- Coalition receives $10,000 grant from The WE CARE Fund
- Service Above Self- Informational and Networking Meeting for Business Leaders
- Volunteers needed to become Advocates for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Victims in Nassau County Hospitals
- Domestic Violence Legal Network Scrambles to Find Needed Funding
- Banking Exec Susan Ring Named Board President of Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock Strengthens Fight Against Abuse & Neglect
- Verizon Donates $30,000 in Calling Cards to Area Domestic Violence Shelters to Assist Victims
- Praise For New Law Granting Financial Help in Divorce
- Coalition's Mindy Perlmutter and Others to Speak at The Women's Group's Fall Dinner
- Paterson Signs No-Fault Divorce Bill
- Reports Show Domestic Violence Has Increased on LI
- Experts: Recession Increases Pressure on Domestic Abuse
- Table of Domestic Violence Figures
- WE CARE FUND Provides Check in Support of Language Line
- Newsday Charities Awards Grant to Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
- Honoring Merrick's Merchant, Professional of the Year (as reported in the Long Island Herald)
- Child Abuse, Domestic Violence Center Opens in Bethpage (as reported in Newsday)
- The Safe Place Coming Together to Combat Family Violence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Coalition receives $10,000 grant from The WE CARE Fund
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| Left To Right: Coalition President of the Board, Susan Ring; Coalition Executive Director, Sandy Oliva; Members of the WE CARE Advisory Board, Lois Schwaeber, Esq. and Marilyn K. Genoa, Esq. |
Nassau County, New York - The Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence has been awarded a $10,000 grant from The WE CARE Fund of the Nassau County Bar Association to provide multi-language services to victims.
The Coalition maintains bilingual staff (primarily Spanish Speaking), but the breadth of foreign languages spoken presents a serious challenge in our ability to provide services to those in need. The WE CARE Fund has played a major part in making it possible through its support of Language Line, a professional translation service for over 170 languages. It provides critical assistance on our 24 hour hotline and in face-to-face sessions through a three-way phone connection. The line is rapidly accessed, is utilized by numerous staff members at any location, and is completely confidential.
Founded in 1977, the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence is the only fully comprehensive resource for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse in the county. It operates 24-hour domestic violence and rape hotlines and a Safe Home for abused families. Coalition services include crisis intervention, counseling for adults and children, advocacy for victims in hospital settings, legal assistance, and housing programs for victims who need support to begin new lives.
Our mission is to assist and empower victims of domestic violence and sexual assault while challenging and changing social systems that tolerate and perpetuate abuse.
The WE CARE Fund is the nationally recognized charitable arm of the Nassau County Bar Association. WE CARE funds are raised by members of the legal profession and the community at large. The money is distributed through charitable grants to improve the quality of life for children, the elderly and others in need throughout Nassau County.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Service Above Self
Bethpage, Nassau County. September 7, 2011 8:30 AM at The Safe Place, Rotary International will be hosting an informational and networking meeting for business leaders in the Bethpage/Plainview area.
Rotary International is a volunteer organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service, and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. There are approximately 1.2 million Rotary club members belonging to 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
Rotary club members represent a cross-section of business and professional leaders around the world. These 1.2 million men and women donate their expertise, time, and funds to support local and international projects that help people in need and promote understanding among cultures. Rotary International is the worldwide association of Rotary clubs united under the motto of Service Above Self.
We invite you to join as we establish The Safe Place Rotary Club of Bethpage/Plainview. We welcome past and future Rotarians to the beginning of what we plan to be a rewarding and successful opportunity to serve the community we work and live in through Rotary. Please confirm your attendance by emailing District Governor Gabor Karsai at Karsai@aol.com. The meeting will be held at The Safe Place 15 Grumman Road West, Building B 2nd Floor, Bethpage New York.
Volunteers needed to become Advocates for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Victims in Nassau County Hospitals
Survivor Advocates for Emergency Response S.A.F.E.R. Program
BETHPAGE, NEW YORK- The Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence will be training volunteers to become Hospital Advocates for survivors of rape and sexual assault and victims of domestic violence. All volunteers must attend 40 hour training course, held in our Bethpage offices in the evening. If you are interested, please contact Janine at the Coalition 516-465-4744.
Volunteer advocates work on an on-call basis and report to local Nassau County hospitals during their day, evening, or weekend shifts to provide support and information. Volunteers must provide their own transportation, have a valid New York State Drivers License and reside in Nassau County.
The Coalition's mission is to assist and empower victims of domestic violence and sexual assault while challenging and changing social systems that tolerate and perpetuate abuse. The Coalition is a member agency of the Community Chest of Port Washington, Manhasset Community Fund, and United Way of Long Island.
