February 2012 Thank Yous: We love our community!!!

Safe Harbor received generous support from many organizations during February 2012. We are so grateful for this support! Thanks RVA!!! Organizations and groups supporting us during this time period include:

• Girl Scout Clover Ridge Unit
• Compassionate Kids
• Maddie’s Blankets organized by Unity Bowling, Miss Peninsula Outstanding Teen 2012
• Travelers Inland Insurance
• Nationwide Insurance
• University of Richmond Vagina Monologues

Girl Scout Clover Ridge Unit supports survivors!

Daisy Troop 5126 has adopted Safe Harbor as their community service project this year.  The girls made valentine decorations and gifts for the children in our programs.  The troop also earned their “Gift of Caring” award by selling Girl Scout cookies to donate to Safe Harbor.  Yummy Thin Mints (and more) were delivered to our safe house and enjoyed by all.

The Service Unit coordinated an item drive during a recent lock-in for scouts in the unit of all ages.  Girls in attendance donated much needed items from our wish list. We appreciate all of the scouts efforts to care about others in their community.

 Comfort Dolls from Compassionate Kids

The children served by Compassion Ministries hand made these beautiful Comfort Dolls for our families.  “Operation Comfort Doll hopes that women will know they are not alone as they begin to rebuild their lives and start anew.” The group attached a “Thinking of You” card to each doll. We are so grateful for this group’s generosity and thoughtfulness! We look forward to sharing these with those we serve.

 Hand Made With Love

Unity Bowling, Miss Peninsula Outstanding Teen 2012, held a blanket making event for Maddie’s Blankets out of Oakton, VA.  Maddie Pelgrim  is the owner and operator of Maddie’s Blankets, is also Miss Virginia American CoEd Jr. Teen.   The blankets will be distributed to the familes we serve.  Maddie’s Blankets is a non-profit agency devoted to “Making the World a Better Place One Blanket at a Time.” For more information on Maddie’s Blankets, please visit www.maddiesblankets.org.

Cook-Off Helps Survivors

Travelers Inland Insurance of Richmond held a raffle to benefit Safe Harbor at their annual “Chili Souper Bowl.”  During a friendly cook-off and tasting, the group raised almost $600 to support survivors of sexual and domestic violence.  Thank you for having us!

Nationwide is on OUR Side

Nationwide Insurance invited our Development Manager, Jodi Ottaviano, to their “Friday Cheers’ on January 27^th.  Jodi shared with the group how Safe Harbor helps survivors of sexual and domestic violence.  The group presented Jodi with a check for $900, a direct result of their “Jeans Day.”  What an amazing gift – Thank You!

U of R Vagina Monologues

Safe Harbor was invited to the University of Richmond’s annual production of “The Vagina Monologues“ on February 13 and 14, which is performed on campus to raise awareness of the violence against women.   Staff and volunteers attended each production, spoke about Safe Harbor’s programs, and answered questions.

The show is a compilation of monologues based off Eve Ensler’s book, which is a series of interviews.  After creating “The Vagina Monologues,” Ensler founded V-Day, a non-profit organization that supports anti-violence organizations around the world and strives to stop violence against women. “The Vagina Monologues” is one of V-Day’s campaigns to raise money for the organization.

90% of the proceeds from U of R’s productions of “The Vagina Monologues” were allocated to Safe Harbor.  10% went to the V-Day organization.