2016 January

We have been partnering with a team through John Brown University’s Enactus club since last fall. The Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter team is full of energy and great ideas about how to help the shelter succeed and create sustainable sources of funding to carry us into the future including a new fundraising concept–Swift Thrift.

Watch this video where they explain our project and what we will see in the future:

FEATURED PROJECT: NWA WOMEN’S SHELTER – UNILEVERToday, we’d like to introduce you to one of our local projects. These students have worked countless of hours with the Women’s Shelter here in Northwest Arkansas to help them build a sustainable future. Take a look and learn more about this awesome project. Enjoy!#FeaturedProject #NWAWS #EnactusJBU Enactus USA John Brown University Northwest Arkansas Women’s ShelterSeeing Opportunities – Taking Action – Enabling ProgressMany thanks to everyone who contributed to the making of this video!

Posted by Enactus JBU on Sunday, January 24, 2016

Join us on Valentine’s weekend for three showings of The Vagina Monologues hosted by the University of Arkansas Gender Studies’ Department. All ticket sales will benefit NWAWS and we will have staff and volunteers at each showing with more information on our services and ways to get involved.

For more information on the play, visit Eve Ensler’s website.

Will you be going? Let us know—RSVP on Facebook.

(Above photo: John McGee, Executive Director, presents “Friend of NWAWS” certificate to Scott Cargile, President, Ozark Off Road Club)

A couple of months ago, on November 19, 110 off-road vehicles and over 300 people participated in the second annual Ozark Off Road Adventure rally organized by the Ozark Off Road Club.

In addition to having a weekend of fun and networking, the Club also wants to give back to the community.

“The Ozark Off Road Club membership voted to support the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter during a club meeting in early 2015. Our membership felt that the work NWAWS does is invaluable to our community and worthy of our club support.” – Larry Cole (Club director)

We are honored to be selected in 2015 as the organization Ozark Off Road Club voted to support. Through their work, they presented a check to NWAWS that provides 40 days of emergency safe shelter for someone who is ready to break the cycle of abuse and violence and to pursue a peaceful, healthy life.

For more information on the Ozark Off Road Club, visit http://www.ozarkoffroadclub.org/.

To learn more about other events that are being planned, visit our Current Community Activities page.

If you are affiliated with an organization considering ways to support NWAWS and its mission, you may learn about how we can partner together by going to our Third-Party Fundraising page.

Almost 1/2 of the residents living in the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter are children.

And almost 1/2 of the children are in the age range of Birth to 4.

Children who live in our Shelter face the childhood trauma of fleeing a violent home environment.

According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, children who are exposed to domestic violence tend to perform poorly in school. They have more difficulty concentrating and completing their work in school. They also have lower scores than their peers in areas of motor, social, and verbal skills.[1]

We have a child advocate who focuses on helping the children in our shelter process the trauma and chaos to which they are exposed. She works not only with the children and their parents while they reside in the shelter, but she also organizes a child support group that meets when our adult support group meets.

We are committed to helping our children and our families strengthen their family interactions and adopt healthier emotional responses.

And there are many in our community who are also committed to helping us by investing in our children.

Ways our community has given to our smallest victims in 2015

Prepared them for school — in style and with confidence

IN Marketing Services wanted to help our kids succeed in school. They bought every kid in shelter and our outreach kids a brand new backpack filled with school supplies, as well as provided new outfits and shoes for each kid to go back to school with confidence and style.

Got them swimming

The Jones Center in Springdale provided free swimming for our kids.

Threw them a birthday party

The Birthday Blessings group threw parties for each kid that celebrates their special day with us. The provide pizza, drinks, cake and ice cream for every resident. They shower the birthday child with attention and gifts and bring an air of joy and excitement to all who attend through feats of juggling, party games and a prize box.

Sent them to Fast Lanes

Fast Lanes Entertainment donated 50 free passes to our kids this summer. The kids were able to go bowling, play laser tag and drive go-carts for free–and enjoy being a kid.

Sent them down water slides

The team at the Rogers Aquatic Center asked their season pass holders to donate any passes that would go unused at the end of the summer. Several of our kids got to go somewhere they’d never been before because of the generosity of our community.

