Check out the latest news from Safe Shores’ July 2020 Newsletter.
Our Clients Need YOU!
To those who have already given to our 2020 Pack2School Drive: THANK YOU! You have helped get us halfway to our goal. If you haven’t heard about our Pack2School initiative or are considering donating, please read below about Safe Shores’ efforts to accommodate school for our clients this fall.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, schools have had to turn to distance learning or a mix of in-person and online schooling. As a result, many families who are already struggling to afford basic school essentials like pencils and notebooks are now facing costs for laptops and internet connections at home.
Now more than ever, Safe Shores needs your help to make our 2020 Pack2School drive a success. Our goal to raise $25,000 is clear and within grasp. We must achieve this milestone to ensure that our clients have the tools they need to succeed this school year.
Will you please donate to Pack2School and make an impact this 2020-2021 school year? Every gift, no matter what the size, will support Safe Shores’ commitment to serving our families during this difficult time. Although there is no physical drive at the Bundy Building this year, all dollars raised will go toward essential school items that will be sent directly to children’s homes. Your secure, tax-deductible gift will ease the burden of any educational costs and create a positive learning experience for DC children and families affected by abuse.
Safe Shores Keeps Moving Forward on the Equity Path
In response to the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and too many other Black Americans, as well as the growing public acknowledgement of racism, anti-blackness, and government-sanctioned violence against BIPOC individuals and communities across the nation, the staff here at Safe Shores has been processing what we’re thinking, feeling, and managing. It’s been heavy at times. Nonetheless, our all-staff conversations — on Zoom — have encouraged us to reflect and continue with deepened commitment on our path as individuals and as an organization in pursuit of social justice with an equity lens. To learn more about what’s meant by equity and about what it means to be on the path, check out these resources:
What the Heck Does Equity Mean?
As we mark our 25th year of service, the needs and the lives of the children and families we serve remain at the center of what we do. As a Black woman-led nonprofit organization, Safe Shores has purposely and consistently honored the dignity, humanity, safety and individuality of our young clients and their families. We’ve worked with intentionality to assemble a team of professionals who reflect the beautiful diversity of the community we serve. Our staff has been and continues to be guided and inspired by our clients’ perspectives, input and experiences when we develop programs and implement service delivery. Now, as we undertake strategic planning in this constantly changing environment, we are heartened by the growing consciousness of the racism that our clients and many of us encounter simply trying to live and be. With all these things in mind, we look forward to continuing the conversation to advance Safe Shores’ mission even better, together.
In a Virtual World, We’re Pursuing Digital Wellness
In March, Safe Shores shifted our operations to work remotely and do our part to help #FlattentheCurve of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, although our physical offices remain closed, we continue to provide essential services while observing the necessary precautions. Screen time has increased, and “Zoom fatigue” is real. Nonetheless, we remain grateful and energized to be able to work with our clients virtually.
To learn about tools and techniques for personal wellness and sustainability in this digital age, Safe Shores participated in a Digital Wellness workshop led by Mindful Techie’s Founder and CEO Meico Marquette Whitlock. Mindful Techie is a company focused on helping purpose-driven professionals and organizations boost their personal and professional effectiveness and increase productivity and work-life balance in a digital world. The success of the workshop inspired us to take the learning even further. With Mindful Techie’s expert guidance, we are working as a staff to develop protocols and best practices for our work in the digital sphere. The goals are for Safe Shores’ to continue to live out our organizational values — even virtually, to implement best practices in the world of virtual human services, and to continue to serve our clients at our best capacity, especially as the figurative boundaries between work and home grow ever harder to maintain.
Welcome New Members of Our Team!
The coronavirus hasn’t stopped Safe Shores from providing intervention, hope and healing for child victims and their families, nor from recruiting and hiring new staff to help carry out our mission. June saw the arrival of two new Family Advocates: Sarafina Milgrom, LGSW, and Katie Piura, LMSW. Sarafina was previously a graduate student intern at Safe Shores and joined the staff after completing her degree in May 2020 with a clinical focus and behavioral health specialization. Katie comes to Safe Shores with over six years of well-rounded experience in the social work field and is fluent in English and Spanish. In July, we hired our first Manager of Communications and Marketing, Whitney Baum-Bennett, MA. Whitney brings eight years of business marketing and communications experience, a passion for community service and a love of the DMV. We are delighted to have these three dynamic professionals on our team!
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month, and at this unprecedented moment in history it is more important than ever to raise awareness about and promote healing for the unique struggles that Black, Indigenous and People of Color face in the United States and across the globe. We’re sharing resources (all for a wide range of ages) that we hope are useful in creating opportunities to listen and learn, explore self-care, find support, and/or celebrate resiliency in the face of adversity. Mental health is health. Be well!
- Here is a list of culturally competent mental health resources.
- These 14 organizations and individuals who provide mental health support to BIPOC, with a particular focus on the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Stacey Patton’s book Spare the Kids discusses her extensive research on the effects of physical discipline and corporal punishment on children of color through a racial, historical and psychological lens, while also providing positive discipline tactics for caregivers.
- Gabi Garcia’s I Can Do Hard Things book, activities and coloring pages feature beautiful multicultural illustrations that help young children practice positive affirmations while navigating difficult situations. These resources are available in English and Spanish.
- These 10 young adult fiction books written by Black authors have a specific focus on mental health.
What We’re Reading Now
MARCH is the award-winning, #1 bestselling graphic novel trilogy recounting Congressman John Lewis’ life in the Civil Rights Movement, co-written with Andrew Aydin and drawn by Nate Powell.
My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem examines the damage caused by racism in America from the perspective of trauma and body-centered psychology.
I’m Not Dying with You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal sparks conversations about prejudice and the racial tension that exists in America – a book that is perfect for teens.
Teach children right and early. AntiRacist Baby, written by Ibram X Kendi and illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky, is a new book to help.
Upcoming Events
Stewards of Children® Online Training
- Thursday, August 13, 2020 | 2:30pm – 5:00pm (Register Here)
- (En Español) Martes 18 de Agosto de 2020 | 1:00pm – 3:30pm (Registrarse Aquí)
- Wednesday, August 26, 2020 | 1:00pm – 3:30pm (Register Here)
Join us live for an interactive opportunity to share, learn, and practice implementing strategies to protect children from child sexual abuse. These trainings will be led by an authorized facilitator.
July is National Ice Cream Month!
Feel free to have some in August and the next month, too. Whatever you do, remember to cultivate joy every day, scoop it up and share!
