Family Advocates, Inc. 2022 Second Quarter News |
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From the Director's Chair |
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Life Changing News As a friend of our agency, we want to keep you informed and up-to-date on the exciting path before us. Family Advocates received a $3.5 million dollar grant to build a new shelter in Platteville! A special thanks to the City of Platteville for submitting the grant on our behalf. We are currently working with the Wisconsin Department of Administration and the City of Platteville to sign a grant agreement. Once we receive the agreement and any grant stipulations, we can proceed with the build. When we have a location and a building timeline, we will share more information with you, our supporters, donors, volunteers and clients. In order to plan for the future, I would like to first give you an idea of why a new shelter is so desperately needed. Our current shelter is functional with two double bedrooms, two family bedrooms, and two individual bedrooms. However, we are almost always full to maximum capacity with an ongoing waiting list. From October of 2019 to September of 2021, Family Advocates received 393 calls for shelter that could not be met due to the shelter being at capacity. We have one kitchen with one stove and one refrigerator, a 6 person dining room and three bathrooms so you can imagine having 6 to 7 families (upwards of 20 individuals) trying to use these common spaces has been, to say the least, a struggle. One of the two living rooms is often used as an emergency overflow bedroom. Minor renovations over the years kept the agency providing assistance to families in a limited capacity. |
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After-school tutoring in our children's classroom takes place in an, often flooded, un-finished rock basement, which also houses food storage and the laundry facility. The shelter has room for one washer and two dryers for upwards of 6 families. Family Advocates has reached a point where not only has the emerging need for services outgrown our capacity but also the need for additional safety, security and privacy for victims has surpassed our limitations. Besides outgrowing the building, our current model of service is outdated and provides significant challenges. With over twenty adults and children living in the small six-bedroom facility, there is little privacy. Communal living in close quarters creates tension in the lives of victims who experienced a life-changing trauma, disagreements over parenting styles, cultural differences and different standards of cleanliness add to the unrest.
The current usable footage at our shelter is 4,000 square feet in a two story building which is not conducive to handicap individuals. The floor plan of the new building is over 13,000 square feet that is entirely handicap accessible and that provides a safe, secure and private area for victims and families to heal.
If you like a tour of our current shelter, please feel free to email us below! Thank you all for your support, Darlene Masters, Executive Director |
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Save the Date! Thursday, August 25, 2022 at the Belmont Convention Center Come celebrate Family Advocates' 40th Anniversary at our Night of Hope Gala! If you are interested in supporting the gala by sponsoring or donating to the auction, click the button below! |
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Community Education ______ |
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A Call to Educators and Parents The Family Advocates' youth department is working to build a better, more accessible, set of curriculum for presentations at area schools. Part of this process is getting information directly from the educators, parents and administration. Any help in directing issue-driven curriculum for the presentations is appreciated and will aide in all of us coming together to improve our schools and hopefully the lives of the youth in our communities. | | |
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April was both Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. Our outreach advocates were present with activities and events at both UW-Platteville campus and Southwest Technical College campus! Click HERE to see the full schedule of their efforts! |
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Thank you to all the community organizations and businesses that participated in Denim Day to raise awareness and support for survivors of sexual assault. A handful of them are pictured below proudly displaying their support! |
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Grant County Social Services and Darlington Police Department |
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Community First Bank and Grant County Court House (Platteville, Lancaster, Fennimore and Livingston Branches of CFB donated over $450 for Denim Day) |
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Southwest Health Center and Lafayette County Board members Terri Fugate and Jen Kass from SWH Kris Fleming and Matthew Edge from Lafayette County Court and Sherriff Department. |
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Mound City Bank and Holiday Inn Express & Suites (Mound City Bank employees raised $150 for Denim Day) |
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History of Denim Day Denim Day arose out when an 18-year-old girl was forcefully raped by her married 45-year old driving instructor for her very first lesson. He was convicted and sentenced to jail. The case went to the Italian Supreme Court where the case was overturned. The Chief Judge released a statement arguing that because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape but consensual sex. Enraged by the verdict, within a matter of hours the women in the Italian Parliament launched into immediate action and protested by wearing jeans to work. This was the beginning of what has become a worldwide movement to wear jeans as a visible means of protest against misconceptions that surround sexual assault and victim blaming behaviors. |
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Platteville Family Resource Center is proud to present the first annual "Breaking Away From Domestic Violence" Bicycle Race & Ride through the beautiful hills of Southwest Wisconsin. In partnership with WiSport, this is a 50 mile race and time trial with awards provided for registered race participants. For family fun, there will be a recreational ride to the Platteville M. Join us on July 16th to kick off Hometown Festival Week in Platteville! | | |
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Come Join Us! Iowa County Support Group Tuesdays from 2-3 PM Iowa County Office | Family Advocates 305 North Iowa Street, Dodgeville, WI Contact Paula Youth Support Group | Adult Support Group Mondays at 5 PM Grant County Shelter | Family Advocates 250 North Court, Platteville, WI Contact Matt for Youth | Contact Norma for Adult Lafayette County Support Group Thursdays from 1-2 PM Lafayette County Office | Family Advocates 627 Main 2nd Floor, Darlington, WI Contact Mikayla | | |
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Community Support and Awareness is vital to maintain and uphold our mission. Donations of goods, services and/or time are greatly appreciated. If you would like to help by donating goods for our shelter: Click Here If you would like to support our outreach, community programming, operations and counseling support for victims who are in need of services: | | |
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Terri Fugate, Southwest Health Aaron Cullen, Honkamp Krueger & Co. Kris Fleming, Lafayette County Circuit Court Nancy Olson, Retired Platteville Schools & PFRC Sheila Ruchti, Community First Bank |
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Lynne Parrott, Platteville Police Department Jennifer Miller Kass, Southwest Health Dennis Cooley, Southwest Technical College Matthew Edge, Lafayette County Sheriff Dept Geri Zauche, Potterton Rule Real Estate |
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"Keeping Children and Families Safe in Our Communities." |
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