Upcoming trainings:

August 13-16 in Dallas, TX
24th Annual Crimes Against Children Conference, hosted by the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center and the Dallas Police Department.

August 14 (webinar, 10:00 am CT)
Eighth in a series of eight: One in the Movement: Essential Practices for Advocates in Training – The Basics of Immigration Advocacy, hosted by the Texas Council on Family Violence

August 14 (webinar, 1:00 pm CT)
Core Competencies and Abilities of Preventionists, hosted by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center

August 22 (audio conference, 2:00-3:15 pm CT)
Organizing and Facilitating Team Meetings, hosted by Praxis International.Note: Registration is limited to OVW grantees

August 23 (webinar, 10:00-11:00 am PT)
Battered Mothers and Parental Kidnapping ~ What Every Advocate Should Know (scroll down), hosted by the Resource Center on Domestic Violence: Child Protection and Custody, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

August 30 in Austin, TX
IRS Nonprofit Workshop, hosted by the ACC Center for Community Based & Nonprofit Organizations, in partnership with the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations

September 4 in Austin, TX (preconference to TCFV Statewide Conference)
Preconference: Addressing Fatherhood with Men Who Batter, hosted by the Texas Council on Family Violence

September 4 in Austin, TX
Membership Appreciation Party  at TCFV Statewide Conference

September 5-6 in Austin, TX
Statewide Conference: Moving Forward, hosted by the Texas Council on Family Violence

September 5, in Austin, TX
VIP Reception with Gloria Steinem

September 7-9 in Houston, TX
2012 NASW / Texas Annual Conference, hosted by the National Association of Social Workers, Texas Chapter

September 11 (webinar, 2:00-3:30 pm CT)
Serving Survivors with Disabilities and Deaf Survivors – Mental Health and Domestic & Sexual Violence, hosted by the Center on Victimization and Safety

September 12 (webinar, 1:00 pm CT)
Recruiting, Hiring and Training Preventionists, hosted by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center

September 20-21 in Austin, TX
Texas Nonprofit Summit ~ Inspiring Allies and Impact, presented by Greenlights and the OneStar Foundation

October 24 in Austin, TX
The Texas Conference for Women, hosted by Texas First Lady Anita Perry

Dear Members,

July is the month we celebrate the Fourth of July as well as summer being in full swing. Did you know that July is also Disability Awareness Month? Over the last 20 years, significant changes have been made that benefit people with disabilities: dismantling physical barriers, including widened doors, adding sidewalk curb cuts and making transportation accessible. Many of these changes resulted from the Americans with Disabilities Act. The People First Movement has also been instrumental in changing societal attitudes toward people with disabilities.

While positive changes are being made, people with disabilities continue to fight for their rights. Violence and abuse in the disability community are issues that need more attention. One unique challenge for people with disabilities is that a caretaker may also be a perpetrator of abuse, be it family, attendants, nurse’s aides and even health care professionals — people who are supposed to be helping, not hurting.

A person with a disability is sometimes viewed as helpless and vulnerable. Persons with the disability themselves often feel this way because of the need for a caretaker for sheer survival. A victim with a disability who is experiencing abuse may think, “Who can I tell? Where can I go? How will I get there? What will happen if I do tell someone and they don’t believe me? Will the abuser then make it worse?”

These questions are very real. How do I know? I’ve heard them. I have asked them. You see, I am a person with a physical disability. I must rely on attendants for my basic survival needs. I’ve been abused. I’ve been afraid of my caretaker. I tolerated the abuse because I thought I had nowhere to go, and, unfortunately, I was right.

This Disability Awareness Month, I encourage members to seriously consider the unique conditions people with disabilities face when in an abusive situation. Physical accessibility of shelters is definitely the first and most important consideration. If a person can reach safety first, as all victims of abuse should, then the rest of the problems can be solved later. As a woman with a disability, it is my personal goal to educate not only the public but also the disability community, so that no one need tolerate abuse. Everyone has the right to safety and there are people who care. Join me.

