A few days before the gala, I was fortunate to hear Sally Field read and discuss her memoir In Pieces. Sally spoke about her writing process; she talked about reflecting on her life and seeing the pieces – lining them up to examine them – and putting them back together to see her life anew, and in some ways differently than before. I appreciated her observation…
Does Christine Blasey Ford remember the fear as a teenage girl, the feeling of hands on her body that she did not want there, the sound of the laughter that completely ignored her fear? Does she remember the shame, the self-blame, the years of trying to forget, the impact of this one incident on her decisions over a 30 year period? I believe she does. Does Brett Kavanaugh remember this incident? I believe he…
By Laurie Nee, REACH Volunteer I came to know REACH in 2014. I was invited to my first Reach for the Stars Gala by a dear friend, and had very little knowledge of the organization or their work. After the fun and excitement of a silent auction and a delicious dinner, I learned exactly what this amazing organization does. While listening to moving speeches by REACH’s…
A few weeks ago, REACH welcomed Lizzy Dugan to the staff as our new Development Associate. She joins us as we begin our new fiscal year and continue to work on our Reach for the Stars Gala. Before summer ends and the busy fall months take hold, we wanted to take some time to get to know our latest member of the REACH team. Tell us…
Written by REACH Intern, Katharine Lammey, with support from REACH Intern, Senite Love On the morning of my first day as an intern at REACH, my supervisor, Lauren Montanaro, asked if I had heard about the news that would impact REACH’s work. I had woken up late that morning and had not had the chance to turn on the news for a few minutes like I…
Tell us about yourself! I am a 63- year old transgender female. I went through my transition 10 years ago, after a lifelong struggle with gender dysphoria. At the time of my transition, I really got rejected by a lot of people. My marriage ended, people refused to speak to me, I lost any kind of connection with my step-children. It was really tough… I found…
This week’s blog is a guest post from Sala, a recent graduate from Brandeis University’s Heller School for Social Policy and Management with a Master’s degree in International Development. Sala interned at REACH this past academic year and completed a research project on International Approaches to Ending Violence Against Women: A Comparative Study of Ghana and the United States. I was so excited when I received…
By Tamia Burkett Everyone is constantly seeking ways to support their loved ones during their time of need. Whether it be a friend with depression, a partner that is suicidal or a sibling that has been locked in their room for weeks. At times this can be frustrating. Maybe the advice you gave them, they didn’t take? Or maybe they did not do what you thought…
As many of you know, this week was REACH’s Holiday Gift Program. Our generous donors gave gifts to 260 families (800 people) who have experienced domestic violence and work with REACH. Our Community Engagement Specialist Lauren Montanaro wrote this reflection on yesterday’s party, where most of the gifts were distributed. Each year, REACH hosts a Holiday Gift Program for survivors of domestic violence. Each year, I…
In the midst of all of the excitement of this month…Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Reach for the Stars Gala, new staff members starting…the new office continues to take shape! Hopefully you’ve been following along, but in case you missed them, take a moment to catch up with previous updates here, here, and here. If you’ve ever been through a construction project of your own, then…
