Spring 2015 Newsletter - Sojourner Family Peace Center

PEACE TALK
SPRING 2015
Committed to transforming lives impacted by domestic violence
District Attorney
John Chisholm
Sojourner Board President
Becky House
Executive Director
Carmen Pitre
Chief Edward Flynn
Mayor Tom Barrett
TOPPING OFF AND BEAM INSTALLATION
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2015
A major milestone in the construction process provided an opportunity to
celebrate the installation of the last beam. Now the crew will begin to wrap the
building and we’ll see the structure come to fruition. Milwaukee is leading the way
and will be the first in the nation to house holistic services for victims of domestic
violence of all ages under one roof. Thank you for your support…we are grateful
for all that you do!
SOJOURNER FAMILY PEACE CENTER
At the Corner of Safe and Healthy
619 W. Walnut Street, Milwaukee, WI
Speakers Bureau at the Topping Off and Beam Installation: Pictured from L to R: Carmen Pitre, Executive Director, Sojourner Family Peace Center; Rebecca House,
Sojourner Board President; County Executive, Christopher Abele, Milwaukee County; District Attorney, John Chisholm, Milwaukee County; Mayor Tom Barrett, City
of Milwaukee; Chief Edward Flynn, City of Milwaukee; Thelma Sias, Neighborhood Resident and Vice President Local Affairs, WE Energies; and Peggy Troy,CEO,
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
WHO WAS SOJOURNER TRUTH?
Our emergency domestic violence shelter for women and children, Sojourner Truth House, is a tribute to “Belle,” a woman
born into slavery in 1797. In 1843 she walked onto the pages of history when she became Sojourner - God’s pilgrim. A
second name - Truth - came to her “in a voice as true as God’s is.” Sojourner Truth traveled widely, speaking about slavery
and women’s rights and the dignity of all people.
SOJOURNER LAUNCHES
MOBILE APP
Victims of domestic violence
now have one more resource
for getting help, right at their
fingertips.
The University of WisconsinMilwaukee’s App Brewery and
Sojourner Family Peace Center
have collaborated to develop an app that puts key
information and resources on smart phones. including
details on Sojourner’s 24-hour emergency Domestic
Violence Hotline and Sojourner Family Peace Center
programs and services, according to Dustin Hahn,
Project manager at the App Brewery.
Staff members at the Sojourner Family Peace Center
have loaded the “Peace” app on their phones,
practiced with it and are ready to share it with clients.
“We know that the information and support that a
survivor can get by talking to an advocate saves lives,”
says Carmen Pitre, executive director of Sojourner
Family Peace Center. “This is one more tool to make
information easily available.”
Apple has approved the app, and it’s now available
through the App Store. Sojourner’s Peace app is also
available on the Android platform through Google Play.
On the app, users can find information about domestic
abuse, including a relationship quiz that alerts users
to the warning signs of abuse. If the quiz indicates
the possibility of abuse, the app encourages them
to contact Sojourner for follow-up services and a
discussion about safety.
Like other apps the Brewery has developed, the
project involved student developers from programs
including information studies and technology, graphic
design and computer science. The student developers
get a chance to apply classroom learning to working
with real-world clients. The nonprofit clients, who might
not have much of an information technology budget,
are presented with a useful mobile app that helps
them reach out to those they serve.
Unlike other informational apps the Brewery has
developed, Sojourner’s Peace app comes with privacy
features to help protect users from their abusers. One
quick touch fades the screen to black and clears the
browsing history. The button for the app itself can be
hidden behind a generic app button.
The app is available in English and Spanish, and
the designers are discussing creating a version in
Russian, according to Hahn. Sojourner Family Peace
Center has the only Russian Speaking Domestic
Violence Program and serves hundreds of Russian
from across the state each year.
THANK YOU AVON
The Avon Foundation for Women has awarded a $62,500 one-year
grant for the Life Skills Program at Sojourner. This grant is the latest in
a long term partnership the agency has had with the Avon Foundation.
These critical funds awarded to Sojourner Family Peace Center will make
an immediate difference to domestic violence survivors in Milwaukee.
The Life Skills Program provides domestic violence survivors with vital
resources and the economic empowerment tools necessary to develop
self-sufficiency, so that they are able to lead independent, violence-free
lives.
