Last week, REACH’s staff meeting featured a discussion on race and privilege, led by several staff members who had attended a workshop called “Undoing Racism” with the Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond. In this week’s blog post, one of our Community Advocates (whose name we can’t share for confidentiality reasons) shares her thoughts:
Almost two years ago, I wrote a letter to the editor of the Boston Globe about a case that had just made the news. This case has been in the headlines again: now dubbed the ‘Snapchat rape case,’ the defendants were recently found guilty. The questions I posed in that letter feel even more crucial in the current environment: When will we accept that society refuses…
People often ask me why someone should donate to REACH. There are many ways to answer this not-so-simple question, but the best one is this: I have amazing colleagues, who are experts in the field and truly make a difference in countless lives every day. In my twenty years of raising money for wonderful nonprofits in Greater Boston, I can honestly say that I have never…
I’m Breathing, Intentionally On Thursday May 12, the REACH staff attended a program in Boston – with the incredible help of volunteers, we were able to bring almost every full and part time staff member. This wasn’t a training like we usually attend to understand housing, a new law, benefits, or school access for kids who are homeless. This was a full day talking about…
“What do you do for work?” It’s a question everyone asks and answers all the time, and you probably don’t think much about it, unless you’ve gone through a period of unemployment, or you work for the CIA and need a cover story. When I tell people that I work for a domestic violence agency, 99% of the time the reaction I get is, “Oh so…
Last August I celebrated my 30th birthday: a milestone for me not only having reached a new decade, but also marking 15 years that I had been doing sexual and domestic violence prevention work. In other words, half my lifetime. I took this opportunity to look back over the past 15 years and reflect on the trends I’ve seen in prevention work across Massachusetts and the…
A while ago, we told you about REACH’s federally-funded effort to protect vulnerable elders from abuse by bringing together community partners and improving communication. Here’s an update on how things have been going since then:
REACH is so fortunate to have dedicated volunteers, donors, collaborators and friends who care deeply about the organization and this work. This connection to mission connects us in other ways. We have shared our personal celebrations and challenges over the years, as we are joined in the effort to build healthy communities by ending domestic violence. During my treatment for breast cancer last year, I shared…
As 2015 began, New England was experiencing one of the snowiest winters in history! As record amounts of snow blanketed the region, work continued largely as usual here at REACH. Staff members hunkered down and got snowed in at the shelter alongside survivors, and the hotline continued to ring and be answered. In March, as the end of winter was in sight, it was time for…
by Leah McConnell, Greater Boston Playspace Program and Volunteer Manager, Horizons for Homeless Children