Domestic Violence Legal Network Scrambles to Find Needed Funding
By Laura Haring
This article first appeared in the New York Law Journal on 06-20-2011:
The Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence recently honored approximately 50 attorneys who have volunteered their time to help secure divorces for nearly 60 victims of domestic violence since October 2009.
At the same time, however, the coalition is scrambling to secure alternative funding to keep the pro bono program going when the grants that helped launch it expire in September.
The coalition started its Legal Resource Network with two federal grants totaling $700,000. The money allowed the coalition to start a website—www.legalresourcenetwork.org—organize training and produce forms and other necessary materials for attorneys unfamiliar with the complex challenges of representing domestic violence victims.
The cases, which include complicated child custody and support issues, "generally take longer because most abusers are about power and control and they're used to having everything their way," said Lois Schwaeber, director of legal services at the coalition. And victims "need a lot of TLC and attention because most have not been making decisions on their own, so they need to have long conversations about their options."
The network's activities have been "extensive and has been terribly successful," she said. With pro bono attorneys supplementing the coalition's five staff attorneys, the waiting time for services has been cut to a few months from two to three years, she said.
However, while the federal money covered start-up costs, the Legal Resource Network still needs about $75,000 a year to pay the salaries of two staff members. Without the money, those staffers would be laid off, and Ms. Schwaeber said she fears the result would be that the network would lose the ability to recruit what it estimates could be 25 additional pro bono attorneys a year, and some current volunteers could drop out.
David Mejias, a managing partner at family law firm Mejias, Milgram and Alvardo in Glen Cove and Hempstead, one of the coalition honorees, has worked with the group for 14 years and acts as a mentor for other volunteers.
Mr. Mejias said that network staff play a vital role in not only recruiting attorneys but also in vetting cases and assigning and following up with clients. Their presence has made the coalition "a much bigger force for change," he said.
Ms. Schwaeber said that the coalition has applied for several new grants, but noted that most grants focus on getting pilot programs up and running and are less interested in donating additional money to sustain them.
"Just to pay salaries doesn't inspire people to give money," she said.
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| The Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence sponsored a reception for pro bono attorneys at the Hofstra University Club, Hempstead, N.Y. Left to right: Lois Schwaeber-director of legal services; Cheryl Helfer-honoree; Freda Wagner-Project Coordinator; Nassau County Judge Edward A. Maron; retired Nassau County Judge Lea Ruskin; and Joseph Harbeson-honoree. NYLJ Photos/Rick Kopstein |
Reprinted with permission from the New York Law Journal. Copyright 2011. ALM Media Properties, LLC. Further duplication without permission is prohibited.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Banking Exec Susan Ring Named Board President of Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Bethpage, NY- April 11, 2011
Susan Ring, First Vice President/Director of Branch Banking of Astoria Federal Savings, has been named Board President of the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, effective May 1. The Massapequa resident has been a member of the Coalition's Board since 1996, and most recently served as First Vice President.
Elections took place at the organization's March 9 board meeting, after which Sandy Oliva, the Coalition's Executive Director said, "Susan has been a great asset to the Coalition. She is a dynamic leader and advocate, and is deeply committed to improving conditions for abused women and families throughout Nassau County."
"I am honored to serve the Coalition in this capacity and to guide our energetic board of directors and volunteers who are so dedicated to helping women in crisis," Ms. Ring said. "Together, we are working to provide a safe place where women of all ages and backgrounds can receive the support they need to move on and improve their lives."
A key member of the Astoria Federal management team, Ms. Ring directs the day-to-day activities of the 85 branch network which spans Nassau, Suffolk, Brooklyn, Queens and Westchester. She is a 34-year veteran of the banking industry and has held senior management positions at several other local and national banking institutions.
Ms. Ring is a proponent of financial education for people of all ages. She plays a major role in supporting Astoria Federal's school outreach program to promote financial literacy and the annual "Teach Children to Save" Essay Contest, as well as its annual Kids Tools for School supply drive and Go Red for Women campaign. She also participates in fundraising for local chapters of the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and March of Dimes.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Adelphi University.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock Strengthens Fight Against Abuse & Neglect
Bethpage, NY- March 16, 2011
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock's Large Grants program has funded two major efforts by Nassau County's leading not-for-profits in providing services to the women, children and elderly victims of violence.
In two $100,000 grants, the congregation has helped move forward the work of the Coalition Against Child Abuse & Neglect (CCAN) and the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCCADV).
