HOPE Center MN

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Stay tuned to HOPE Center by signing up for e-mail updates from our blog: http://www.hopecenter365.blogspot.com/

Join YOUR Voice Against Violence...

Sign our Voices Against Violence Pledge

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I Pledge not to condone violence in any form with word or deed.

I Pledge not to stay silent about child abuse and sexual abuse and to raise my voice against violence.

Signed: Your Name

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What is your story?

To sign the pledge or tell your story

e-mail estaab@hopecentermn.org

with your story of HOPE.

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A story of how people intervened to help end violence:

An abused woman was in the Emergency Department. She said nothing of her abuse but the nurse was concerned. When the woman was being discharged, the nurse said, I’m worried about you. You have been here before with serious injuries. I’m afraid you may not live to raise your daughter. Take this card. It has a phone number you can call if you ever want to get help. The woman took the card home and taped it to the back of her refrigerator. Seven months later she called the number, a domestic abuse agency, and got the help she needed. She is safe, and so is her daughter.

Beyond the Mirror: http://www.beyond-the-mirror.org/index.html

He Never Hits Her

She watches, like a puppy

waiting for affection or a treat.

She watches--yet rarely

is there a gentle touch,

or loving eyes.

Instead, his eyes

are gunmetal.

His words are razors.

You're getting fat.

What do you do all day?

You parent like your mother.

Where did you get that outfit?

You forgot to get my cleaning again.

It's beyond me how you got a degree.

Your friends say they don't like you.

You missed a spot when you vacuumed.

You forgot to use heavy starch on my shirts. Again.

You get an allowance because you can't handle money.
All I ask is that you do what I ask.

You can't do anything right.

She watches. And he turns, as though

she is a curl

of dog s*&^ that one

would dispatch into sand

with a quick kick of his Nike.

He never touches her. With his fists.

Marlene Jezierski, Beyond the Mirror

We encourage you to read these powerful poems about the impact of Psychological Abuse

http://www.beyond-the-mirror.org/index.html

Are you not involved with HOPE Center, but wish you could be? Here are some of our TOP TEN ways to support us!

1. Donate. We are always grateful for the donations we receive. Monetary donations are always appreciated, and there is a current “wish list” of in-kind donations in each newsletter and on our website here: www.hopecentermn.org/donate.html.

2. Volunteer. We have lots of opportunities for the occasional volunteer, and each fall and spring we provide a 40 hour training for those who answer the 24 hour Safeline.

3. Office Volunteers. Don’t have enough time to devote to our training or don’t feel comfortable working with clients? We are always looking for office volunteers to help out with basic office duties. We will work around your schedule.

4. Milk Moola or Kwik Card. HOPE Center can earn 5¢ for every cap or bag top collected from Kwik Trip or Kwik Star's Nature’s Touch™, and Kwik Quencher^® products. For every Glazers Dozen or Half-Dozen price oval we turn in, we earn 10¢ each. Just turn in the caps and tops to the HOPE Center. You can also opt to give your Kwik Rewards (3¢ on gasoline and 15% on in-store purchases) from your Kwik Trip Card to HOPE Center. Just designate us as your charity of choice. There is no annual fee for the card and you can apply online: http://www.kwiktrip.com or by phone: 1-888-736-5945.

5. Donate your used cell phone. Cell phones and chargers are used to raise operational funds or are refurbished as 911 phones. Phones and accessories can be dropped off at our office during business hours. Let us know if you want to put out a collection box at your church, service club, or place of business.

6. Board of Directors: We are accepting applications for our Board of Directors. This is a great opportunity to give your time and talents toward making HOPE Center an even better organization. If interested, please call Erica @ 507-332-0822.

7. Sign up for our quarterly newsletter. Either call us or send your address to estaab@hopecentermn.org. You can opt to receive the newsletter via snail mail or e-mail.

8. Add your name to our Occasional Heroes list. When we have short term projects – events, fixing a broken desk, painting, etc. – we will be e-mailing this list to find someone with the needed skills. E-mail estaab@hopecentermn.org to sign up.

9. Goodsearch. Use www.goodsearch.com as your search engine, with HOPE Center as your designated cause, and we receive approximately 1 cent for each search you complete. You can use it just as you would any search engine, and it's powered by Yahoo!, so you get great results.

10. Talk. Talk to your friends and neighbors about how you are working to end domestic and sexual violence in Rice County. Talk to your kids about expectations within relationships, talk to your faith community about how they are ending violence.