one race. Domestic violence is defined as any of several acts between family or household members causing or placing another in jeopardy of physical harm; creating fear by harassment, psychological abuse or threatening acts; committing sexual assault or abuse; and confining or abducting another person against their will.

Yearly, YWCA representatives are joined by other domestic violence advocates from around our state for Domestic Violence Prevention Day at the state capitol in a continuing effort to educate lawmakers and the public about this ongoing appalling dilemma in our state.

Although these are all steps in the right direction, it takes more than government, law enforcement, and service providers like the YWCA to fully combat this issue. Women empowering women is one more way that we can be advocates and a voice for all who are intimidated into silence. It takes the entire community to look after our friends and neighbors and be positive role models to our children and students. It takes all of us in rising up as a community and saying “no more” to the cycle of violence.

I would invite all women who would like to join us in Charleston on August 13 to register online at http://www.ywcacharleston.org/ or contact Carol Carroll, Phone: 304-340-3573 or Email: ccarroll@ywcacharleston.org or check for events in your community----better yet-start one in your community to insure that we eliminate victims and engage advocates!

United We Serve

This summer, President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama launched the "The United We Serve" program, encouraging all Americans to volunteer and improve their communities this summer through September 11, 2009. YWCAs across the country have joined hundreds of other nonprofits and community organizations in posting their volunteer opportunities to the site http://www.serve.gov/. This site was specifically to be a comprehensive clearinghouse of service opportunities throughout the country. First Lady Michelle Obama even released a special video about this project.

We have posted numerous YWCA of Charleston volunteer opportunities on this site, from reading to children at the YWCA Child Enrichment Center, to cooking healthy meals for residents at the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter, to sorting donations at the YWCA Past & Present Gently Used Clothing Store. Click here for a full list of our volunteer opportunities in Charleston, WV.

Like the President and First Lady, we encourage you to get involved and give back to your community during this last month of the summer. Sign up for one of our opportunities, contact a YWCA in your hometown, or go to http://www.serve.gov/ and look for special projects that fit your interests and talents. Whatever you choose, you will be helping someone in need and improving the quality of human life in your community. United, we serve.

Economic Abuse - Wall Street or Main Street?

A term commonly associated with Wall Street could apply on Main Street more often than you might expect. According to a new national poll released by The Allstate Foundation, 86 percent of Americans fail to see a connection between domestic violence and "economic abuse." In fact, when given a choice of definitions, the survey revealed that nearly eight out of 10 Americans link economic abuse to Wall Street woes or irresponsible spending.

On the contrary, economic abuse is a tactic commonly used by abusers to control their victims' finances and prevent them from leaving a dangerous relationship. Many victims stay in abusive relationships due to lack of resources to stand on their own two feet. In a recent press release by The Allstate Foundation, Jennifer Kuhn - manager of the Economics Against Abuse program - stated:

"Many people associate domestic violence with physical attacks, but damage to your credit score and being cut off from access to money create lasting scars that make it hard, if not impossible, for abuse victims to recover. For victims of domestic violence, economic abuse is much more personal - and dangerous."

The poll also found that more than 70 percent of Americans know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. With millions of Americans touched by domestic violence in some way, here are some of the warning signs of financial abuse the Allstate Foundation has identified:

• Taking money, credit card or property from a partner without permission
• Racking up debt without a partner's knowledge
• Purposely ruining a partner's credit score
• Preventing a partner from earning money or attending school
• Being forced by a partner to hand over paychecks
• Canceling insurance or credit cards without the partner's knowledge
• Harassing a partner at work to negatively impact a job
  

Building financial skills is an important key to overcoming economic abuse. Now more than ever, it is important that domestic violence survivors build economic skills to overcome financial instability - the leading barrier to exit and stay out of an abusive situation. Here at the YWCA of Charleston, we empower domestic violence survivors with the tools to become financially self-sufficient by providing shelter, clothing, transportation to work, money management classes, education, and job readiness assistance. Furthermore, we offer individual counseling and support groups free of charge and assist victims with obtaining free court and legal representation so they can receive the support they desperately need.

Thanks to The Allstate Foundation and the "ClickToEmpower" Campaign, the YWCA USA has been selected as one of four national organizations to partner in friendly competition to raise national awareness about economic abuse – specifically, how it can impact the personal safety and financial security of domestic violence victims and their families. The organization receiving the most votes at the end of the two-month campaign period will receive $100,000 to support economic empowerment education for domestic violence victims.

