1979-2015
Peace
36 years of service to the community
Hope
Safety Shelter News
Working to End Domestic Violence in Our Community
Fall 2015
Executive Director
Mary Carter Lominack,
M.Ed., NCC
Administrative Office
Manager
Jenny Patterson
Case Manager
Amanda Taylor
Child & Adolescent
Advocate
Lea Calvani
Fiscal Manager
Bev Hovencamp
Fundraising &
Development Coordinator
Sarah Ellis
Legal Advocate &
Outreach Counselor
Robin Jackson
Outreach Advocate to the
Spanish-speaking
Community
Patty Roseberry
Receptionist
Kayla Ferguson
Residential Office Manager
Andrea Domingue
Volunteer Coordinator
Robin Goldstein
Shelter Managers
Jenn Butt
Kat Gursky
Bre Lundgren
Cindy Nowak
Cindy Osborne
Meredith Wouters
Board Members
Jim Bell
Pam Garrison
Mark Inge
Carol Lee
Rebecca Lewis
Mark Lorenzoni
Vickie Marsh
Charron Montgomery
Christine Peterson, M.D.
Working Together to Reduce DV Homicides
Three women die in this country because of
domestic violence each day; a total of 76
members of our community have lost their
lives to domestic violence since 1979. Both
nationally and locally the majority of the
victims of these tragedies had not utilized
services available at their local domestic
violence program. The reasons for their lack
of connection to services are complex, but
now a new collaboration between the
Shelter for Help in Emergency and
Charlottesville, Albemarle and UVa Police
Departments seeks to address this critical
problem.
The Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) is
a screening process that allows police
officers responding to a domestic violence
call to determine the level of risk for serious
injury or death that a victim might be
facing. The LAP program, developed by the
Maryland Network Against Domestic
Violence in conjunction with research by
experts in the field of domestic violence at
Johns Hopkins University, is a well-tested
model being adopted by many jurisdictions
around the country. The goal of the program
is to prevent domestic violence homicides
and serious injury by encouraging more
victims to utilize the support and services of
domestic violence programs.
The program protocol is relatively
straightforward. An officer responding to a
domestic violence incident will ask just 11
simple questions that require a yes or no
answer. Based on the answers, if the person
is determined to be at risk the officer will
call the Shelter’s 24-hour hotline. The
officer will then offer the victim the
opportunity to speak directly to the
Shelter’s staff member over the telephone right there at the scene of the incident.
This program offers a proactive approach
encouraging victims to access help and
support at a critical moment. Once
connected to the Shelter, the person has an
array of programs and services that will
support and assist them to deal with their
abusive situation. In the words of Wendy
Lewis with the Charlottesville Police
Department, “Any collaboration that has a
central mission in protecting lives or
identifying the vulnerable in need of service,
is a partnership we want to be a part of”.
Program results from around the country
have been positive. Law enforcement
agencies report that the program provides
officers with beneficial training as well as a
tool that improves their response to victims
of domestic violence. Officers state that the
tool enables them to better identify those at
greatest risk and effectively communicate
this risk to the victim. Jurisdictions
implementing this program have seen
greatly improved communication and
collaboration between law enforcement and
domestic violence programs. Maryland
reports a 35% increase in numbers of
victims seeking domestic violence services
through this program in 2014, and a five
year decline in domestic violence
homicides.
Benjamin Rexrode with UVa’s Police
Department recently spoke about this
collaboration, “The UVa Police Department
is excited to be a part of the new lethality
assessment process. Seeing how willing and
enthusiastic all of the local agencies are to
implement this system really shows how
important this issue is. It’s also really great
to see that we can all come to the table and
work together to have a universal and
effective system when trying to decrease
violence in our community”.
The Shelter is ready to get started and is
excited about this new collaboration!
Page 2
“Great
event,
great
cause!” Written on a Design
House comment card, these four
words describe the idea behind
Design House. Bring a fun and
exciting annual event for the
community that also helps
women and children overcome the trauma of abuse by supporting
the work of the Shelter for Help in Emergency.
We are grateful to Janie and Ron Goldberg, homeowners of
Design House 2015, for helping us to make that possible this year
by sharing their beautiful Earlysville home with us. Recently built
by Summit Custom Homes, Design House 2015 featured an
oversized chef’s kitchen, pre-wired media room, five bedrooms,