Connected them with the wild

Gentry Safari donated a day of visiting to a van full of kids this summer.

Threw a great Halloween Party!

Embassy Suites in Rogers hosted Trick or Suite to provide a safe environment for our kids and others in the community to trick or treat. Before the big event, they also provided our clients with costumes in all sizes and with lots of props and make-up.

Gave them a great Christmas Season

Individuals, groups and teams sponsored our clients and their families for Christmas. Each child and adult who received our services was eligible to participate.

Got a personal visit from Santa!

The NWA Coupon Club made arrangements for Santa to visit the kids in shelter and brought gifts and stockings. Santa even brought gifts for all the adults, as well!

Gave an inside tour of a corporate jet

This past summer the team at Walmart Aviation invited the kids to come out to their facilities and take a tour. We got to sit in a corporate jet while a real pilot talked to us about flying.

Provided them with fun activities

A Layout Team at Walmart organized an Easter egg hunt and provided a pizza picnic afterwards for our in-shelter and outreach clients.

A Mary Kay team celebrated the holidays with our families by providing a meal. They then allowed the kids to pick out a special Mary Kay gift for their moms and assisted in wrapping them.

Gave them food

Summer time is hard on most families as kids are home for 3 meals a day. Rogers Public Schools delivered a healthy breakfast and lunch for EVERY kid residing in-shelter during the week. Andy’s Frozen Custard donated boxes of frozen treats. The food pantry at St. Vincent de Paul kept us stocked in fresh fruit and vegetables for years—and earlier this year, our new partnership with the NWA Food Bank provided more fresh meat than we’ve ever seen here!

Did you know summer months are our peak months for children living in the Shelter?

If you or a team would like to provide access to special activities or would like to donate to cover the costs for transportation or admittance to special activities, please contact us (479-246-0353, info@nwaws.org).

It’s time to begin planning for the summer!

Thank you to all of our community partners — individuals, groups, teams — for caring about the children

and for investing your time and money to help the smallest of the victims we serve!

[1] See http://www.nctsn.org/content/children-and-domestic-violence.

Fresh StART was an elegant evening at The Grand at 117, combining the jazz music of Claudia Burson Trio, wine, and art. Honorary co-chairs for the event were Don Frieson, EVP Operations, Sam’s Club, and Debra Layton, SVP Merchandising, Walmart Stores, Inc.

For his second year, Thomas Arvid was the feature artist. His works portray the wine experience and the art of living graciously. Visit www.thomasarvid.com to learn more about Arvid and his works.

In addition to works donated from 32 local artists and artists, artwork from residents and outreach clients of the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter was showcased. Fresh StART perfectly aligns with the mission and programs of the NWA Women’s Shelter as adult and child advocates incorporate art as a therapeutic process to help clients connect with the emotions of the abuse they have experienced.

Fresh StART generated $50,000 in net revenue to enable the NWA Women’s Shelter to continue empowering families to live free of violence!

For a viewing of the photo gallery, click here to view Fresh StART photos.

Special thanks to our sponsors:

Additional sponsors included:

Catapult Marketing

Kimberly Clark

Simmons Foods

Abby Stanfill, Nancy Cash, Ashley Batchelor, Taylor Johnson, Phil Betts, Kristin Yearkey, Sheldon Cordeiro, and David Buono Photo credit: 3W Magazine

A lemonade stand during BFF • High School Clubs • Mystery bartenders • Mustang car show

Baby Product Drive • A golf tournament • Wine and hors d’oeuvres with friends and neighbors • Movie theatre • Birthday Parties

Casual day at work • Trick or Suite • Toy drive • Scary-Oke • Off-road vehicle weekend

What is the common thread of all of these?

They are all third-party fundraisers or drives.

Caring, creative members of our NWA community organized events or drives to raise additional funds or to ask for donations of products or other goods for the Shelter or for our Thrift Store (which provides $1 out of $4 in gross revenue for our services).

In 2015, friends of the Shelter generated over $20,000 in new revenue by organizing events or drives on their own, with limited involvement (or no involvement) of Shelter staff, with proceeds benefiting the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter.

Creative ideas and opportunities are endless.