In February of 2010, both non-profits co-located their offices, programs and services to the same Bethpage building creating a new model of service delivery in a site they have named The Safe Place. At the Grumman Road location, the victims of violence – women, children and the elderly – receive all necessary services "under one roof" to address their experiences, help them regain their lives and become empowered survivors.
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock Large Grants Program has funded initiatives in two separate grants that:
- Create the position of intensive trauma therapist with a special focus on women with substance abuse addictions whose underlying cause is the sexual assault and/or family violence trauma they experienced.
- Fund training for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing treatment modality, used by therapists and advocates to treat traumatic memories in cases of post-traumatic stress disorder such as those experienced by clients of CCAN and NCCADV.
- Train congregants to become ambassadors of both agencies to assist in community educational outreach efforts.
- Assist in maintaining The Safe Place website, create a public service announcement on The Safe Place, and address other printing and environmental needs at The Safe Place.
Cindy Scott, Executive Director of CCAN said, "These grants are a great help in allowing the agencies at The Safe Place to expand services and offer the most current treatment modalities to address needs of our clients, especially women whose abuse trauma may not be addressed during substance abuse rehabilitation."
NCCADV Executive Director Sandy Oliva added, "The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock has a long tradition as a leading voice on social justice issues so it is an honor and pleasure to have their support for our collaborative efforts and in working with congregants to spread our message of violence prevention and in addressing the needs of victims."
UUCSR President Lauren Furst, commenting on the grants, said "The Women's Group" of the UU Congregation at Shelter Rock has long been a powerful advocate for confronting domestic violence and child abuse. With these Large Grants, the congregation is able to support two Long Island organizations in this promising new collaboration at The Safe Place."
For more information contact:
The Safe Place (CCAN, NCCADV)
Tim McBride, 516-478-4617; tmcbride@ccanli.org
UUCSR
Ned Wight, 516-627-6576, x. 125; ned@veatch.org
Verizon Donates $30,000 in Calling Cards to Area Domestic Violence Shelters to Assist Victims
Donation From Verizon LiveSource Part of Ongoing Campaign in Conjunction With Domestic Violence Awareness Month
MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. – Verizon is donating $30,000 in calling cards to 30 domestic violence shelters in the New York City metropolitan area to assist victims of domestic violence.
The announcement was made Monday (Sept. 27) by Pedro Correa, president of Verizon LiveSource, at an event at the Verizon LiveSource Call Center in Massapequa and is part of a national effort to donate $150,000 in calling cards to domestic violence shelters across the country.
"These calling cards will be a tremendous help to women and families in need," said Sharon Hoahing, director of operations for the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "We thank Verizon for this donation and its ongoing commitment to assist victims of domestic violence."
State Sen. Charles Fuschillo and several area domestic violence prevention advocates attended the event.
"This program will provide a real benefit to victims of domestic violence, which unfortunately affects far too many families," Fuschillo said. "As a longtime sponsor and supporter of programs to aid victims of domestic violence, I thank Verizon for providing this service to those in need."
Verizon has a long-standing commitment to raising awareness of domestic violence and aiding in its prevention. Since 2007, the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon, has awarded more than $15 million in grants to nonprofits that support victims of domestic violence.
In addition, through the Hopeline® phone recycling program, Verizon Wireless collects no-longer-used wireless phones, batteries and accessories, and puts them to work in the community by turning them into support for domestic violence survivors. Phones collected through Hopeline recycling drives are refurbished, recycled or sold, and proceeds are donated to domestic violence advocacy groups in the form of cash grants and prepaid wireless phones for survivors. Phones that cannot be refurbished are disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. Since 2001, Verizon Wireless has collected more than 7 million phones, given out more than $7.9 million in cash grants, and distributed more than 90,000 Hopeline phones with more than 300 million minutes of free wireless service for use by DV survivors.
Consumers can donate their phones at Verizon Wireless Stores nationwide or by mail using the postage-paid mailing label available at www.verizonwireless.com/hopelinemailinglabel.
"Domestic violence is an issue that impacts every community across the country," said Jim Gerace, president Verizon New York region. "Verizon is committed to continue to raise awareness of the issue and use our technology, volunteers and resources to help break the cycle of violence."
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, NASDAQ:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 92 million customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.
Praise For New Law Granting Financial Help in Divorce
"I saw a woman yesterday whose husband had seven attorneys. He's now back to his first attorney. It's a stalling tactic. As long as this goes on, he doesn't have to divide the wealth. She's living in her mother's house, and he has his money."