and a spectacular view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
An amazing group of dedicated volunteers, designers and sponsors
joined together in their belief that Peace Begins at Home to
transform the empty Earlysville house into a beautiful and stylish
home any family would enjoy. Their efforts helped raise
$73,000 that will go directly to support women and children
whose lives have been devastated by domestic violence.
Over 1,300 visitors toured the house which showcased the
exquisite work of 17 local designers. Our fabulous Preview
Party was attended by a record number of supporters; and once
again featured a Silent Auction that included a Gabriel Olfiesh
Necklace, a Spring Creek Gold Package, and a basketball signed
by the UVa Men’s Basketball Team. This year we also provided a
variety of seminars featuring local artists and experts; and had
dozens of great raffle prizes for a few lucky winners! Before
leaving Design House, visitors were able to stop by the café for
lunch and shop in the Design House Boutique.
Thank you to all who worked so hard to put on this event—
volunteers, designers, sponsors, silent auction donors, vendors and
contractors. This event cannot happen without your work,
generosity and support.
Plans are underway for Design House 2016 and we hope to see
you there!
To learn more about Design House, visit
cvilledesignhouse.com and don’t forget to look for us on
Facebook.
Design House 2015
Join our Volunteer Team!
We are grateful to have such a
wonderful group of volunteers
giving freely of their time and
energy to help the women and
children we serve each day!
Volunteers work tirelessly to
ensure our crisis hotline is staffed
24-hours a day, children are given
guided play sessions while their
mothers meet with case managers
and attend support groups, offer
translation
services,
provide
administrative assistance for our
office staff, and help to organize
community activities and events
such as our annual 5K race and
Design House. We would not be
able to provide all of the vital
services and programs for the
victims reaching out to us for
assistance without the amazing
support of our volunteers.
Fall Volunteer Training
Schedule
October, Tuesdays & Thursdays
6:00pm—9:00pm
One Saturday Session
9:00am—3:00pm
If you are interested in
volunteering, please call
(434) 963-4676.
Help Someone in Need
Offer to Donate
Participate by Giving Your Time
Empower Yourself by Learning More
Every journey begins with hope! You have
the power to help someone in their journey
by giving them the building blocks they
need to build a strong foundation for a
safer life free from abuse. Learn what you
can do to offer someone hope by calling our
Community
Outreach
Center
at
(434) 963-4676 or visit our website at
www.shelterforhelpinemergency.org.
Page 3
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Please mark your calendars and join us this October for a series of events designed to spark
discussion, raise awareness, and honor those whose lives have been affected by domestic violence.
We begin Thursday, October 1st, at the Freedom of Speech Wall located on the Downtown Mall. Staff
and volunteers will be available that day to answer your questions about domestic violence and provide
resources. Join us and write your own message of support on the chalkboard.
Our 25th Annual Candlelight Vigil will be held on Monday, October 5th, at 7pm in Jackson Park. The
Charlottesville Women’s Choir will uplift us with their voices as we honor victims and survivors of
domestic violence. A reading of names will take place for the 76 victims in our community who lost
their lives experiencing domestic violence since 1979. If you are interested in speaking or reading a
piece of poetry, please contact us at (434) 963-4676.
Each Wednesday during October we will hold a Brown Bag Lunch Series from 12 noon to 1pm at our
Community Outreach Center. These brief educational presentations serve to highlight specific issues
faced by domestic violence victims and their children. All are free and open to the public; we encourage
you to bring your lunch and take part in these informative discussions.
Our annual Peace on Earth Begins at Home Art Contest is an exciting opportunity for youth to join in the
discussion on what a healthy relationship looks like. The grand prize winner will have their artwork
showcased on both our 5K race t-shirt and our 2016 notecards.
We will wrap up the month with our 19th Annual 5K Run/W alk for Shelter on Satur day, November
7th. The run/walk begins on the Downtown Mall at 8am. Each participant receives a long sleeve cotton
t-shirt and an opportunity to win one of our fabulous grab bag prizes.
Brown Bag Lunch Series
The Shelter for Help in Emergency is pleased to announce the following presentations in recognition of
Domestic Violence Awareness Month. All are free and open to the public; we encourage you to bring
