Staff Bright Moments

This month we want to share some of the many bright moments our staff have experienced at the WCA. 

“A woman came in to the WCA to just share what a difference the WCA made in her life. She came in years ago very unhappy to receive services, and found every time she came in the women she dealt with were consistently warm, friendly and compassionate. She just stopped in to say hello and thank you.”

-Elizabeth Hoene, WCA Administrative Support Specialist

“A bright spot for me was a few months ago. We had a mom who worked a lot of hours. So we would have her kids all day and then she would pick them up right at closing to go finish her work. When it was time for the family to move out the mom came in and talked to me. She started crying and gave me a hug. She told me that having access to the child care made all the difference in the world. She said she was so worried about how her kids were going to cope with the trauma they had lived through, when she needed to leave them to go to  work to support them. She said that knowing her kids were safe and that we would not send them away for being sad and angry lifted a huge burden off of her shoulders. I know my job is important and I know it is helpful to the moms. But sometimes it is nice to hear how we specifically  helped someone.”

-Afton Mitchell, WCA Child Care Staff

“At a fundraising event in early January I and another staff member were selling raffle tickets and had a donation jar sitting on the table. A gentleman and his child approached the table and put a twenty dollar bill in the jar. He said that the WCA makes such a difference in our community and can really change lives. This man then shared how he had stayed in our shelter with his mother as a child. It is moments like this that remind me the importance of our work in helping to create a community where individuals can thrive in safe, healthy relationships.”

-WCA staff member

“One moment that sticks out to me happened right before Denim Day this April. I was speaking to a group of individuals at Meet Me Monday, a weekly walking group sponsored by Saint Alphonsus, about WCA services and Denim Day. Afterwards, a woman came up to me and hugged me. She shared how she had been sexually assaulted by her neighbor in the 1990s and the WCA was the only place she felt safe. To her, hearing about how we’ve continued our work and were working to address the problem of victim-blaming in society through Denim Day was one more step on her path towards healing and freedom. The story she shared is just one of many moments that I am reminded you can never know who is a survivor and the significance of our work for those we help.”

-Lauren Pusich, WCA Outreach Coordinator

“The moments that bring me the most joy in the Child Care are those filled with dance and music. Whether it be a planned activity or an impromptu dance party, the energy of the room changes dramatically. With every wiggle and frog-like leap, the children’s anxieties get replaced with smiles. Witnessing them become so animated and carefree fills my heart with satisfaction. I know in those moments they aren’t thinking of the trauma that has occurred in their lives. In those moments, they just get to be kids.”

-Grace Rice, WCA Child Care Specialist

“A woman came in a few months ago and donated an iPhone. She shared how much we had helped her through the court process, that our court advocates are amazing. She came back in a couple weeks ago and donated an iPad. She had taken it to the Apple Store to get it cleaned off and factory re-set so that one of our clients can use it. She shared again how much we had helped her and that you can never judge as you never know when something may happen to you and you might need some help.”

-WCA staff member

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