“We are proud that the Avon Foundation for Women shares our mission
and has chosen to support our Program. Our partnership with Avon
has allowed us to help hundreds of survivors achieve their educational,
financial and employment goals. These funds are critical to our work
and our mission to transform lives impacted by domestic violence.” said
Carmen Pitre, Executive Director of Sojourner.
“Research illustrates that domestic violence victims are less likely to leave
an abusive relationship— and stay away from their abusers— if they have
limited hope of achieving independent economic stability. With the help
of these hands-on coordinators, we hope that more women in Milwaukee
can end the cycle of abuse and ensure safety for themselves and their
families,” said Avon Foundation for Women President Cheryl Heinonen.
LET’S TALK PREVENTION…
SOJOURNER STRIKES UP A POWERFUL
CONVERSATION ABOUT TEEN DATING VIOLENCE
WITH LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Violence takes many forms - verbal, physical, even cyber. February was
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. On February 12,, 2015,
in collaboration with the Milwaukee Police Department, the Milwaukee Job
Corps Center and the District Four Faith Based Organization, Sojourner
hosted its third annual Healthy Dating Summit in an effort to raise
awareness about the impact of teen dating violence.
The three and a half-hour summit encouraged 250 students from Morse
• Marshall High School, Riverside University High School, Vertias High
School and Vincent High School to become agents of change among their
peers and within their communities. An array of speakers, including Clyde
“Cincere” Dangerfield, a local R&B artist and a Sojourner Family Peace
Center staff member, helped teens identify red flags and learn ways to
prevent unhealthy, controlling behaviors from escalating. Students also
had the opportunity to create their own plan of action for curbing dating
violence.
Schinika A. Fitch,
Sojourner Family
Peace Center
welcomes crowd
SPRING WISH LIST 2015
WOMEN:
• Gift cards for Target, Kohl’s, Wal-Mart
and Pick ‘n Save
• Gift certificates for activities
(movies, bowling)
• Restaurant gift certificates
• Bus tickets
• Gift sets: makeup sets, perfume sets,
stationary sets
• Sleepwear, bath robes (size M – 2XL)
and non-skid slippers
• Socks (white)
• Underwear (sizes 6, 7, 8 and 9)
• Personal care items, toiletries and hair
care products
• Bed pillows and twin-size blankets
• Umbrellas
INFANTS AND TODDLERS:
• Easy puzzles – 10 pieces or less or
peg puzzles
• Infant toys – rattles, busy boxes, etc.
• Mobiles and music boxes
• Toddler toys – phones, large cars,
trucks, etc.
• Large building blocks - Legos, Duplos
• Pacifiers and teething toys
• Bottles
• Formula - Good Start
• Baby powder, lotion, shampoo
• Disposable diapers in sizes 3, 4 and 5
• Pull-ups
• Wipes
• Sippy cups
To donate items from our wish list, please
call (414) 276-1911. Please note that we
are able to accept new items only.
IT’S NOW EASIER THAN EVER TO DONATE
WITH SOJOURNER’S AMAZON.COM WISH LIST
CHILDREN:
• Puzzles – 10-100 pieces
• Lego building sets
• Leap Pads and programs
• Sports equipment – balls, Frisbees, etc.
• Dolls of color (baby dolls and Barbies)
• Toy tools
• Building sets – K’nex, Legos
• Games – Sorry, UNO, any of the “Jr.”
games, Memory, etc.
• Hand-held video games
• MP3 players
• Gift certificates for CD’s
• Games – Mancala, Monopoly, Guess
Who, Sorry, Trouble, Yahtzee, Life, etc.
• School supplies – back packs,
calculators, binders, colored pencils,
markers, notebooks, folders,
protractors, glue (liquid and stick)
• Crossword and puzzle books
• Purses and wallets
Simply enter our name, Sojourner Family Peace Center,
into Amazon.com’s wish list search engine, select the
items you would like to donate and add them to your
cart. Once you have purchased the items, Amazon will
ship them directly to our facility! Our wish list includes
Sojourner’s most up-to-date needs, from gifts to diapers
to school supplies.
Be sure to include your name in the
“personalized gift message” portion so
we can properly acknowledge your gift!
LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HONOR YOUR LOVED ONES
THIS MOTHER’S DAY AND FATHER’S DAY?
We all have people in our lives who have contributed to or
shaped who we are today. These role models raised us,
supported us or stood up for something we believed in.
They set positive examples for us and taught us to be good
to one another.