your lunch and take part in these informative discussions.
October 7th: Teen Dating Violence in LGBTQ Relationships
October 14th: Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
October 21st: When Domestic Violence and Homelessness Meet
October 28th: Telling their Story: A Survivor’s Panel
Join us for these one hour discussion/presentations each
Wednesday of October from 12:00pm - 1:00pm.
All presentations will be held at the
Shelter’s Community Outreach Center
1415 Sachem Place, Suite 1, Charlottesville
BYOB: Bring Your Own Bag Lunch!
(Lunch will not be provided, so please feel free to bring your own.)
Please call (434) 963-4676 with any questions or special needs request.
Page 4
One Day of Services: Sept. 10, 2014
Adopt-a-Family Program
The 9th annual Domestic Violence Counts National Survey
conducted by The National Network to End Domestic
Violence in September 2014 highlights one day of services
provided to domestic violence victims throughout the United
States as well as victims turned away due to lack of funding
and resources.
The holiday season is
fast
approaching
bringing
with
it
thoughts of family
dinners,
Christmas
wishes, and new
beginnings. For some
this year, family
dinners will be at the
Shelter for Help in
Emergency, wishes
will be put on hold
amidst the chaos of domestic violence, and
work will begin as families strive to find
their own new beginning. The Shelter
wants to ensure everyone has a safe and
happy holiday this year and we need your
help!
Victims served in one day:
Victims in need of emergency shelter:
Victims seeking counseling, legal
advice, or children’s support groups:
Hotline calls answered:
Unable to receive services due to lack
of space, staff, or resources:
National
67,646
36,608
Virginia
1,412
847
31,038
20,845
565
558
10,871
281
The Shelter for Help in Emergency provided
emergency
shelter,
hotline
services,
outreach
services, and advocacy and outreach services to 14 victims/
survivors on this day.
Available at DMV!
Estate Planning
Charitable bequests help to
ensure the causes you are
passionate about today will
continue to have your
support after you are gone.
Support local prevention
programs and services
for domestic and sexual
violence by becoming a
visible voice in your
community.
Over 1,500 Virginia
vehicles already have
the “Peace Begins at
Home” license plates.
Show your support
today and Let’s drive
peace home!
A planned gift to the Shelter
for Help in Emergency will
help women and children
affected
by
domestic
violence for many years to
come.
Our Adopt-a-Family program matches
domestic violence survivors and their
children with caring community members
like you. One mother exclaimed as she
picked up her gifts, “Not sure how I would
have made Christmas happen for my family
without your support!” Her excitement was
coupled with tears of gratitude to those that
had adopted her family for Christmas.
Their participation in the program helped
relieve the burden of holiday shopping for
Mom and allowed her to fully focus on
providing a safer and more stable life for
herself and her children.
Please consider making a
gift through a charitable
bequest in your will or trust.
Last year, we were able to help over 50
families through the generosity of local
businesses, church groups, and people like
you. One of the children adopted last year,
squealed with laughter as she came around
the corner to see the new bicycle she had
asked for. When she finally caught her
breath, she explained that she had been
waiting 3 years for a bicycle and couldn’t
believe she finally had one.
If you would like to learn
more and discuss the future
needs of the Shelter, please
call our Executive Director
at (434) 963-4676
Please consider adopting a family healing
from domestic violence this holiday season
and help make someone’s holiday wishes
come true. To learn more about our Adopta-Family program, please call Andrea at
(434) 293-6155.
Page 5
In the Community:
Looking Back at FY14-15...
Moose’s by the Creek held a fundraiser
in May to benefit the Shelter for Help in
Emergency and Services to Abused
Families in Culpeper. The fundraiser
featured a corn hole tournament, a dunk
tank and a raffle with many great prizes.
The evening ended at the Paramount for a
benefit concert by BETTY, a pop rock
band out of New York.
In June, Shelter staff attended the National
Network to End Domestic Violence’s
Advocacy Day in Washington DC. While
there we met with members off Congress to
discuss the importance of domestic
violence funding and upcoming legislation
that will directly affect domestic violence
victims and their children.
Savvy Rest visited us in August for their
bi-annual Organic Pillow donation.
Savvy Rest has pledged to donate a new
pillow to every woman and child coming
into Shelter by donating nearly 200
pillows each year. Their donation helps
facilitate a restful and peaceful night of
sleep for a victim beginning their
journey to a life free from abuse.

