gift

We asked you, our NWA community, for help in May as we were faced with closing our doors in July.

YOU rallied behind us individually and as part of a grassroots movement to help us on our path to financial security.

Today, June 30, we MET AND EXCEEDED our funding goal of $150,000 – thanks to your generosity and support!

Today, the 35 people in our Shelter have a safe place where they can see a hope for a non-violent future this 4^th of July weekend!

And while we celebrate you, our community, and this milestone today, we also are mindful we still have work ahead. The next hurdle is in front of us: the second $150,000 is needed by the end of October.

Your ongoing support and involvement are still very important. Please join us next week, Wednesday, July 6, for a press conference. Our Board and Shelter leadership will announce their decisions of the services we will provide to Benton County and to the Northwest Arkansas community moving forward.

Press Conference Details

Date: Wednesday, July 6

Time: 5:00 p.m.

Location: Two25 Gallery & Wine Bar, 225 S Main Street, Bentonville

On April 7th from 8am-8pm, any donations you make to NWA Women’s Shelter through the ArkansasGives website will also qualify us for additional bonus dollars from the Arkansas Community Foundation. Will you consider joining Arkansans from across the state to make a donation to help grow our community?

There is strength and power in numbers. We hope you will join us as we work to stop violence one family at a time.

one-day-to-give-april-7

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. ♥

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!

Thank you, Wal-Mart Store Layout!

Representatives from the Wal-Mart Store Layout Division presented the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter with a large donation at their quarterly meeting thanks to their E-VAP program. This group has volunteered countless hours with us over the past year, and they cashed in on their activities in order to provide a financial gift as well.

The gift covers the cost for a family unit consisting of one adult and two children (our average family size) to live in our facility for an entire month and also provides 10 days of safe shelter for another individual.

Gifts such as this allow us to house individuals at no charge and provide all of their needs–toiletries, clothing, room, and board–while they stay in our facility. If you would like to join our community of supporters by making a financial gift, you may click here to learn more about donation options or call 479-246-0353 for more information.

If you are a Wal-Mart associate interested in volunteering, please also consider using the VAP program for a financial match to your time contribution. For more information on how the VAP program works, click here. You may contact Sheri Hammond for more information about volunteering or to arrange a project for yourself or a group by emailing her at shammond@nwaws.org.

Thank you, Walmart Finance Division!

Representatives from the Walmart Finance Division designated the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter to receive a community grant. This grant provides 16 days of safe shelter for one person (one woman or one child or one man) to reside in the Shelter–at no cost to that person–with access to advocacy, housing, food, clothing, and other basic necessities.

Collectively, our donors are empowering individuals and families break the cycle of abuse and live violence-free.

One in four. 1:4. 25%.

These are just different ways to write-out the number of people who experience violence or a fear of violence. In the majority of situations, this violence is carried out by someone whom the victim knows personally—they are betrayed by someone who is supposed to love them or care about them.

In Northwest Arkansas, the number of victims is estimated to be around 125,000. To put that number into context, it represents all the residents of Bentonville, Berryville, Huntsville, and Springdale combined.

When one of these 125,000 faces violence, where can they go for help? Many have the support network of family and friends to get out of the situation. Some try to leave and, sadly, do not make it as their abusers find out and further terrorize them and their children. Some are even killed by their abusers.

Others seek help from emergency safe shelters, like the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter. In 2014 alone, 546 individuals resided in our Shelter (47% of those were children). Their time in the Shelter was spent trying to get beyond the immediate trauma and chaos they had just experienced, trying to breathe on their own again, and trying to think without being yelled at or intimidated. Some of our clients spend a lot of time resting as they have not experienced the feelings of safety and of peace for a long time.

Their time at the Shelter is also a time to refocus. Through support groups and one-on-one advocacy, the isolation they felt in their abusive environments slowly disappears. As our clients transform from victims to survivors, they begin to see the paths they need to take to keep themselves and their children safe.

That journey from victim to survivor is different for every person. Domestic violence shelters exist to provide hope for a better future. We provide the safe and supportive environment survivors need to continue their journeys toward healthier relationships and productive lives.

To continue providing that hope, shelters like ours rely upon the help of community members who want to help build a future for the community that is free of violence. We look to faith-based groups, corporations, and individuals who want to stand against domestic and sexual violence. The negative impact of domestic and sexual violence can improve in Northwest Arkansas only when we are all involved.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Will you consider taking your stand with the Northwest Arkansas Women’s Shelter beginning this month to help? With a gift of $50 per month, you can provide the gift of safety and hope for one woman, child, or man each month. As a “Builder of Hope,” you help lay the foundation for a future that is violence free, one person at a time.

You may join other like-minded Builders of Hope today as together we work toward promoting a community that values abuse- and violence-free homes. Learn more about becoming a Builder of Hope today.

You Did It!

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