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There is power in the number one. I would argue there is not a more powerful number. Some of you might say that numbers two, three, four, or more, possess greater power. You might say that more people can make a greater difference than just one person alone. I agree that the impact could be larger; however, without that first person taking that first step to help, moving forward with the initial act in helping to make a difference even if they aren't feeling they are contributing much, we would never know the impact that the larger numbers could make. It only takes one person to start a movement. It only takes one person to show compassion.
One person can make a difference in the lives of others. According to research about childhood trauma, all of the risk factors for adverse experiences can be offset by one thing: the presence of a stable, caring adult in a child's life. The people that receive YWCA Northeast Indiana services, even if provided by only one person, have had their lives positively impacted. We believe that it only takes one person on our team to save a life. So, I say again, the number one is a powerful number.
In this month's edition, we are sharing information about Bonnie's House, our emergency shelter for individuals fleeing from domestic violence. Bonnie's House was named in honor of Bonnie Hefner for her generous support. Bonnie passed away August 13, 2021, and we honor the impact she, and her family, have had in our community. Please take a moment to read more about Bonnie's House below.
Please also check out some events you won't want to miss! Register for free today for our Diversity Dialogue: Criminalization and Race - No More! and Coffee & Conversations: Be a Forrest Gump - Refusing to Let Your Fears Stop You! Additionally, put your power of one to good use and sign up to host a table at our upcoming Circle event, scheduled for October 19th. You can make a difference by registering to come to this fundraising event, and inviting a few more folks from your tribe to attend. Together, you and your tribe can make a powerful difference in helping us empower those struggling to rebuild their lives after domestic violence. If you believe in your power of one, please let Patty know that you will host a table. She can be emailed at pdunn@ywcaerew.org.
Are you curious as to what is happening with our future home, The Hefner Center? Stay abreast of the happenings in this newsletter and you will 'get the scoop' on our progress. This month, we want to share with you that our outside pool has been filled in, so it can one day grow up to be a fabulous child's playground. Our hearts get warm when we envision kiddos being able to play. Being able to take a break from the undesirable realities their world has introduced them to is important for their mental, physical, and developmental wellness. We love when kids can be kids!
Another new section of our newsletter is "Are You an Ally?". Heather Essex Guy, our Racial Justice Coordinator, will bring valuable information on how you can be an ally for racial justice and equity. Racial justice begins with one, and continues on with many. Look for our newest blog series "Are You an Ally?" coming soon!
Please also consider participating in our capital campaign. We have nearly reached our $16.7 million goal. We have many naming opportunities left, including the playground mentioned above. For more information, visit ywcanein.org/new-doors
We want to thank you for your continued support. You, alone, hold great power. You have enough power to change the world, one action at a time. Can you imagine what could be accomplished together?
Friends, we are a mighty tribe indeed.
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Bonnie's House is our emergency shelter for adults, and their children, who are fleeing from a domestic violence situation. Residents in Bonnie’s House are offered a wide variety of onsite support groups and classes, and YWCA’s Client Care Technicians provide 24-hour living support. Client Care Technicians are trained in evidence-based practices including trauma-informed care and are trained to understand the needs of survivors of domestic violence. Client Care Technicians connect residents with resources and provide emotional support and encouragement as residents come and go from the facility.
Client Care Technicians are supervised by Residential Coordinators and the Director of Residential Services. While Client Care Technicians provide daily living support, licensed therapists, domestic violence advocates, and recovery case managers are also available to meet with clients and guide them through their goals specific to healing from domestic violence or pursuing recovery from substance use disorder.
Onsite services include clinically-supervised support groups offered by YWCA’s therapists on healthy relationships and self-esteem. Financial education and employment skill building groups are also offered as well as curriculum-specific groups for families and individuals, such as Strengthening Families and Bridges Out of Poverty: Getting Ahead in a Just Getting by World.
Healthy cooking classes are also offered to residents on a routine basis through a grant with the Saint Joseph Community Health Foundation, and Purdue Fort Wayne’s music therapy program provides opportunities for both adults and children to engage in music therapy. YWCA also partners with the Foster Grandparents program to provide mentorship opportunities for children staying in our residential programs.
Children living with their parent in our domestic violence shelter are offered age-appropriate support so that they can begin to process and heal from trauma in a healthy way. YWCA has a Child Advocate on staff in our residential programs who develops programs and activities designed to increase parenting knowledge, decrease risk for child abuse or neglect, increase emotional management for children, and normalize family relationships after trauma.
YWCA’s Child Advocate facilitates parenting support groups and other family-oriented groups for the whole family. The Child Advocate also facilitates weekly play groups for children that promote healthy, non-violent, and age appropriate play. The groups are designed to encourage resilience while permitting children to act and feel like children after the adversity they have experienced.
