Hello Family, Friends, Strangers who have no clue how they got here,
Thank you for going so far as to click a link that was
provided after a request for money! I promise, your money is going to a good
cause.
On December 2, I will be walking a 5K with my knitting group.
Better known as the Hot Chocolate Run, the event raises funds for Safe Passage,
an organization that addresses domestic violence in Hampshire County. I’m looking to see if you awesome cats have a
couple extra bucks to throw their way.
Money goes directly to Safe Passage, a foundation that relies on donations
of this type to fund their programming. Safe Passage provides an emergency
shelter program, individual counseling and support groups, counseling for
children, legal services, 24-hour hotlines and more. $20 can help a woman buy
groceries for her family; $45 covers a counseling session for a woman seeking
help for the first time; $135 would pay for three counseling sessions for
children.
Reasons why? Well there are plenty… but here’s mine.
When I was 19 the police were called to my apartment when a
break-up turned ugly. While I escaped
without physical harm, the emotional and mental scare it gave me was a little
more than I was prepared for, and far more than I should have had to go
through. I was lucky though, for my loving family and supportive friends who
saw me through the fear and anxiety it instilled in me. Many women suffer
through significantly worse situations on a daily basis, and have a much deeper
hole to crawl out of, with no help to do so. Safe Passage can provide the help
they need to start thinking, feeling, living and loving again.
Please consider donating to the walk. If you’re still
unsure, here are a few numbers:
25% of women have experienced domestic violence in their
lifetime.
On average, three women die every day as a result of domestic violence.
Health related costs of intimate partner violence exceed
$5.8 billion each year.
On average 21% of female victims of nonfatal partner
violence contact an outside agency.
Studies show that shelter services lead to 60 – 70%
reduction in incidence and severity of re-assault.
And, while not really a number, the donation is tax-deductable, which will result in higher numbers in your tax return...
I hope you will donate to this cause. Thank you!