- Lois Schwaeber Esq., Director of Legal Services at the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Originally published: August 18, 2010 in Newsday
By JENNIFER BARRIOS
Domestic violence groups on Long Island are applauding a new law that will grant temporary assistance to the poorer spouse during a divorce case.
The new law, part of a package of legislation that Gov. David A. Paterson signed this week that includes the no-fault divorce law, establishes a formula that courts must use in determining how much financial support the higher-earning spouse must give to his or her spouse during their divorce case. Previously, such support was up to the judge.
The law takes effect Oct. 12.
Wendy Linsalata, director of advocacy services at the Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said she expects the law to especially help victims of domestic violence - who are overwhelmingly women - since abusive spouses often will withhold money to control their partners.
"Part of the abusive behavior is economic control and abuse," Linsalata said. "While the divorce is pending, the victim is left penniless."
Lois Schwaeber, director of legal services at the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said that divorce cases can take years to conclude. Previously, the poorer spouse could sometimes end up with no money to live on at all, she said, while the spouse with the higher income delays the proceedings.
"I saw a woman yesterday whose husband had seven attorneys. He's now back to his first attorney," Schwaeber said. "It's a stalling tactic. As long as this goes on, he doesn't have to divide the wealth. She's living in her mother's house, and he has his money."
Under the new law, if the higher-earning spouse makes less than $500,000, the judge will apply a mathematical formula based on the difference between the two incomes. If one of the incomes is more than $500,000, the judge would also consider other factors such as the length of the marriage, the needs of the lower-earning spouse and any children, and whether there was domestic violence. The formula doesn't apply to the indigent.
But Lee Rosenberg, a Garden City attorney and vice chair of the Nassau County Bar Association's matrimonial law committee, said, "You could plug in the information and come up with a number, but does that number exceed the person's needs, so that the moneyed spouse is paying more than the nonmoneyed spouse might need?" Rosenberg said. " I really do not believe this statute was looked at as long as it should have."
Reprinted from The New York Newsday, August 18, 2010.
Coalition's Mindy Perlmutter and Others to Speak at The Women's Group's Fall Dinner
Paterson Signs No-Fault Divorce Bill
"These bills fix a broken process that produced extended and contentious litigation, poisoned feelings between the parties and harmed the interests of those persons — too often women — who did not have sufficient financial wherewithal to protect their legal rights."
Originally published: August 15, 2010 in New York Times
Gov. David A. Paterson signed into law a package of bills on divorce on Sunday, including one making New York one of the last states to allow couples to dissolve marriages by mutual consent.
The no-fault divorce bill allows a couple to dissolve the marriage by mutual consent and without requiring one spouse to accuse the other of adultery, cruelty, imprisonment or abandonment. It also allows one spouse to divorce the other unilaterally.
Supporters said the bill would end an epidemic of institutionalized perjury in divorce courts, with some spouses said to falsely testify to wrongdoing to get a divorce. Opponents, including the Roman Catholic Church, said the no-fault measure would lead to higher divorce rates.
"Finally, New York has brought its divorce laws into the 21st century," Mr. Paterson said in a statement. "These bills fix a broken process that produced extended and contentious litigation, poisoned feelings between the parties and harmed the interests of those persons — too often women — who did not have sufficient financial wherewithal to protect their legal rights. I commend the sponsors on providing a real and effective legislative solution to a problem that has for too long bedeviled ordinary New Yorkers."
Reprinted from The New York Times, August 11, 2010.
Reports Show Domestic Violence Has Increased on LI
Originally published: August 11, 2010 in Newsday
By ZACHARY R. DOWDY
Long Island has seen increases in domestic violence reports and arrests, and assaults on children over the past year - a trend that reflects rising figures statewide and has officials vowing to combat the abuse.
In Nassau, a report prepared by the county's Task Force on Family Violence documented a 25 percent increase from 2008 to 2009 in domestic violence reports by police, a 4 percent increase in physical abuse reported by children, and a 58 percent increase in domestic violence arrests.
"These numbers are shocking, and today I am declaring this a 'public health emergency,' " said Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano, after reviewing the report released Wednesday.
In Suffolk, Gregory Blass, chairman of the Suffolk County Task Force to Prevent Family Violence, said reported domestic violence incidents increased 2 percent while there was a 24.2 percent increase in arrests and a 5 percent increase in physical abuse reported on behalf of children.
"We are convinced that the causes of these trends cannot be broken down to an exact science by any means," said Blass, who is also commissioner of the Suffolk Department of Social Services. "This is an insidious issue. We think if we continue to cry out for attention to it we can break the culture of domestic violence and through public awareness we can get at the heart of it."