A tutor from Fort Wayne Community Schools comes onsite weekly, and the Child Advocate works directly with Homelessness Liaisons and other school personnel to ensure children staying in our residential programs are able to continue in school. Activities and outings are planned throughout the year to create opportunities for positive family relationship building, including visits to the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, Tincaps, Botanical Conservatory, back to school party and activities, and more.
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Changing the World, One Message at a Time. | |
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Not everything is as it appears. When people talk poorly about others, it may be prompted by the gossiper’s own insecurities. When someone starts talking negatively about someone else, it is important to flip the script and focus on the positive.
Our recent Coffee & Conversations event focused on The Power of Positive Gossip. Find more information on our website.
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YWCA Northeast Indiana's 24/7 Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Crisis Line is free and confidential: 800.441.4073
To see all of our Don't Say/Do Say messages, please visit our website.
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YWCA Northeast Indiana celebrates a community that embraces the inherent dignity of all people. To encourage awareness and acceptance of diversity, YWCA’s Level Up Council hosts Diversity Dialogues, where we bring in panelists and guest speakers to help lead the community in compelling conversations on interesting topics important to our community. We do our best to ensure a variety of perspectives and topics that provoke deep thought.
At this dialogue, we will hear about the discrepancies in arrests, convictions, and sentencing rates by race in the Fort Wayne community. We will also examine different approaches to focusing on the intersection of race and community engagement as we move away from associating people of color with criminality.
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Find more details about this event and recaps of past Diversity Dialogues on our website. | |
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Coffee & Conversations
Be a Forrest Gump: Refuse to let your fears stop you!
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Coffee & Conversations is an opportunity for women in the community to discuss pertinent topics about how to be successful in the business sphere, public square, or in personal growth and development. YWCA Northeast Indiana invites women to come together in conversation for this free quarterly series. | |
In the movie Forrest Gump, the main character attempted all sorts of activities despite having an IQ of 75 (referenced in the movie). Quite possibly, his low IQ didn’t enable him to strategically think things through, but one could argue that is what has contributed to his success. He didn’t know what he didn’t know, and any fears of failure/success that someone with a strategic mind might consider didn’t weigh into Forrest’s decision making. He quite literally just moved forward. He also didn’t let negative feedback from others hinder what he wanted in life. Fear stops more people than any other barrier in life. Fear of Failure? Fear of Success? Learn what is REALLY stopping you. | |
Andie Hines-Lagemann is an Emotional Intelligence Practitioner at Tidewater Coaching and an advocate for women, entrepreneurs, and people with disabilities. She spends her free time wearing many different hats serving throughout the city. Andie earned her Bachelor's of Fine Art from the University of St. Francis, and completed her Master's of Positive Psychology through Indiana Wesleyan University. In her down time, Andie loves to cook, and she enjoys sharing this gift with her family and friends.
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Chynna Presley is a self-proclaimed multipotentialite, or more commonly described as a jack of all trades. With a bachelor’s degree in social work, a master’s degree in organizational leadership, and a life degree in hard experiences, Chynna has served the greater Fort Wayne community in a variety of roles over the course of the last 16 years. Today, she serves as an on-air radio personality for STAR 88.3, and a leadership development coach for her business Mezzo Management Solutions.
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Find more details about the event and learn more about about our guest speakers by visiting our website. | |
What is Persimmon Pride? Persimmon is the orange pantone color of our YWCA brand. Internally, #PersimmonPride is more than a hashtag or mantra. It is a belief in the impact the YWCA team is having in our community. It's more than a saying. It is who we are and what we believe in. | |
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"Assisting clients at Dress for Success, a program of YWCA Northeast Indiana, is very rewarding and an example of how we as a team provide our clients with the tools that they need to thrive in work and in life."
-Marty (Dress for Success Coordinator)
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The passion from our staff, in addition to the unending support from our community, is what makes our work possible. Thank you to our staff and the northeast Indiana community for your support! | |
"The Scoop" will keep you up to date on the latest happenings as we renovate our new building. After construction, the former Hall’s Guesthouse Hotel at 1313 W. Washington Center Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana will become YWCA’s new home: The Hefner Center. Stay tuned for updates! | |
One of the first big changes at our new location occurred with the external pool, located in the courtyard. This area will eventually become a playground area for clients and their children to relax and play. Check out these progress photos of the pool being drained, removed, and filled in. We are excited about the transformation and can't wait to show you more updates on our new home! | |
New Blog Series Coming Soon!! | |
Meet Heather Essex Guy, YWCA Northeast Indiana's Racial Justice Coordinator. | |
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"As a Fort Wayne native I am thrilled to have joined the YWCA Northeast Indiana family! I received my B.A. and M.A. from Indiana University. I am a proud Hoosier!!! I have primarily worked as a youth professional in various capacities. I have experience with all stages of development from infancy to returning adult college students. I am especially passionate about empowering First-Generation college students and First-Generation Americans. Serving as the Racial Justice Coordinator gives me the opportunity to be of service to intersecting communities in need."