If you, your team at work, a professional association or civic group, or your friends and family want to help victims of domestic violence break the cycle of abuse but you don’t know where to start, think about organizing a fundraising event or drive.

If you want to know when and where events or drives are taking place, go to our Current Community Activities page.

To get started with a Third-Party fundraising event or drive, go to our webpage to learn more: Third-Party Fundraisers.

Highlights of Third-Party Fundraisers in 2015:

While nearly half of the people we shelter are children (more about kids we serve in a future post), a majority of the individuals who seek our services are adults. And while we do serve men who qualify for our services (read more about male victims here), the majority of our adult clients are women.

So it brings our staff and supporters great joy when we have groups of women band together in support of our clients. Don’t get us wrong—we love all of our supporters. The families, co-ed student groups, school-age children, and people of all genders, races, backgrounds, and ages who support us each deserve an award in our eyes. Still, there is something special that happens when strong, empowered women get together to help others who are in the middle of the battle.

Some of the ladies in these groups are survivors themselves. Some have a friend or family member who has been abused. Some are successful business women. Some are just starting to figure out their dreams and aspirations. But all see a need and opportunity when they think about the women who seek our services.

There have been so many different groups of women that came together in 2015 to help us. Space would not suffice to recognize everyone but we do want to take this moment to introduce you to a few of these groups and also give you some ideas in case you have a group of women (or men, or kids) who might like a creative way to get involved with us:

Junior League of Northwest Arkansas Junior League of NWA is a fantastic group of women who has been committed to serving victims of domestic abuse for years. Our local chapter considers abuse awareness and prevention to be their focus in the NWA community. They provide our shelter with woman-power throughout the year (deep cleans of the kitchens, anyone?) in addition to providing our moms with child care so they can enjoy special events we arrange, and so much more.

All Coiled Up NWA–International Natural Hair Meetup Day NWAWS was fortunate to be selected as the beneficiary at our local meetup for INHMD sponsored by All Coiled Up NWA. Staff had the opportunity to share what we do, network, and collect donations for clients from some of the fabulous ladies at the event. We had fun and appreciated the love from All Coiled Up and the ladies who attended the event.

Wine & Women This fall, some socially-conscious friends approached us with an idea: throw a party, invite everyone’s friends, bring wine and snacks to share, and encourage everyone to clean out their closets and collect some needed items to benefit NWAWS and another local women’s charity. Thus, Wine and Women was born, resulting in some great donations for both our Shelter and Thrift Store. The other charity they selected was Dress for Success NWA, which also serves our clients on a referral basis—a double win for the ladies who come to our door for services!

Mary Kay We are so thankful for our partnership with a local group of Mary Kay consultants this year as well. In lieu of having their normal Christmas Party, these ladies decided to move their party to the shelter this year and host Dinner and a Makeover for our clients. In addition, this group (and their customers) provide each of our new clients with a special gift when they arrive in shelter—“Gift’s of Confidence” bags—to help remind them someone cares and encourage them to believe in themselves.

Last year, the Mary Kay Foundation provided $3M in grants to domestic violence shelters in the United States. Our local group is committed to helping NWAWS receive some of that funding in 2016. We think they are more than kind of awesome. ♥

Diana’s Story*

Diana approached us after her husband was arrested. She had been married for several years and the abuse had been escalating from passive aggressive behavior to physical violence and threats of homicide. During this time she had lost her business and many friends due to the control and manipulation her abuser subjected upon her. Diana had to open a secret safety deposit box so she could keep important documents and family photos secure. She feared the worst when he was released from jail, and wanted to make sure that she would be safe.

Our advocates safety planned with Diana and also assisted her with filing an Order of Protection. She was able to secure her own housing without staying in shelter, but she still felt afraid and constantly worried that her abuser would find her and kill her like he always said. She wanted to purchase some home security devices, but after pricing the items she needed and realizing she could not afford them, Diana decided she would make some homemade booby traps and use those instead. Although she now had a way to be notified of an intruder, Diana still failed to feel safe at home and had a lot of trouble sleeping at night.

During this time Diana continued to come to our support groups and meet with our Support Services Advocate. She found it helpful to process what she had experienced with other survivors and began to feel like her life was coming back together. One day after support group, her advocate approached her about an opportunity. NWAWS had just received a donation of home security devices (window alarms, exterior motion lights, and home security signage) that clients could use to make their homes more secure and Diana was able to select several items that would work for her house.