How YOU can "click to empower" domestic violence victims through the YWCA:

From July 15 through September 15, visit www.clicktoempower.org and cast your vote for the YWCA each and every day. Also, tell everyone you know to do the same - especially those who know and love the YWCA. Also, please promote this contest on your web site, blog, Facebook, Twitter, or any way you can! We can win this competition, but only with your help. Let's get out there and Click to Empower!

Urge your Senators to support the Hate Crimes Prevention Act

The following is information from the YWCA USA's Social Action and Advocacy office. Social action and advocacy have been the cornerstones of our national organization since it's inception almost 150 years ago. In communities across the United States, YWCAs like the YWCA of Charleston continue to work to improve social and economic conditions for all people. We work diligently to bring first-hand knowledge of how federal level policies and programs affect women, girls and their families in communities across the country. Historically, the YWCA USA has fought for issues such as the abolition of child labor, the 8-hour workday and desegregation and, today, we urge you to help carry on our long tradition in social action and advocacy.

Call your Senators now and urge them to support the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act (S.909). The Senate could consider the measure as early as Wednesday, July 15. The Matthew Shepard Act is a much-needed update to existing federal hate crimes laws. It expands the law to protect victims of crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity, and allows federal law enforcement to assist state and local jurisdictions in the prosecution of hate crimes. A companion measure, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, was passed by the House earlier this year.

Call your senators today at 202-224-3121 (Congressional switchboard) to urge them to strongly support this bill so that all Americans are protected from hate crimes.

About the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act

This bill would strengthen and expand current federal law by:

• expanding the legal definition of a hate crime to cover crimes committed because of a victim’s actual or perceived gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability;
  lifting the overly restrictive requirement regarding engagement in a federally-protected activity. Currently, the federal government can only prosecute a hate crime if the perpetrator intended to prevent the victim from exercising a federally-protected right, such as the right to vote or attend school;
• providing local law enforcement officials important resources, including federal training and direct assistance, to combat violent, bias-motivated crime;
• allowing the Department of Justice to help local and state governments investigate and prosecute hate crimes and/or allowing federal investigations and prosecutions when local authorities are unwilling or unable; and
• demonstrating the federal government’s resolve to address violence based on prejudice.

About hate crimes

• Hate crimes are committed when a perpetrator intentionally selects his or her victim because of the victim’s membership in a particular social group usually defined by characteristics like race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Hate crimes don’t just cause harm to the victim; they are designed to intimidate and terrorize whole communities on the basis of personal and immutable characteristics.
• According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, hate crimes tend to be much more violent than other crimes.

Who supports the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA)/Matthew Shepard Act (S.909, H.R.1913)?

• This legislation enjoys strong bipartisan support and is similar to legislation introduced in the 110th Congress.
• The legislation is supported by 300 civil rights groups, women’s groups, disability groups, and law enforcement agencies including the YWCA USA. The president and the attorney general also support this legislation.

Change begins with me - National HIV Testing Day

Tomorrow (June 27) is National HIV Testing Day and the YWCA USA urges all of us to get involved and spread the word in our communities.

Here is a snapshot of the U.S. HIV/AIDS epidemic today from a Kaiser Family Foundation fact sheet:

• Number of new HIV infections, 2006: 56,300
• Number of people living with HIV/AIDS: 1.1 million, including more than 440,000 with AIDS
• Number of AIDS deaths since beginning of epidemic: 565,927, including 14,627 in 2006
• Percent of people infected with HIV who don’t know it: 21%

The last statistic is staggaring. It translates to one in every five Americans who are infected with HIV doesn't know it. By finding out early if you are HIV-positive, you can begin treatments now that can help you stay healthy. Click here for many additional resources from the YWCA's HIV and AIDS Resource Center.

Here at the YWCA of Charleston, we believe that change begins with every single one of us. For this reason, we encourage you to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation for routine HIV screening in health-care settings for all adults, aged 13–64 and especially all pregnant women.

Free and confidential or anonymous tests are available. In Charleston and the surrounding counties, free HIV tests are available at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, Putnam County Health Department, Boone County Health Department, and Clay County Health Department. Visit www.hivtest.org, call 800-232-4636, or send a text message with your Zip code to "KNOWIT" (566948) for more testing sites, hours, directions, and other details.

Take the test. Take control.