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Heather shares a little on what is to come.
"While we are currently coming out of a fevered interest in addressing sociocultural inequalities, the need to address the attitudes and conditions remain. Ever since I have been both conscience and conscious, some of my experiences have been shaped by these forces. And the same for you! In the position of Racial Justice Coordinator for YWCA, I am tasked with finding ways to help our region go forward, together. Intentionally, as individuals and a community. Not only are there old wounds to heal, but we also have the need for tangible tools to direct our future.
As I have been engaging the community in this position, there have been a number of you who have expressed not only support, but the desire to overcome cultural “miscommunications” that make engaging the topic of race uncomfortable. I believe this is the racial crossroads of our time.
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My experience has shown me that the most impactful learning happens experientially and so YWCA Northeast Indiana's “Are You an Ally?” blog series will utilize stories, videos, and articles and will also be inviting new voices into the conversation, in hopes of appealing to your brain and heart.
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Each month will be a new opportunity to engage the nuances of social justice.
If we, as a collection of individuals, are able to self-reflect, adjust, and model inclusivity and engaged citizenship, what a great cultural legacy we can provide for future generations of Hoosiers and “Fort Waynians”. Each month we will be given the opportunity to ask ourselves “Am I being an ally?” My hope is to hear increasingly more in our community “Yes! I AM an ally!”
Stay tuned for more information on "Are You an Ally?" as we launch this blog series soon!
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Fort Wayne Cinema Center is offering free popcorn and a drink to anyone who brings a new and unopened Barbie or doll between July 20th-30th. All donations will go to the children staying at YWCA Northeast Indiana. YWCA's domestic violence shelter, Bonnie's House, and addiction recovery program, Hope & Harriet, have the capacity for 116 adults and children. We are often at or above capacity.
Look up tickets & showtimes here.
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Thank you, Fort Wayne Cinema Center, for thinking of us and finding a creative way to bring joy to the children that we serve. | |
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Domestic violence can affect anyone, at any time of their life. But we are all more than our yesterday, no matter what season we are in. As we plan our 27th annual Circle event for this fall, we need your help!
Will you host a table at YWCA's Circle Event? As a Table Host, you would simply invite members of your network to join you at the luncheon, and to help influence support for YWCA. Last year alone, we served 754 adults with one-on-one domestic violence advocacy, the highest ever in our agency's history. As a powerful and influential person, we are asking that you and your tribe help make all the difference in raising life-saving dollars for those fleeing from domestic violence.
This year’s theme "Seasons of Abuse" will include inspiring stories from community members that have overcome domestic violence and in doing so, are empowering others to be more than their yesterday. Together with members of the community, we will share a meal, network, and learn more about YWCA’s life saving programs.
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Theme: Seasons of Abuse
When: Thursday, October 19th from 11:30am-1pm
Where: Ceruti's, 6601 Innovation Blvd, FTW
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Table Hosts are standouts because they are integral to the success of Circle and have the goal to (literally) bring people to the table who would be willing to learn more about YWCA’s mission and make a financial contribution to support YWCA’s domestic violence services. Learn more about hosting a table here.
To use your power of one, please contact Patty at pdunn@ywcaerew.org. Each table seats eight and tickets to Circle are $100 a piece. Shared tables can be accommodated as well.
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There is value in the past. Our history at YWCA Northeast Indiana is full of experiences, experiences that have helped develop us into the life-saving agency we are today. We are not able to serve the growing demand for our services in our current, limited space. And, while there is beauty in the patina, our old keys won’t open new doors. Now, we begin a journey of opening new doors. Will you join us? | |
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The time has come when the past is no longer enough.
The time has come to look, not at what could be, but what will be.
It’s time to unlock new doors.
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Learn more about our capital campaign and how you can get involved and support YWCA Northeast Indiana by visiting our website. | |
Goldstein Family Scholarship Program | |
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The goal of the Goldstein Family Scholarship Program is to help female survivors of domestic violence improve their self-sufficiency and quality of life by completing higher education. The scholarship fund provides financial support for tuition, books, rent, utilities, and childcare. Learn more here.
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We have recently updated our Amazon Wish List with current needs, including needs for clients and operations needs. Your purchases can be sent directly to our location.
If you would like to financially support YWCA Northeast Indiana, you can access our donation page by following the link below:
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