Experts were divided on the reasons for the uptick. Some said that the sharp downturn in the economy, leading to unemployment and stress and strain on families, is a likely factor. Others said that more people are prompted to report abuse because of effective outreach efforts.
Nassau's figures come on the heels of three reports released by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services and Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, which outlined increases in the number of violent incidents reported, in the number of orders of protection issued by state courts, and in calls to domestic violence hotlines by people seeking help.
State courts issued 21 percent more orders of protection in 2009 when compared with 2008, from 172,290 to 207,726.
In 2009, the state's nearly 100 local domestic violence hotlines received 186,046 calls. In 2008, there were 177,000.
"We think the upward trend means there has been an increase in some domestic violence," said Amy Barasch, director of the state office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, in Albany.
A state homicide study released Tuesday showed there was a 12 percent decrease in domestic homicides from 2008 to 2009, from 147 to 130. Nassau had six while Suffolk reported 11.
John Imhoff, Nassau County's commissioner of social services, said that reading through the statistics was "a tremendous awakening experience."
Barasch cautioned that because of outreach campaigns and encouragement from law enforcement and social services agencies, victims may be more likely to report the instances, so it was unclear how many of the higher numbers reflect more incidents.
Nassau Police Chief of Department Steven Skrynecki said greater reporting by victims is probably driving the numbers on Long Island, too. "We're very active in encouraging individuals to bring these incidents to our attention," he said.
Jo Anne Sanders, executive director of Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said the sagging economy plays a role. "If people are out of work, they are in despair," she said. "They may turn to alcohol and drugs and that might add to the stress and the person feeling like they've lost control so they become more violent."
Mangano's task force listed 10 recommendations in the report, most revolving around raising awareness.
"We must reach out to the victims of domestic abuse so they have the resources and help they need to get out of a dangerous situation," Mangano said.
Reprinted from The New York Newsday, August 11, 2010.
NOTE: Newsday published at the bottom of its article an incorrect phone number for the Coalition's 24-hour help line. The actual number is: (516) 542-0404
Experts: Recession Increases Pressure on Domestic Abuse
Originally published: August 11, 2010 in Newsday
By YAMICHE ALCINDOR
Financial troubles can exacerbate abusive tendencies, domestic violence experts said Wednesday.
Money woes often make abusers feel they have lost control and they often turn to drugs, alcohol or physical and emotional abuse to cope, they said.
The current economic difficulties have taken a toll, said Sandy Oliva, director of the Nassau County Coalition on Domestic Violence. "The issues facing families these days has increased the potential for more violence," she said.
Oliva and Pamela Johnston, executive director of Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk, which looks for ways to prevent abuse and assists victims, said they recently have been serving families in more desperate situations. Often, victims seeking help tell tales of job loss, hunger and chronic unemployment, they said.
"I think the economy is really and truly a factor," said Johnston. Abusers who are unemployed may be home more often and as a result have more time with their victims, she said.
Johnston said victims, who are themselves unemployed or financially unstable, may not have the choice to leave violent situations. "They have nowhere to go . . . and are just not as able to get out of a dangerous situation."
Lisa Smith, a professor at Brooklyn Law School, has worked with domestic violence victims and launched several programs to combat the issue. "People lose their jobs, they lose their self esteem," she said. "Obviously you're not going to see a happy, healthy atmosphere."
Smith said at times abusers can lose hope, which can make them even more violent.
However, officials differ on whether a better economy will mean a domestic violence decrease.
"You don't want to have people believe that if the economy gets better that people will be safer, because that's not true," Oliva said. She said because a bad economy does not create abusive personalities - only fuels them - good economic times cannot cure abusers.
Jo Anne Sanders, executive director of the Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, agrees. "Someone who is an abusive person is going to be abusive whether they are out of work or working," she said.
Smith said, however, that she has heard a different story from some victims. "There are a subset of families where the victim will say when he [the abuser] has a job and everything is going fine . . . things are more peaceful," she said.
Despite differing views, experts agree the keys to decreasing domestic violence include education, criminal and judicial support, and a shared concern for victims. "People need to know that other people around them . . . are concerned," Oliva said. "The more people who know about how they can be helped . . . the more likely people are to reach out for it."
Reprinted from The New York Newsday, August 11, 2010.