Ending the Cycle of Violence in West Virginia

The YWCA of Charleston, WV is proud to once again take part in the “A Better West Virginia Challenge” in celebration of West Virginia Day. In last year’s post, we discussed stereotypes in West Virginia and how our organization’s mission of eliminating racism was (and still is) and integral component to redefining these stereotypes of the Mountain State. This year, we want to discuss the issue of domestic violence – a horrific problem that continues to plague West Virginia at alarming rates. Our challenge is to identify an obstacle that hinders West Virginia; therefore, today the YWCA of Charleston is stepping up to start a discussion on ending the cycle of domestic violence in our state.

The YWCA of Charleston believes that all people – women, men and children – have the right to live their lives free of violence, oppression, and intimidation. Our very nation was founded on this premise. However, domestic violence directly violates these rights and makes the home a place of terror instead of a place of peace.

According to the West Virginia State Police Crime Statistics Report, there were 14,315 reported incidents of domestic violence in the state in 2006 (most recent data). Of these, 10,530 of the victims were female and 3,518 were male. The report noted 38 domestic violence homicides statewide that year – an average of one every 9.5 days. Our state’s judicial system defines domestic violence as any of several acts between family or household members, including: causing, attempting to cause, or placing another in reasonable apprehension of physical harm; creating fear of physical harm by harassment, psychological abuse or threatening acts; committing sexual assault or sexual abuse; and holding, confining, detaining or abducting another person against their will.

As a whole, the state of West Virginia is taking a step in the right direction to eliminating domestic violence and making our state a safe place beginning in the home. On April 2, YWCA representatives joined other domestic violence advocates for Domestic Violence Prevention Day at the state capitol to educate lawmakers and the public about this ongoing horrific problem in our state. They showed their support for House Bill 2739 which, among other things, calls for Emergency Protective Orders to be served faster. We are also encouraged by the Supreme Court of Appeals’ initiative to have a new statewide Domestic Violence Registry up and running by this fall, which will facilitate communication about domestic violence protection orders so law enforcement can always access up-to-date information about domestic violence cases.

Although these are steps in the right direction, it will take far more than government, law enforcement, and service providers like the YWCA to fully combat this issue. It takes the entire community to look after our friends and neighbors and be positive role models to our children and students. It was only a matter of weeks before our community fell back into complacency after a young woman was violently murdered by her boyfriend in broad daylight at a Charleston Taco Bell. Where is the outrage now, when domestic violence incidents continue to rise?

Working with statewide organizations like the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the YWCA of Charleston hopes to set an example to other domestic violence programs across the state through the YWCA Resolve Program by offering secure shelter and emergency services to all domestic violence victims regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or socioeconomic status. Equally important are the classes we and other organizations provide to help male and female perpetrators end this cycle of violence by identifying abusive behaviors, recognizing the effects of violence on others, accepting responsibility for their behavior and developing healthier relationship skills. Our free counseling, victim support groups, court advocacy and monitored child visitation & exchange further move us toward our goal of breaking this horrendous cycle.

While these are important steps in our objective to eliminate domestic violence in our community and our state, far more work lies ahead. Most importantly, funding for domestic violence programs is critical and we thank the legislature and the governor for providing a supplemental appropriation of $1 million to fund these programs. Please join us in rising up as a community and saying “no more” to the cycle of violence.

Vintage Art Auction - with a twist!

Vintage art lovers and vintage car lovers unite! A 1955 DeSoto is the newest addition to the items donated to our 3rd annual "Vintage 3" Art Auction being held tomorrow (Thursday, June 18) from 5:30-7:30 pm here at the YWCA on Quarrier Street in Charleston, WV.

The silent art auction will feature more than 180 pieces of original artwork including pieces by our event co-chairs Kemp McElwee and Susan Poffenbarger (picture on the left), June Kilgore, Paula Clendenin, Robert Hart, Carol Toth, William E. Reed, Betsy Johnson, Betty Warner, Steve Payne, Diane White and JoAnne Jacobs. Oils, watercolors, pastels, photography, sculpture, pottery - you name it! Click here for a sneak preview of some of our featured artwork. All at very attractive prices, there's something for nearly any budget. Plus, you'll enjoy a lively social evening complete with music, wine and delicious hors d’oeuvres. It’s guaranteed to be a great party – and we hope you find that perfect piece while you’re at it!