Mother’s Day, May 10, 2015 Father’s Day, June 21, 2015
This year, Sojourner will celebrate both Mother’s Day and
Father’s Day with cards. This is a wonderful opportunity to
honor someone who has been a role model in your life.
Cards are available for purchase and will be mailed to the
recipient of your choice. The inside of the card will indicate
that a gift has been made in the recipient’s honor and will
include a hand-written personal note of your choice.
You can also honor the memory of a special person in your
life by making a memorial gift to Sojourner. Memorial gifts
will be recognized in our annual report and on our website.
Please specify “memorial” when making your donation.
Card donation $40
personal message included,
hand written and stamped
Card donation $40
personal message included,
hand written and stamped
Orders must be received by
Friday, May 1, 2015
Orders must be received by
Friday, June 12, 2015
Cards promised by
Saturday, May 9, 2015
Cards promised by
Saturday, June 20, 2015
For more information or to purchase your Mother’s Day cards, please call 414- 276-1911.
To purchase online, visit www.familypeacecenter.org.
Featured Live Auction Experience:
Win the chance to throw out the first pitch at
the Brewers vs. Cubs game on October 3, 2015.
TICKETS $95 individual ticket
CONNIE & OMAR SHAIKH,
SURG Restaurant Group
• Event Hosts
THELMA SIAS, We Energies
CECELIA GORE, Brewers
Community Foundation
• Event Auctioneers
$700 exclusive runway table
Preferred seating for four,
complimentary champagne and more!
Availability is limited.
To purchase tickets,
please call 414-276-1911
or visit www.familypeacecenter.org/
getinvolved/events
Connie and Omar Shaihk
Join Sojourner for a night of glitz and glamour! Get a sneak peek of the spring’s hottest fashions and raise
awareness about domestic violence. Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a cocktail reception, wine pull, beauty bar,
ruby dig, silent and live auctions and more. The highlight of the evening is a runway fashion show featuring local
personalities and the area’s most stylish retailers, including Allen Edmonds, ETCETERA and J. Hilburn by Lisa Gibb,
W by Worth, SHOP, and Faye’s.
Featuring our 2015 Models:
Rod Burks,
TMJ4
Maureen
Mulvaney
Sally Severson,
WISN 12
Jesse Mitchell,
97.3 Radio Now
Rob Wood,
Shorewest Realtors
Meg McKenzie,
Oldies 95.7
40TH ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION
In 1975, a faithful group of women
and men organized to address the
urgent issue of domestic violence.
Their effort and work sparked a
movement that shines today as
Sojourner Family Peace Center.
With violence in homes at record
levels, we remain committed to
providing crisis housing, system
advocacy and individual support just
as our founders did 4 decades ago.
Today and every day, we support
the bravery of our clients as they
transform their lives. They are our
inspiration for a vision of safe and
healthy families in every home in our
community. Join us in this milestone
year, as we chart a new course, one
that provides safety and support for
our friends, family, colleagues, and
neighbors impacted by domestic
violence.
MAXIMIZE YOUR GIFT
ON MATCH DAY
THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015
www.MatchDayMKE.org
Today and every day,
there are more than 66,000
requests for help escaping
domestic violence in the U.S.
Today and every day, there
are more than 2,000 calls
from victims in Wisconsin.
Today and every day, there
are more than 80 calls from
victims in Milwaukee.
Today and every day.
With your support, Sojourner Family Peace
Center will answer each call, today and every
day.
With your commitment we will help all callers
escape domestic violence, today and every
day.
Throughout this landmark year, Sojourner
is celebrating 40 years of service to the
Milwaukee community. As experts in the field,
we have a proven track record of providing
safety, support and emergency assistance to
families impacted by domestic violence.
Today and every day through March 19, 2015,
your gift will go further.
Visit www.MatchDayMKE.org and schedule
your gift to Sojourner today.
Special thanks and appreciation for all those
that participated in Match Day 2014. Together
you donated over $62,500 to Sojourner. When
combined with the proportional match, you
helped us secure nearly $87,000.
All donations made to Sojourner Family Peace Center online at www.MatchDayMKE.org on March 19, 2015,
will be proportionally matched by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and other local funders.
