Domestic Violence Awareness Month is in full swing! Are you looking for ways to participate? Here are 10 things you can do: 1. Tell people! Talking about domestic violence takes away the shame and stigma that allows abuse to thrive. Say to a friend, “Hey, did you know October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month?” Share REACH’s Facebook posts or re-tweet our #DVAM content as an easy…
October 1st marks the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). We asked the members of our Survivor Speakers Bureau why we need DVAM, and here is what one of them had to say. I had never heard of DV awareness month. Why would I – it had nothing to do with me, right? I mean, I heard people talk about domestic violence. I watched movies…
This year marks the 10th Annual Reach for the Stars gala. We can’t believe how much has changed in 10 years, and yet how many familiar faces still join us to celebrate each year. If you haven’t been able to join us for the past couple of years, we’d invite you to come back and see what you’ve been missing. If you’ve been with us all…
Sixteen kids who have experienced homelessness and domestic violence got to go to camp this summer with help from REACH and our funding partner, the Steve Glidden Foundation. The kids were between the ages of 5 and 14 (12 were “new” campers we haven’t funded before and 4 were returning). They chose between day camp, overnight camp or camps specifically tailored to their interests such as…
Thanks to an ongoing grant from Community Health Network Area 17, our work with the Waltham High Peer Leaders continued during the summer months. Six rising seniors came to our office for forty hours over five weeks to learn about dating and domestic violence, trauma, children who witness violence, sexual assault, privilege and oppression, media literacy and bystander intervention. They also attended the break up summit…
This week’s blog post was supposed to be a preview of our upcoming Waltham Neighborhoods Fall Festival. We were going to talk about leaves changing, neighbors coming together on a Saturday, music playing, hot dogs on the grill, and a community growing stronger and safer. Then the murder of Jennifer Martel sent shock waves through our office and our city as we all asked ourselves what…
REACH’s Community Based Advocacy Program addresses the unmet needs of domestic violence survivors and their children by providing an alternative to shelter, giving them access to resources to overcome the physical and emotional trauma caused by abuse. This allows REACH to work with individuals at various stages on their journey and to assist a far greater number of survivors than can be helped through shelter alone….
Last week was an exciting one for participants of REACH’s Latinas Know Your Rights (LKYR) program and the staff who work with them. Their efforts were instrumental in defeating a controversial piece of proposed legislation that would have had severe consequences for immigrant families, particularly victims of domestic violence. We’ve written before on this blog about the connection between immigration and domestic violence, and about REACH’s…
When you become aware of an abusive situation, or suspect someone you know experiencing abuse, it’s hard to know what to do or say. Where do you draw the line between public and private? If you ask questions, are you sticking your nose in someone else’s business? Domestic violence is a community issue. It affects those we know, love and care about. When it happens in…
REACH is pleased to announce that we have hired a new Director of Prevention Programs! Jessica Hollander joined our staff last month and is already bringing a new energy and enthusiasm to our prevention work. We sat down for a little Q&A to get to know her better: Q: Tell us a little about yourself. A: I grew up in Newton, Massachusetts and attended Newton North…