After the silent art auction concludes, the live auction of the 1955 DeSoto will begin promptly at 7:30 with only a $500 minimum bid. All proceeds from Vintage 3 will benefit the YWCA’s social service programs and will be matched dollar for dollar through the $2 Million Challenge campaign. A minimum $25 donation is requested and pre-registration is encouraged but not required.

Calling all girls with pearls!

The High Hopes committee wants your unwanted pearls to create a fabulous ensemble to auction off at this year’s Girls Night Out event: “Girls in Pearls: The Black & White Bash” to be held August 13 at the Sunrise Mansion offices of Farmer Cline & Campbell. Ladies – check your drawers and jewelry boxes for any pearls you no longer wear and donate them to create a beautiful and unique treasure for a great cause. That old set of pearls or single pearl earring in your drawer could help create a brighter future for a victim of domestic violence.

Scott Petit of Petit Jewelry Designs has graciously agreed to create a beautiful and absolutely one-of-a-kind pearl necklace with these donations to be showcased and auctioned off at the event. The finished piece, entitled “Hope,” will be a collective expression of the donors' commitment to provide hope to domestic violence victims. Depending on the quantities and types of pearls donated, Scott may create additional pieces to be auctioned.

Cultured or freshwater pearls of all shapes, colors and sizes – we’ll take them all! Also accepting donations of gold Add-a-Beads for accents. Drop your pearls off at Petit Jewelry Designs at 1012 ½ Bridge Road by Monday, July 13. (showroom hours are 10-5 Mon-Wed, 10-6 Thurs, and 10-4 Fri-Sat) All donations are 100% tax deductible and proceeds from benefit victims of domestic violence through the YWCA Resolve Program. A tax receipt will be given on the spot.

Online registration is now up for "Girls in Pearls!" Get your ticket today! Tickets are $75 through August 9 and $100 after August 9 and at the door.

Representing West Virginia women and families on a national scale

On May 3, West Virginia Assistant Attorney General Janet James stood before the YWCA USA Annual General Assembly in Washington, DC and repeated an oath to uphold the YWCA’s mission of “eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.”James, who currently serves on our board of directors, was one of eight women sworn in that day to the National Coordinating Board (NCB) of the YWCA USA. This 21-member board represents nearly 300 affiliated local YWCAs serving 2.5 million women and girls each year. Globally, the YWCA USA is a member of World YWCA, which has affiliates in 122 countries that serve 25 million women and girls worldwide. James was elected as one of the two representatives of the Mid-Atlantic Region, which encompasses 49 YWCAs in nine states. Below you will find her reflection on being elected to this important position.

"I first became involved with the YWCA of Charleston because its work is crucially needed in our community and because those who do this work have such passion for the people they serve. I served as the YWCA of Charleston’s board president from 1999-2003, and for the past eight years, I have acted as the organization’s liaison to the YWCA Mid-Atlantic Region, along with our Executive Director Debby Weinstein.

When our Mid-Atlantic Region volunteer member came to her term limit on the YWCA's National Coordinating Board (NCB), I was compelled to run for the NCB because of my passion for and belief in the YWCA USA’s advocacy work at the national and world levels, and its development of hallmark programs dealing with racial justice and women's economic empowerment. I was thrilled to hear that I had won the election in January, and humbled to stand before the more than 300 women from across the country to be sworn in to the NCB on May 3, 2009. It is extremely important that the YWCA USA be visible and active on the national and world stages.

On the NCB I will be a part of the decision-making process for the endowment fund, property acquisition and sale, development of peer review standards and other business with local associations, such as gender-neutral petitions and disaffiliation, and maintaining linkages to the World YWCA, including determining delegates to the 2011 World Council Meeting in Switzerland. I am very grateful to the YWCA Charleston for providing me with the opportunity to have a leadership role in the work of the Mid-Atlantic Region and the YWCA USA. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which I will never forget.

The YWCA USA just celebrated its 150th anniversary in Washington DC. It is my hope that 150 years from now, the YWCA will no longer be needed for its current mission because there will no longer be homeless women and children, no one will be the victim of domestic violence, racism will have been eliminated, all employers will have on-site daycare, and women will have leadership roles in every aspect of life. But to get there, much work remains."

New words, same mission

Last week, the YWCA USA General Assembly voted by an overwhelming 91% margin to amend the organization's national bylaws and revise its mission statement to read:

"The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all."

