5/21/2020
Your monthly news & updates
Welcome to the Anti-Violence Partnership's newsletter! Through this monthly email, we'll keep you up to date on everything that's happening at AVP. We'll highlight events we hold, people we cherish and news we think is relevant to the world of victim services.
AVP's Offices Are Closed
As you could have assumed, our offices are still closed. The good news is we're still hard at work-- if you need to contact us, everybody at AVP is working from home. Please email avp@avpphila.org or leave a voicemail at (215) 567-6776 (we will continue to check our voicemail!) and we'll get back to you as soon as we can. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Guided Meditation
Our therapists have taken to Instagram and have been running live guided meditation sessions every Monday at 3 pm!
It's easy to feel isolated during quarantine. That's, you know, what quarantine means. These sessions have been a great way to focus on mindfulness with live people. The longer this goes on outside, the more important it is to remember to take some time to establish an inner peace.

The sessions are free and open to everybody!
Zoom Support Groups
If you engage in face-to-face therapy, our current quarantine could be hitting you hard. Everybody needs to communicate, and this temporary age of isolation isn't making that any easier than it would normally be. Our clinicians started a couple of online support groups last month-- each one is conducted by two members of our team over Zoom.

Follow the links under these fliers to give us some basic information, and we'll be in touch to see if the group is right for you!
Virtual Workshop and Wellness Check-In with Philadelphia's Asian & Asian American Communities
Our wonderful Community Services Director Lisa Christian will be speaking at an online workshop and wellness check-in with Philadelphia's Asian and Asian American communities this Friday at 3:30 pm . To register, just click on the above image!

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and this vital event is a chance to convene, albeit digitally, and take stock of the AAPI community.
Resources
Social distancing, school closures and the decision by many businesses to have employees work from home has hurt everybody in ways we may not have been able to predict. Below, find a number of resources that can help in this chaotic time:
Meet AVP
A few words from Development Associate Emily Derrick
What's your job title at AVP and how would you describe what you do here?

I'm AVP's Development Associate. This means that I'm responsible for the agency's fundraising initiatives, including private and government grants, annual giving, and donor stewardship.

Why did you decide to get into victim services?

Working at AVP has been my first exposure to victim services work. Before I came to the agency, I spent the first few years of my career working at human services nonprofits, including a regional food bank. During my time at the food bank, I got a first-hand look at what it's like to not have access to a very basic need. I think that's what initially drew me to the work AVP does - we provide free services to clients who may not otherwise have been able to seek healing through therapy, support during court proceedings, and so on. 

What part of your job means the most to you?  

I love fundraising because it's so collaborative. I work with every department at AVP on a pretty regular basis, so I feel invested in their progress and love to celebrate their wins. It's also just a great feeling when you secure funding for a program - knowing that your work leads to thousands of people getting the support they need is special. 

Is there anything you'd like to focus more of your effort toward as you further define your role here?   

I'd really like to see a higher percentage of AVP's funding come from private grants. I'm working on it!