Donor Highlight: Michelle Dearing

Donor Highlight: Michelle Dearing, Co-Founder, Midtown Associates at NWA Realty Group

Michelle’s Story:

I unexpectedly found myself in a position of being a single mother with two young children (ages 1 and 7, at the time). I had an education to help me provide for my family. I had friends and family who helped encourage and support me as I faced new challenges as a single, working mom. It was still hard for me, as it is for a lot of single, working mothers. I had to work hard and be strong to provide the best home for my children.

My heart goes out to those mothers who are living in abusive and unsafe homes and who are facing the decision to leave or to stay. Many may not have the resources or the education I had to fall back on to provide for their families. Their decisions to leave to find safety for themselves and their children require an extraordinary amount of strength and courage.

I want these mothers to know that mothers like me admire their courage. For three years now, I have supported the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter each month because I want to help give mothers who make that decision to leave their abusers the best opportunity to survive and thrive. For almost 29 years, the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter has provided emergency safe shelter for mothers who make the best, but very difficult, decision to leave abusive and violent homes, not knowing what their future holds. Their stay at the NWA Women’s Shelter may literally save their lives and their children’s lives, while also giving a new beginning to a life that restores hope and ends the cycle of abuse and violence.

Michelle Dearing served on the Board of Directors for the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter from 2014 – 2015. Michelle was also the Treasurer during her time on the Board.

Thank you, Michelle, for your tireless efforts advocating for mothers in Northwest Arkansas who make the decision to live without the fear of violence in their lives!

You can join Michelle in supporting the mothers and children seeking refuge at NWAWS by making a one-time donation or signing up as a sustaining donor to make a recurring gift. Click below or call for more details.
Donate online or call Terri Post: (479) 246-0353 ext. 108

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the NWA Women’s Shelter State of the Agency forum last night! Members of the NWAWS Board of Directors and staff were humbled by the response from our community and look forward to being more engaged with everyone as we take this new step forward.

As we discussed, the NWA Women’s Shelter is in a moment of critical need from our community. Without your support we will not be able to keep our doors open much longer. However, we know that our community deserves the services we offer and we believe that our community truly does want to help if they understand .

If you missed the forum, you can read a summary of our presentation and situation in this flyer.

We invite anyone who is interested in learning more about our vision and how you can help us get there by contacting our Executive Director, John McGee, at 479-246-0353 X101 or jmcgee@nwaws.org.

You may also download a pledge card or donate now to help us reach our short-term and long-term goals, allowing us to continue providing necessary help to our neighbors in need.

 

 

 NWAWS received a lot of support from the NWA faith community in 2015.

In fact, we received over $22,000 in financial support and in-kind contributions from 36 different faith groups last year!

Faith-based organizations supported NWAWS in a variety of ways, including:

cash contributions promoting donation drives regular item giving (e.g. weekly purchases of cleaning supplies) special offerings bingo nights alternative gift markets shelter room renovations

The opportunities really are endless for our faith community to get involved with us. We are so grateful for all of the support that we received in 2015 and are looking forward to a new year and forming new partnerships in 2016.

Thank you to the faith-based organizations who generously supported us last year:  

Bella Vista Assembly of God

 

Bella Vista Community Church 

 

Bella Vista Lutheran Church 

 

Brightwater Memorial United Methodist Church

Catalyst Church NWA

Christian Women’s Job Corps

Decatur United Methodist Church

First Assembly of God

 

 

 First United Methodist Church, Bella Vista

 

First United Methodist Church-Good Shepherds

First United Methodist Church Mission Team

 

Highland Christian Church Disciples Women

Highland Christian Church Renaissance Class

 Highlands United Methodist Men – “Hummers”

 

 Highlands United Methodist Women

 

Keypointe Church 

 

 

Landmark Baptist Church

 

 

Living Word Lutheran Church

 

Mosaic at Fellowship Bible Church

 

New Hope Assembly Church

 

Pleasant Grove Baptist Church Ladies Sunday School Class & Youth

Presbyterian Women of Bella Vista

 

Southside Church of Christ

 

St. Bernard Men’s Club & Knights of Columbus

St. Bernard Women’s Club 

 

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church

 

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

 

St. Theodore’s Episcopal Church

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School

The Ridge Community Church

 

United Lutheran Church of Bella Vista

 

United Lutheran Church Men’s Club

 

United Lutheran Church Women

 

United Methodist Church Men

 

United Methodist Church Women

 

Women at Peace – Peace Lutheran Church

 

Are you interested in getting your faith community involved in serving NWAWS? Please send us an email: info@nwaws.org. We look forward to connecting with you!

 

 

Builders of Hope is a new giving program to recognize compassionate and dedicated donors who donate monthly . . .

. . . because they want to see individuals transformed from being victims of abuse and violence to survivors who lead violence-free lives;

. . . because they want to see children given new skills for conflict resolution that do not include violence;

. . . because they believe in providing HOPE to break the cycle of abuse now and for future generations, one person and one family at a time.

“[Because of the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter], I can keep my baby alive and prevent my other children from seeing violence. I can breathe and not walk on eggshells. I have a chance to turn things around. I can break a cycle by recognizing red flags and by having a safety plan. For some of us, it [the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter] is our only hope.”

Every dollar received each month is an investment toward giving HOPE to shelter residents and to outreach clients who desire peaceful homes and healthy relationships.

When 250 donors contribute $50 each month,

residents fleeing violence are given a safe place to reside temporarily and a HOPE for a rebuilt life while they chart their actions plans to separate from their abusers, as donors at this level are together covering the cost of the monthly lease.

When 144 donors contribute $25 each month,

clients have access to a professional staff that provides a supportive environment, access to resources, and accountability as clients learn how to move beyond abusive relationships with a HOPE of future relationships defined by healthy boundaries, as donors at this level are together covering the cost of payroll taxes.

When 60 donors contribute $10 each month,

residents have a confident HOPE they are safe, as donors at this level are together covering the cost of the security system.

When 34 donors contribute $5 each month,

clients are ensured transportation to and from court hearings where their HOPE for continued protection is petitioned before a judge, as donors at this level are together covering the cost for gasoline and maintenance of both Shelter vehicles.

140-1113tm-vector2-1027to all of our monthly donors,

the Builders of Hope!

Will you consider becoming a monthly donor because you believe in giving hope to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault?

Join today as a recurring donor, a Builder of Hope!

 

(In photo: Stephanie Irvine, John McGee, Merritt Royal, David Lang, and Kasey Bare) 

Thank you, Embassy Suites!!!

 

We are especially grateful for the generosity and partnership of Embassy Suites. 

Embassy Suites hosts Trick or Suite, a family-oriented trick-or-treating event for children of Northwest Arkansas who are affected by illness, or physical and/or learning disabilities. Northwest businesses and nonprofits come together to provide a fun, interactive evening for children–thanks to the hard work and compassionate vision of Embassy Suites and its staff!

We are honored to be affiliated with Trick or Suite–and especially to be one of the beneficiaries of the event.

To learn how your company can be a part of the 2016 Trick or Suite, contact Kasey Bare, 479.845.3211.