This new mission statement has been pared down from the former, lengthier version:

"The YWCA is a women's membership movement nurtured by roots in the Christian faith and sustained by the richness of many beliefs and values. Strengthened by diversity, the Association draws together members who strive to create opportunities for women's growth, leadership, and power in order to attain a common vision: peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all people. The Association will thrust its collective power toward the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary."

The YWCA of Charleston plans to amend our bylaws to reflect this mission statement change during our Thursday Board of Directors meeting. What do YOU think about this change?

YWCA USA Celebrates 150 years of Eliminating Racism and Empowering Women

The YWCA USA celebrated its distinguished 150-year legacy as the nation's oldest and largest women's organization at a gala awards dinner in Washington, D.C. over the weekend.

First Lady Michelle Obama noted that "the YWCA has been on the frontiers of this nation's history, standing up for gender and racial equality." In a videotaped message to the YWCA, she remarked, "You fought for job opportunities for women and bringing down barriers that were used to limit the ability of all women to achieve their full potential, and your rich legacy has touched generations of women - mothers, grandmothers and daughters. I want to personally thank you for supporting the President's call to service. In these challenging times, we all have something to contribute."

For the past 150 years, the YWCA has been at the forefront of every social justice movement in America - from the abolition of slavery to voting rights, from civil rights to pay equity, and from violence prevention to global health. Today, its nearly 300 local associations represent the largest provider of services to battered women in the country, and offer critical community services such as sexual assault support services, child care and after school programs, transitional housing for homeless women, job training, leadership development, and economic empowerment programs.

"We are very proud of our 150-year history of accomplishments in civil rights, women's rights and human rights," said Lorraine Cole, Ph.D., YWCA USA CEO. "We look forward to another 150 years of serving American women and girls, and advocating for peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all."

Four distinguished American women leaders were honored at the dinner, which was held at the J.W. Marriott Hotel:

• Lilly Ledbetter is the Supreme Court plaintiff whose name is attached to the first bill signed into law by President Obama. It stipulates that the 180-day statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit can be reset with each new discriminatory paycheck.
• Patti Austin is a Grammy(R) Award-winning jazz singer, composer, and staunch activist against domestic violence who started the Blue Movement, a growing national campaign that brings together individuals to help stop violence against women, children and men.
• Eve Ensler is an internationally acclaimed playwright, author of "The Vagina Monologues" and co-founder of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls.
• Dorothy I. Height is an icon of the civil rights movement who also worked for the YWCA, leading its racial justice efforts for 33 years, and then later headed the National Council of Negro Women for many decades.

The YWCA USA is a national non-profit organization dedicated to social service, advocacy, education, leadership development, and racial justice. Established in the United States in 1858, the YWCA is the oldest and largest national women's organization, and celebrating its 150th anniversary. The YWCA USA is also a member of World YWCA, which has affiliates in 122 countries that serve 25 million women and girls worldwide. Visit www.ywca.org.

The YWCA of Charleston, WV - established in 1912 - is proud to be a part of this prestigious organization and is honored to further its mission in the Greater Kanawha Valley.

West Virginia is Moving in the Right Direction

Thursday was Domestic Violence Prevention Day at the state capitol, and West Virginia is definitely moving in the right direction. YWCA representatives joined other advocates for victims of domestic violence to educate lawmakers and the public about the issue. They also showed their support for House Bill 2739 which, among other things, calls for Emergency Protective Orders to be served faster. See the WOWK-TV news story about this day at the legislature.

West Virginia has made another giant step toward ensuring officer safety and better enforcing domestic violence orders, when the Supreme Court of Appeals launched an initiative last week to facilitate communication about domestic violence protection orders to law enforcement. This new statewide Domestic Violence Registry is a tool to communicate the court’s actions on domestic violence cases to law enforcement. The registry will create a bridge between the courts and the police, so police are always able to access up-to-date information about domestic violence cases.

According to Mary Anderson, Court Coordinator at the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program:

"The domestic violence registry will ensure officer safety and
better enforcement of domestic violence orders. This will enhance victim safety.
When law enforcement officers answer domestic calls, being able to physically
see a copy of the protective order and know the history of why the order was
issued will better equip them to assess the scene. When law
enforcement have the ability to use this nationally, it will greatly aid
the enforcement of domestic violence petitions on a national level. Nine
counties within the state of West Virginia are up and running, with a target
date of the fall of 2009 for the rest of the state."

See an additional interview with Mary here.