The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable just celebrated 20 years. The group is eager to expand connections with folks in these three communities who are passionate about ending domestic violence. REACH has long been a partner of this group, and Lauren Montanaro, REACH’s Community Engagement Specialist, currently sits on the board with residents and professionals working in these communities.
Community Roundtables have often been the foundation for grassroots community organizing. Networks of passionate people who talk with their neighbors, congregations, legislators, and friends about an issue are one of the most effective ways of raising awareness and engaging communities. REACH’s support and partnership with the Roundtable stems from our value that “We are all in this together.” We are not alone in this belief. This enthusiastic group also partners with several other domestic violence organizations including The Second Step, Voices Against Violence, Journey to Safety, and the Domestic Violence Services Network. Together, we pool our expertise, connections, and skills to bring domestic violence to the forefront of a community where abuse often hides in the shadows.
This year, Lauren is chairing the Roundtable’s Program Committee. This committee meets regularly to plan a variety of programs and events. These committee meetings often take place in the general meetings, which are open to anyone interested in learning more.
The first general meeting will be on September 10, 2019 from 3:00-4:30pm at the Wayland Public Safety Building, 38 Cochituate Rd, Wayland, MA 01778. This meeting is specifically designed to welcome new friends to the Roundtable and provide new and meaningful ways for old friends to deepen their involvement. During this meeting, each of the various Roundtable committees will have a brief opportunity to share highlights of their work. This will be followed by an open meet and greet time where you can learn more about roles, big and small, you might be interested in. Roles could range from delivering a set of hotline cards to a local business, hosting a donation box at your home to support the Shower for Shelter’s Event, or joining a committee to help plan future programs and outreach events.
You can learn more about the work of the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable on their website. If you are interested in having REACH partner with an organization you are involved with, please email our Community Engagement Specialist, Lauren Montanaro at lauren@reachma.org.
