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Volunteer Appreciation Month and
Sexual Assault Awareness Month 
April 2013
Thank You to our Volunteers!volunteer appreciation logo

 

April is National Volunteer Month. This month has been difficult for many people in our communities and around the country.  Thankfully, there are so many thoughtful individuals who volunteer their time and resources to help our neighbors in need during times of crisis. 

 

Pillars is grateful for the many volunteers who support our programs.  From our Buddy's Place volunteers who facilitate support groups for grieving families, to our LaGrange Area Transitional Housing mentors who advise families at risk of homelessness, to our Domestic and Sexual Violence volunteers who answer crisis calls and prepare meals for our Constance Morris House residents, to our administrative volunteers who help with projects around our offices, to our special event volunteers who make our events run smoothly, to our Board members who devote long hours to governance and fundraising initiatives, there are so many wonderful volunteers who support our mission of making connections and changing lives.  We could not do this work without you.  Thank you!

Serena and friend re SAWM

Serena Curry, Pillars, and Deanna Calderone, Volunteer, model teal ribbons for Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month.   In commemoration of these April awareness month events, we are proud to profile two of our sexual assault program volunteers, Ida Green and Saunte` Harden-TateOur Sexual Assault Advocates dedicate many hours answering our 24-hour hotline on evenings, weekends, and holidays.  They also provide medical and legal advocacy to sexual assault survivors in local emergency rooms and police departments.  They are often the first responder to an individual or family in crisis.

 
Serena Curry, a Medical/Legal Advocate and Volunteer Coordinator for our Sexual Assault Program, is grateful for the wonderful efforts of our volunteers. "We have amazing, reliable volunteers in the sexual assault program. They are very dedicated to the clients we serve, and are sincerely invested in their role as Sexual Assault Advocates. The sexual assault team at Pillars is very grateful to them for their willingness to dedicate themselves and their time to survivors on our 24-hour sexual assault hotline."
  

Working to end Sexual Violence in our Communities      Sexual Assault Awareness Month Ribbon

 

Rape can be an uncomfortable topic that we don't like to discuss.  The stigma associated with sexual assault, whether of a child, teen or adult, causes many victims and their families to suffer in silence.  It's time to talk about it.  Sexual violence impacts everyone in our community. 

 

Fact: At some point in their lives, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men will be raped.  Most of these rapes will be committed by someone known to the victim.

 

Fact: Every two minutes, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted and 60% of these assaults are never reported to the police.

 

Pillars has provided comprehensive services to survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault since 1982.  Last year, we served nearly 400 men, women, and children who have experienced or been affected by sexual assault.  Our services include counseling, medical and legal advocacy, and crisis support.  You can read more about our program here.  If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or sexual abuse and needs help, our Sexual Assault Hotline number is 708-482-9600.     

 

Pillars also provides prevention and public education programming in our communities.  We are hosting or participating in several events this month to help raise awareness about sexual assault.  These events include The Clothesline Project, a screening of the film It Was Rape, and our annual observance of Denim Day on Wednesday, April, 24th.  You can read more about these events by clicking here. 

 

 

Make a donation - Please consider giving the gift of healing and hope by supporting our sexual assault services today. Your support will make a significant difference in the lives of the individuals and families we serve, helping them to live lives free of violence.  Click here to change a life.


For more information
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Questions? Please contact Tracy Hough
at [email protected] or 708.995.3516
 

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