K’S FOR A CAUSE 2015
26TH ANNUAL
TAILGATE FOR PEACE
AT MILLER PARK
The beginning of the 2015 Major League
baseball season marks the second year
of Sojourner’s three-year partnership with
WaterStone Bank and the Brewers Community
Foundation through the K’s for a Cause program.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
First pitch: 7:10pm
Milwaukee Brewers vs. Kansas City Royals
Miller Park’s Gehl Club
The 26th Annual Tailgate for Peace will be held at Miller Park’s exclusive Gehl
Club, named one of the top five luxury suites in all of baseball by Forbes Travel
Guide. Guests will enjoy first-class amenities and a variety of seating options, a
premium buffet, raffle prizes, a silent auction and more while the Brewers take on
the 2014 World Series runners up, the Kansas City Royals.
For more information, visit:
www.familypeacecenter.org/getinvolved/events/
or call 414-276-1911.
Photos by Norman Muller
This partnership brought significant benefits
to Sojourner. In addition to displaying our logo
prominently on the K’s for a Cause board at
Miller Park, WaterStone Bank, the Brewers
Community Foundation and Brewers Pitcher
Marco Estrada made a donation to Sojourner for
each strikeout recorded by Brewers’ pitchers at
Miller Park this past season.
Last year, the Brewers recorded 650 strikeouts
at Miller Park, generating $19,500 in revenue
for Sojourner. We are humbled and honored to
have community partners that are dedicated
to our mission and to transforming the lives of
Sojourner families throughout Milwaukee.
Sojourner is extremely grateful to have this
opportunity and to continue our partnership with
WaterStone Bank and the Milwaukee Brewers,
two community focused organizations.
SOJOURNER FAMILY PEACE
CENTER
P.O. Box 080319
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
MILWAUKEE, WI
PERMIT NO. 5340
Milwaukee, WI 53208
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
If you are in an abusive relationship and need
help, call Sojourner Family Peace Center’s
Visit us at
www.familypeacecenter.org
24-Hour Hotline at 414-933-2722.
OFFICERS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
TREASURER
Rebecca House
Cindy Rooks
Harley-Davidson Inc.
Harley-Davidson Inc.
VICE PRESIDENTS
SECRETARY
Kathy Donius
Beth Healy
Rockwell Automation
GrowthPlay
Jim Orth
MEMBERS
Kent Lovern
Northwestern Mutual
Milwaukee County
District Attorney’s Office
Laura Farnham
Johnson Controls, Inc.
Thomas Gale
Mark Thomas
Lisa Attonito
Executive Director
Associate Director
Senior Director
carmenp@familypeacecenter.org
markt@familypeacecenter.org
lisa@familypeacecenter.org
414-276-1911, ext 116
414-276-1911, ext 115
414-276-1911, ext 162
STAY CONNECTED WITH SOJOURNER FAMILY PEACE CENTER
Anne Brower
Wheaton Franciscan
Healthcare
Carmen Pitre
CONNECT ONLINE
Retired, Everett Smith
Group, Ltd
Coreen Dicus-Johnson
SOJOURNER FAMILY PEACE CENTER
Thomas Poellot
City of Cudahy
Police Department
Lynn Richtman
US Bank
Equity Commercial Real
Estate, LLC
Gaurie Rodman
Holly Haseley
Eve Romersi
Laughlin Constable
Scribner Cohen & Co. S.C.
Geoffrey Hurtado
June Scherrer
UW-Milwaukee
Potawatomi Bingo Casino
Jeanette Johnson
Jenifer Tate
State of Wisconsin
Community Volunteer
Vivian King
Barbara Velez
Aurora Health Care
Velez & Associates
Direct Supply
Family Advocacy &
Support Services
P: 414-276-1911
F: 414-276-5001
Domestic Abuse Victim
Advocates
P: 414-278-4978
F: 414-223-8147
Shelter/24-Hour Hotline
Belle Resource Center
P: 414-933-2722
F: 414-934-6079
Beyond Abuse
Restraining Order Clinic
P: 414-278-5079
F: 414-223-1807
Administration
P: 414-276-1911
F: 414-276-5001
(Batterer’s Intervention Program)
P: 414-276-1911
F: 414-276-5001
TTY
414-727-2342
This newsletter is supported in part by Victims of Crime Act Subgrant No. 2013-053-16 awarded by the
Wisconsin Department of Justice Office of Crime Victim Services under a grant from the U.S. Department
of Justice Office for Victims of Crime. The opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations
expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the grantor agencies.