Table of Domestic Violence Figures
Originally published: August 12, 2010 in Newsday
Figures provided by the state Division of Criminal Justice Services, Nassau and Suffolk counties, and state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
| Domestic Violence Arrests | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | ||
| Nassau | 1771 | 2790 | 58 percent increase |
| Suffolk | 1799 | 2235 | 24.2 percent increase |
| Reported Domestic Violence Incidents | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | ||
| Nassau | 12,821 | 16085 | 25 percent increase |
| Suffolk | 16,522 | 16,834 | 1.8 percent increase |
| Physical Abuse Reported By Children | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | ||
| Nassau | 7193 | 7472 | 4 percent increase |
| Suffolk | 9534 | 10057 | 5 percent increase |
| Domestic Homicide | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | ||
| State | 147 | 130 | 12 percent decrease |
| Nassau | 9 | 6 | 33 percent decrease |
| Suffolk | 11 | 11 | no change |
| Orders of Protection Issued | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | ||
| State | 172,290 | 207,726 | 21 percent increase |
| Domestic Violence Court Cases | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | ||
| State | 31,000 | 35,244 | 14 percent increase |
| Domestic Violence Hotline Calls | |||
| 2008 | 2009 | ||
| State | 177,000 | 186,046 | 5 percent increase |
Nassau County Coalition on Domestic Violence intake numbers.
An intake is the initial interview they do when someone comes in for their services. It's not an emergency service.
2007: 521
2008: 523
2009: 639 - up 22%
Reprinted from The New York Newsday, August 11, 2010.
WE CARE FUND Provides Check in Support of Language Line
Pictured left to right: Lois Schwaeber, We Care Fund Advisory Board Member; Toni Wiener and Stacey Novick, Co-Presidents of NCCADV and Marilyn Genoa We Care Fund Advisory Board Member
The Nassau County Bar Association's WE CARE FUND presented the Coalition with a check in the amount of $7,500 in support of "Language Line", a professional translation service. Language Line gives us the ability to communicate with virtually any non-English speaking caller 24/7, both on the telephone, in our offices, and at our Safe Home for Abused Families. Language Line also permits us to do additional outreach to all the non-English speaking communities in Nassau County, assuring that all victims and their children can access the services needed to help them reach and maintain safety.
Newsday Charities Awards Grant to Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Newsday Charities, a fund of the McCormick Foundation awarded the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence a $25,000 grant. The grant will support the Coalition's "Child Witness Program" which provides individual and group counseling to children who are witness to instances of domestic violence. Newsday Charities is established in 2000 to benefit at-risk Long Island children and families. The Fund benefits nonprofits dedicated to improving the community by funding programs that work to alleviate hunger and homelessness, organize mentoring programs, and provide crisis intervention and prevention. The Coalition is proud to be a recipient of their support.
Honoring Merrick's Merchant, Professional of the Year
Originally published: May 19, 2010 in the Long Island Herald
By Sari Zeidler
The Merrick Chamber of Commerce held its annual Merchant and Professional of the Year ceremony at R.S. Jones Restaurant on Merrick Avenue on May 17.
Douglas Mills, owner of Printing Emporium on Merrick Avenue, was honored as Merchant of the Year, and Dr. Gary Shore was named Professional of the Year.
"Serving the community has become a full-time passion of mine," said Mills, who has been a chamber member and owner of Printing Emporium for 25 years. "My parents have been here for almost 50 years and I was born and raised here. I love this town, the people in it, and the true sense of community that we have."
"I'm very humbled," Shore said of earning his new title. "I really have to give credit to Merrick and the surrounding areas, the members of my practice and my staff for making things so easy for me."
Mills began working at Printing Emporium as a Calhoun High School student in 1979, and bought the business by the age of 19 when he also became a member of the chamber and the Kiwanis Club of Merrick. He served as president of the Merrick Kiwanis Club for two terms in 1992-93 and 2004-05 and for two months in 2007. He served as president of the Merrick Chamber of Commerce in 1989 and 1990. In 1981, he founded the Merrick Festival, which continues again this October, and he served as the festival chairman for five years.
Mills has been active in the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, as chairman of the Golf Committee, which generated tens of thousand of dollars for the organization. In 1992, he was named Merrick's Man of the Year by the Merrick Chamber. In 1995, he was honored as the Small Business Person of the Year by the Nassau County Council of Chambers. In 1990, he was named one of Long Island's Top 40 Under 40 by Long Island Business News. Mills is on the Board of Directors on Merrick-North Merrick Little League, where he serves as director of fundraising. He and his wife, Marsha, were recently honored by the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence for the dedication and support, and Doug continues to serve on the coalition's President's Advisory Council.
Child Abuse, Domestic Violence Center Opens in Bethpage
Originally published: June 2, 2010 in Newsday
By JENNIFER BARRIOS
An initiative designed to help victims of child abuse and domestic violence in Nassau County officially opened its new location in Bethpage Wednesday.
