Families in Crisis pledges new beginning
Families in Crisis has weathered some trying times in recent months, but new executive director Sheila Lee says all that is behind the organization now and it?s looking to the future.
?Families in Crisis is back,? Lee said. ?That was then, this is now. It?s Families in Crisis, a new beginning. We?re here to serve our community, and we?re going to get out there and let it be known that we?re working hard to provide the same great services we always have.?
The local battered women?s shelter has been providing much-needed services to victims of domestic violence since its inception in 1991.
Lee says the shelter appreciates all the support the community has given over the years. From the beginning the organization has worked to serve the needs of individuals who, in many cases, had nowhere else to turn, and has provided a wide range of services for those clients.
?Of course we have the shelter,? Lee said. ?That?s our top priority. But we also do support groups. We?re available to do presentations to community organizations and clubs, school classrooms, teacher training, daycare staff training. Anyone who needs to increase public awareness of domestic abuse.?
Families in Crisis also helps victims make their way through the legal system.
?We have our court advocates who go to court to assist victims of domestic violence,? Lee said. ?They can also serve in the court as translators for the Hispanic community.?
As with any such non-profit organization, fundraising plays a major role since that is what keeps the doors open. The group has several fundraisers in the works, according to Lee.
?The first thing we have coming up is our consignment sale the last week of March,? Lee said. ?This is something brand new that our child advocate has come up with where the community can come in with their children?s clothes that have been outgrown, sell them, get some of their money back, and at the same time help us raise funds by getting a percentage of that.?
Shortly after that will be a perennial community favorite, but with a few changes.
?The next one will be our seventh annual Songwriters? Night, which will be at the Civic Center on April 13, with the doors opening at 5 p.m.,? Lee said. ?But this one is going to be a little different.?
Most notable will be the absence of well-known songwriter Jacky Jack White due to the fact he had previous commitments this year, but according to sources close to White, he does plan to be back next year.
?Then we?re doing another brand new fundraiser called the ?Mother?s Day Tea,? Lee said. ?That will be on Saturday, May 12. It is going to be wonderfully elegant and fancy, a great opportunity for mothers to dress up their daughters and show them off a little. Paula?s Dance Academy has agreed to bring some of her older students and perform for us.?
Both the consignment sale and Mother?s Day Tea will be held in the Memory Maker Room at South Chancery Mini Mall.
For those who have been wondering if the shelter is still in operation, after hearing about the recent shakeup in management and the organization?s board, Lee says they can rest assured Families in Crisis is open and taking clients, with an all new and dedicated staff. Lee feels the most important thing now is to get the word out to the public about the new Families in Crisis.
For more information on the Families in Crisis services, or for information for the upcoming fundraisers and how to become a sponsor, call 473-6221.