Renee Lopez
Co-Chair, TCFV Allies to Survivors with Disabilities
Member, Disability Services Advisory Committee, SafePlace
TCFV Category IV Member

In this issue, we highlight a unique shelter project, the opening of a new shelter and a successful training, as well as TCFV and national updates and resources related to Disability Awareness Month.

The Salvation Army Family Violence Program, Dallas
Research shows that gardening can be calming and even therapeutic. In this spirit, the Salvation Army Family Violence Project in Dallas has created a community garden. They started with a preliminary flower and herb garden that goes around the perimeter of the shelter’s backyard. It is a partnership with the Master Gardeners, a group of professionals with the Dallas County Extension Program. The group volunteered their time to design and implement the garden. After raising money for the supplies and getting plants and flowers donated, the program had a day of planting which involved staff, clients and volunteers. Now that the garden has been established, the goal is to get clients involved in the maintenance and upkeep. The idea is that spending time outside will lead survivors to a more positive place and working in the garden may help them find purpose. Future goals for the garden include adding vegetable plots, bringing in the Master Gardeners to discuss nutrition and getting children involved.

The Salvation Army Family Violence Project is a TCFV Category III member. For more information, click here.

Noah Project, Abilene

Noah Project in Abilene celebrated the grand opening of their new 18,000-square-foot facility on June 18, 2012. The 96-person capacity of the new shelter more than doubles that of the old facility, which could accommodate 40 people. The new facility allows for more privacy and relaxation for the residents with bedrooms that have private bathrooms and walk-in closets, a teen room, an outdoor meditation area and a garden where residents can grow their own food.  It also has two computer labs, one a tutoring lab for children and the other a lab for adults to work on job applications and receive online education. The new facility is much more secure with a 9-foot fence surrounding the entire property and a video surveillance system.

Noah Project is a TCFV Category I member. For more information, click here.

Family Support Services, Amarillo

Family Support Services, the Amarillo Police Department and TCFV hosted a Criminal Justice System Response Training on May 3, 2012 in Amarillo. The training offered 6 CEU and 6 CJAD units.

Approximately 116 people from law enforcement, Child Protective Services, area domestic violence providers and the faith community attended the training. The training topics were Teens and Dating Violence, Family Violence in Immigrant Communities and Immigration Law, and Children and Family Violence. The presenters, hosted by TCFV, provided important information on Texas laws regarding victims of domestic violence, while also addressing the value of coordinated responses from service providers and assisting agencies.

Family Support Services is a TCFV Category I Member. For more information, click here. (www.fss-ama.org/)

Title IX

June 23, 2012 marked the 40th anniversary of Title IX, the landmark legislation that changed the playing field for girls across the nation. Title IX opened up a world of new opportunities ranging from athletic participation to access to education in science, technology, engineering and math. In the years since the enactment of Title IX, athletic participation has increased over 1000%, creating more confident, empowered and inspiring women to fuel the innovation and advancement of America.

Check out a fantastic video, [ http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2012/06/20/title-ix-40 ] “Title IX at 40,” including the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, former Senator and chief Senate sponsor of the original Title IX legislation, Birch Bayh, and others.

In addition, visit the photo gallery [ http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/06/20/title-ix-action ] of female leaders who have shared a favorite picture that expresses how getting a chance to compete has helped them reach their own dreams.

1 is 2 Many

View a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) about dating violence and learn more about Vice President Biden’s 1 is 2 Many campaign. Due to the fact that young women today ages 16 to 24 experience the highest rates of violence at the hands of someone they know, the PSA’s target audience is men of this same age group. The PSA, which was produced by the White House, features professional athletes and other male role models who deliver the message that dating violence is unacceptable.

Watch the PSA

Get more information on dating violence and the Administration’s effort to combat it*.

Read the latest blog post on the 1 is 2 Many website about the PSA.

Nature Explore Classroom 2012 Grant Search

The Mary Kay Foundation and Mary Kay Inc. have partnered with The Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation to bring a unique tool to women’s shelters – Nature Explore Classrooms.