The Safe Place is a collaboration involving two nonprofit organizations - Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect, and the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence - as well as several county departments, including the district attorney, child protective services and Nassau County police.
The sprawling facility in an industrial section of Bethpage offers counseling services to victims of child abuse and domestic violence and is also the place to report the crimes to police.
"With the opening of the Safe Place, we are now better equipped than ever before to tackle these problems," said Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice, who was among a group of county officials attending the opening.
"Too often health and human services programs existed in silos - separate and apart from each other," said Nassau County Department of Social Services Commissioner John Imhof. "This affords Nassau County residents one place to go."
The Safe Place has been running since February. The two nonprofits had been planning the co-location for five years.
Cynthia Scott, executive director of the Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect, said that families that experience domestic violence also often have child abuse issues, and vice versa. The center will allow victims to get services for both problems without having to go to two separate locations.
"It's a wonderful opportunity to have one-stop shopping," Scott said.
The Safe Place has interview rooms with comfortable furniture, a medical exam room, and toys and games for children.
The facility also includes a special-services squad of the Nassau County Police Department, where four detectives work on child-abuse cases, and two rooms where they can interview people accused of abuse. The squad is sectioned off from the rest of the center by a locked door and a separate entrance, so that victims don't come into contact with the accused.
The Safe Place is a model for other nonprofits, said Sandra Oliva, executive director of the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
"We're on the cusp of the kind of change the not-for-profit community really needs to explore and create in order to meet the economic challenges that we're all facing now," she said.
Reprinted from The New York Newsday, June 2, 2010.
The Safe Place Coming Together to Combat Family Violence
It is a journey that started with a cup of coffee – and two related but very distinct missions. Now, more than five years later, the Nassau County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CADV) and the Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN) have come together to create The Safe Place, a brand new shared headquarters and program facility in Bethpage.
While they remain two separate nonprofit corporations, CADV and CCAN have already begun thinking and planning in unison, bound together by their common commitment to fighting family violence and serving its victims. In the process, they are inspiring other nonprofits throughout the region to find similar ways to collaborate for the benefit of the people they serve.
"Our goals and missions are similar in so many ways," says Sandy Oliva, Executive Director of CADV.
"We had been talking for years about doing something together," says Cindy Scott, Executive Director of CCAN.
CADV provides a full range of domestic violence services for families in Nassau County. It operates a 24-hour/7-day per week hotline for victims of family violence; offers outreach, counseling and legal services; runs the only domestic violence shelter in the County; and provides both transitional and permanent supported housing for women and families as they build new lives. The agency also serves victims of rape and sexual assault and child witnesses to domestic violence.
CCAN coordinates Nassau County's Child Advocacy Center where co-located teams of police detectives, child protective services staff, the district attorney and medical personnel investigate cases of child sexual abuse or extreme physical abuse. The agency also offers a range of advocacy, counseling and support programs for children and non-offending parents as they struggle to overcome the trauma of family violence.
"Often, we are working with the same families," says Scott.
While CADV and CCAN had worked together for years through referrals and cooperation on individual cases, the process of more formal collaboration began with the realization over morning coffee that both organizations were in need of finding new program and office space. "We were both in cramped space and had leases that were going to be coming up for renewal," says Oliva.
The two executive directors approached their respective boards, which were cautiously committee to explore the possibilities. "That exploratory committee soon turned into a committee to find joint space," says Scott. Getting from there to here, however, was not easy. An original idea to purchase a shared facility proved unfeasible for financial reasons. The two groups also had some very specific needs. CCAN's child advocacy center required a separate entrance through which police could bring perpetrators for questioning – as well as medical facilities and interview rooms. CADV required a build-out with lots of small offices and meeting rooms for individual and group counseling sessions.
"We had trouble finding landlords who were open to this kind of heavy traffic – families with small children," says Oliva. "Frankly, a lot of them were freaked out by the police and the perps."
Eventually, the groups located a vacant building on the former Grumman aircraft plant campus – a space they could recreate to accommodate their own special vision.
The result is The Safe Place, a 24 thousand sq. ft. facility which serves as a one-stop shop for victims of family violence. Each organization has its own wing. They share a common reception area, conference room, kitchen, library and bathrooms. The savings, say Oliva and Scott, are clear. In addition to reduced expenses due to unduplicated space, the two agencies share the costs for reception staff. CADV covers receptions during normal business day; CCAN staff takes over during some evening hours. Senior staff from each agency have even begun to take a lead in specific areas for both agencies. Sharon Hoahing, Director of Operations at CADV, handles all facility and technology related issues at The Safe Place. Tim McBride, Director of Resource Development for CCAN, is the point person on fundraising campaign issues for both groups.