Like Diana, many of our clients need support outside of our shelter. Last year, we were able to help 260 individuals on an outreach basis through our court advocacy program, support group, one-on-one meetings, job resources, or special events. Rebuilding one’s life after leaving an abusive partner or family member does not require a one-size fits all approach. Instead it requires a community of support and the ability to have needs—such as home security—met.

Through our support group and outreach programs, victims of domestic abuse are able to transition to becoming survivors by learning to find their own self and experiencing the freedom to become the person they have never been able to be. For the first time in a long time (or in some cases, ever), our clients begin to feel comfort and hope.

Our Support Services Advocate describes the transformation as simply “watching them grow”. She uses the illustration of a puzzle box: full with a thousand pieces, but so shaken and scattered that you do not know where to even begin putting it back together. Over time and with the support and guidance of others, these individuals begin to assemble their puzzle. By doing so, they begin rebuilding their lives.

A few weeks ago, Diana spoke to her advocate and shared that she can finally call her house, “home”. She was able to go and bring home her safety deposit box because today she feels safe. She feels complete.

Because of your support, we are able to help individuals like Diana create new lives without violence and fear. Peace of mind is something many of us take for granted but domestic violence survivors truly appreciate. Please consider joining our village and supporting us financially. It’s easy to do! Click here to donate online or here to learn more about donation options. Want to speak to someone directly? Please call our Development Director, Merritt Royal, at 479-246-0353 X 140.

Do you think you might be in need of our outreach services? Please call us 24/7 to speak with an advocate: 479-246-9999 or 1-800-775-9011.

*Name changed to protect privacy

(Above: Kay Harvey & Regina Gower look on as Julie Robins of White Wing Loft releases a dove at the Silent Witness Closing Ceremony)

Since 2013, we have recognized Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October) in a special way by holding the Silent Witness Project. Our campaign is a local display of the movement created by the Silent Witness National Initiative which began as a way to bring awareness to communities about the toll domestic abuse plays in families’ lives.

Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter uses this project to speak out against the recent domestic homicides that occurred in the state of Arkansas for the previous year. We do this by using life-sized red silhouettes to represent each victim (whether man, woman, or child) as we march and speak out on their behalf. We also place these silhouettes along with the story of the person that they represent in area businesses during the month of October so that others will learn more about the victim who is no longer with us.

Last fall, we honored the 11 lives that our state lost in 2014 due to domestic violence. Ten were women and one was the unborn child of one of the victims.

We marched with silhouettes representing them.

We read their stories and learned about the struggles they and other victims faced.

And we released doves for them as a symbolic way to release them from this earth.

Perhaps the most terrible result of domestic homicides is that while these 11 individuals do not get the opportunity to live their lives, in most cases their abusers do. We combat this cruel reality by recognizing and honoring the victims who are no longer able to share their stories with us. By speaking up for them and allowing their silhouettes to silently speak on their behalf, they are not forgotten and we hope their deaths are not in vain.

As advocates for our clients as well as all victims and survivors, we want to make sure their stories are heard and their struggles are shared. Domestic abuse is a community problem and it will take all of us working together to correct it.

Booth at the Silent Witness Opening Ceremony

Marchers at the March to End Violence in Downtown Rogers

Marchers at the March to End Violence

Detective Glynn Bertrand of Bentonville Police Department speaks about how domestic abuse affects us

John McGee and Leslie Folsom hold the March Banner

Kay Harvey shares her story and the story of her daughter who was killed two years ago.

Booth at the Silent Witness Opening Ceremony

Dr. Todd Kitchens shares NWACC’s role in reducing domestic violence

John McGee, Executive Director of NWAWS, explains how domestic violence effects NWA

Regina Gower shares her sister’s story

Kay Harvey and Regina Gower look on as Julie Robins releases a dove

Special thanks to the committee members and partners who helped make this year a success! We appreciate you!

For more photos of our 2015 Silent Witness events, check out our Facebook page. To learn more about Silent Witness, click here. Interested in getting involved? Send Amber an email at alacewell@nwaws.org.