812 hotline calls wer e
answered by experienced staff
and trained volunteers

173 victims wer e given
emergency shelter

4,419 nights of safe shelter
were provided

An average of 29.55 hours of
services including counseling,
case management, and legal
advocacy were provided to
adult victims during their stay

52% of clients staying with us
in the emergency shelter were
children; 85% were under the
age of 12

168 outreach victims who did
not require emergency shelter
received an average of 10.28
hours of counseling and legal
advocacy

19 new volunteers wer e
trained and all volunteers gave
over 3,228 hours of support
Why I Support the Shelter…
Our organization got involved with the Shelter around the time the new residential facility was under construction.
Although I had little to do with the initial project, the more I learned of the Shelter’s mission the more I was drawn
to help. Although I desperately wanted to help, I knew there was no way I could answer a hotline or volunteer at
the residential facility, I just did not feel I had the emotional strength to work directly with clients. I so respect
those who can, I just could not.
Domestic violence is a plague on our community. A plague because it transcends social status, is not limited by
race or ethnicity and is not limited by age or income. The shame and stigma associated with domestic violence
prevents so many from seeking help, and often prevents friends and family from reporting violence. I realized
community awareness and education is how I might support the Shelter.
Imagine my excitement when in early 2009 I was invited to join a small group of dedicated volunteers committed to
getting the first Design House off the ground. Here was a way I could help, more than just writing a check, I could
actually get involved where I was comfortable. In May 2010 we opened our first Design House in Ednam Forest,
the event was a success! Now in our sixth year of Design House, the event has become our signature fundraiser.
We need your help, there are many ways you can support the Shelter - Write a check or donate supplies if you can
and if you can’t try helping out in other ways: there are many volunteer opportunities; at the residential facility, in
the office or at an event like Design House or the annual 5K run in November. Just do something; everyone
deserves to have “Peace at Home”.
Jill Whitley, Hunter Smith Family Foundation
Peace
Hope
Safety
Non-profit Org.
Postage Paid
Charlottesville, VA
Permit No. 305
SHELTER FOR HELP IN EMERGENCY
P.O. Box 1013
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Admin. Office: (434) 963-4676 V/TTY
Hotline: (434) 293-8509 V/TTY
Email: info@shelterforhelpinemergency.org
Website: www.shelterforhelpinemergency.org
Philosophy Statement
The Shelter for Help in Emergency is
committed to providing a safe, supportive,
confidential and respectful environment in
which survivors of domestic violence are
empowered with the knowledge of personal
and community resources as well as the
skills needed to make informed decisions
for themselves and their families.
C URRENT NEEDS L IST
Household:
Non-Perishable Food Items**
Paper Towels**
Toilet Paper**
Plastic Wrap
Aluminum Foil
Air Freshener
Plastic Baggies—all sizes
Trash Bags — all sizes**
Tissues
Laundry Pods—high efficiency**
Dryer Sheets
Green cleaning supplies
Dish Soap**
Dishwasher liquid/pods**
Brooms/Mops
Bedding and Bath:
White Sheet Sets—full size
Mattress Pads—full & twin size
Comforters—full size
Wash Cloths
Towels
Personal Hygiene:
Feminine Hygiene Products
Toothbrushes
Deodorant**
Women’s Razors
Women’s Shaving Cream
Hair Brushes/Combs
Hand Soap**
Hand Sanitizer**
Hair Dryers**
Lotion
Ethnic Hair Products**
Miscellaneous:
Grocery Store Gift Cards**
Bus Passes (all day passes)**
Telephone Calling Cards **
Alarm Clocks**
Umbrellas**
Flash Lights
Batteries
Journals
**Urgent Need
Clothing (all sizes):
All bottles/products should be full sized
and unopened. Due to lack of storage
space we are unable to accept donations
of clothing, toys or books.
Children’s:
For all other donations or directions on
where to drop donations off, please call
(434) 963-4676.
Pajamas**
Lounge Wear**
Women’s Underwear**
Baby Wipes
Baby Monitors**
Tear-Free Shampoo