"We have gained additional expertise when neither of us could have afforded to hire another person," says Oliva.
While the financial benefits are real, however, they were never the driving force behind collaboration, say the two executive directors who have been thinking and planning together long enough to now finish each other's sentences. The real benefit, they emphasize, is improved services for children and families.
"The very first day we were here, our staff walked a client over to Sandy's side," says Scott. "We know that we have always lost clients when doing referrals. If we send a mom to a new agency in a different town, there is a good chance she isn't going to get there. Now the client walks down the hall and is introduced to a new counselor by someone they already know and trust. Clients don't necessarily see this as two agencies; they are just coming to a building that is supportive and helpful. This is something we never could create in two separate locations."
"Our staffs are already holding joint case conferences for families that we are working with together," says Oliva. "They are learning from each other and starting to think from a broader perspective."
"We've also gained access to legal services for our clients," says Scott, noting CADV combination of staff and pro bono attorneys with expertise in family court and matrimonial law. This, however, is only the beginning. "We've only been here together for two months," says Oliva. "Just wait! There's no stopping us."
Joint Programming
The two organizations have already begun exploring additional programs they can launch in tandem. Even prior to the move CCAN utilized CADV's telephone hotline for their hospital advocacy program. "This was our first co-venture," says Scott. "Sandy had the hotline already. Why would we want to recreate one?" The agencies have formed another joint committee with directors from the two boards to look at shared programming opportunities.
"We've probably sent out five or six joint grant proposals to develop programs together," says Oliva. One would be for the creation of a Family Violence Institute allowing the agencies to combine their respective expertise in all areas of domestic violence for training and research.
Another would provide services for young people ranging in age from 13 to 24 who have been victims of sexual assault. A third would target parents who have substance abuse issues and a fourth would serve adult victims of early childhood trauma.
"We would create teams with staff from both agencies," says Scott. "They would be working for The Safe Place."
Fundraising
CCAN and CADV have even launched an initiative in the treacherous waters of collaborative fundraising. The result has been better than the two executive directors could have hoped for!
"Things are really bad out there," says Oliva. "Most people are looking for funding for the same things they always have done. We have created something new and exciting. It is enhancing our services at a time when people in Nassau need them more than ever."
"It has created a buzz," says Scott. "When we run into funders – foundations, corporate donors – they have heard about it before we even get a chance to tell them."
The commitment is to share funding from a new campaign effort equally between the two agencies. "We've created two bank accounts," says Oliva. "At the end of each month our bookkeeping staffs reconcile. If one agency brought in $12,000 and the other brought in $10,000, then we even it so that we each got $11,000."
The goal, however, is not on taking each others' donors but expanding the pool of donors supporting both agencies.
The fundraising campaign has a three-part focus: strengthening the cash reserves to ensure the sustainability of both organizations, covering the considerable costs associated with creating and moving into A Safe Place, and developing new shared programs.
"We already have $850,000 in pledges and we expect we will hit $1 million before very long," says Scott.
"Our boards have given us 100 percent support," says Oliva. "Together, the two boards have pledged $500,000. The rest is coming primarily from private foundation grants."
Not bad for a fundraising campaign that is barely underway and was yet to be announced publicly.
The "M" Word
The Safe Space collaboration has come about during a time when many funders – government and foundations – are calling for the consolidation of a highly fragmented nonprofit sector, both on Long Island and across the nation. While Oliva and Scott stress that their strategic planning preceded much of this merger mania, they agree that closer collaboration among nonprofits would lead to more effective use of charitable resources.
And, they acknowledge, the end result of their collaborative journey may well be a merger of their two agencies.
"Yes, the boards are very conscious that this is an issue on the table for discussion as we go forward," says Oliva. "There are no commitments. Individual board members have different feelings. Some want it to happen tomorrow; others aren't sure. But, they all see it as a possibility."
"The fact that the move to common, shared space took so long actually helped us," says Scott. "The boards have had time to think through a lot of these issues. Many of them have worked together on joint board committees and have gotten to know each other."
"If we merge, I think we will have overcome a lot of the normal resistance you find when organizations come together," says Oliva. For the moment, however, there is no rush to move faster than necessary.
Oliva and Scott like to use the analogy of personal relationships. For a time, the two organizations were dating. Now, they are living together. Will they get married? No one knows for sure. But if they do, you can be certain that it will be because they continue to share a commitment to serving victims of family violence – and a belief they can do it more effectively as one organization rather than two.
Reprinted from The New York Nonprofit Press, June 2, 2010.