Nature Explore Classrooms are outdoor learning spaces designed to include nature in the daily lives and learning of children. Research shows that nature can help soften the impact of life stress on children and help them deal with adversity. It also helps reduce or eliminate anti-social behavior which can occur in children who have experienced or witnessed abuse.

Nature Explore Classrooms are traditionally constructed in areas such as schools, parks and child care centers. However, children who are currently residing at a domestic violence shelter with their mothers rarely have access to these locations because of the precarious nature of protecting a mother and a child from a potential abuser. Along with the outdoor area, each Nature Explore Classroom includes a curriculum with details on how to fully maximize the educational opportunities and healing effects of the outdoor environment.

Mary Kay Inc. and The Mary Kay FoundationSM have funded 13 Nature Explore Classrooms since 2009. Women’s shelters in Texas, Georgia, California, Illinois, New Jersey, Colorado and Massachusetts have received this wonderful gift from Mary Kay. The Nature Explore Classroom is funded entirely by Mary Kay Inc. and The Mary Kay FoundationSM and is an investment totaling more than $50,000.

If you serve women and children and are interested in being considered for a Nature Explore Classroom, please complete the application here (https://marykay.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_89bss0n3mDdSvWI) and send 2-3 photos of the proposed site for the Nature Explore Classroom to pinkchanginglives@mkcorp.com. Please make sure the subject line reads “Nature Explore Classroom – [shelter name] Photos.” Photos are required for your application to be to considered.

Applicants who are being considered will be contacted by Mary Kay for a potential site visit. After the site visits, finalists are selected and informed via phone. Mary Kay will then connect the recipients to The Arbor Day Foundation to begin the planning phase of creating your customized Nature Explore Classroom.

To learn more about Mary Kay’s commitment to domestic violence prevention and awareness, visit http://www.marykay.com/company/socialresponsibility/default.aspx.

Economic Justice Summit
The TCFV National Economic Justice Summit was held on June 14-15 in El Paso. The Summit showcased economic initiatives that help victims of domestic violence create long-term solutions to achieve economic freedom and succeed beyond staying in the shelter.

The question that many women and some men struggle to answer is whether they can afford to flee a violent relationship. Statistics show that victims of domestic violence account for a significant proportion of those in emergency shelter in Texas and for a sizeable number of the “hidden homeless.”

“The Center Against Family Violence appreciates the opportunity to team with the Texas Council on Family Violence and community partners to bring this training to EL Paso,” said Stephanie Karr, President of the Center Against Family Violence. “In these tough economic times, it is even more critical that our survivors of family violence achieve economic self sufficiency. Victims of domestic violence should not have to choose between living with an abuser and being destitute.”

TCFV Statewide Conference: Moving Forward

The TCFV Statewide Conference early registration is extended to July 13!

We are excited to announce our 27^th statewide conference. Moving Forward offers four excellent keynote presenters including Gloria Steinem, Rachel Alicia Griffin, Dave Thomas and  Gary Barker. More information on the VIP reception with Gloria Steinem coming soon. Join us for Moving Forward and enjoy 30 excellent workshops and great networking opportunities.

For more information, or to register, click here (http://www.tcfv.org/trainings-events/statewide-conference).

Individual Members: Get Involved! 

Allies to Survivors with Disabilities (ASD)

Allies to Survivors with Disabilities (ASD) is one of the TCFV Caucuses and Allies Networks (CANs) with members around the state. Our mission is to improve access and availability and assure quality services for survivors with disabilities. We hope to continue raising awareness within the family violence community of services needed by survivors with a wide range of disabilities and survivors who are deaf.

Many survivors do not receive services due to barriers, such as a lack of funding for American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters or physical accessibility assistance. Agencies may not be aware that solutions for accommodations are sometimes simple. ASD can respond to your questions. In the next few months, ASD will announce the process for awarding limited monetary assistance to shelters for specific accessibility needs.

We invite additional members to join ASD, including people with disabilities (cognitive or intellectual, as well as physical or mental health) and people who are deaf or hard of hearing and who are blind or have low vision. Our goal is to help TCFV and local family violence programs make simple solution accommodations for survivors with disabilities. Visit our ASD webpage for up-to-date information and resources.