Taking Flight: March 2019

24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline: 208.343.7025 24-hour Rape Crisis Hotline: 208.345.7273 (RAPE)

The BeaLine (YouTube video)

Bea Black, Executive Director

Financial Literacy

Financial Abuse is present in over 95 percent of abusive relationships. One of the reasons it’s so difficult to identity is that it can look different in every relationship.

So, what exactly does financial abuse look like, how can we spot it in our relationships and in our friends’ relationships?

Here are some common forms of financial abuse:

Sabotaging work or employment opportunities by stalking or harassing the victim at the workplace or causing the victim to lose her/his job by physically battering prior to important meetings or interviews.
Controlling all money or giving “an allowance.”
Running up large amounts of debt on joint accounts.
Withholding funds for the victim or children to obtain basic needs such as food and medicine.
Stealing the victim’s identity, property, or inheritance.
Refusing to pay bills and ruining the victim’s credit score.

This is an adapted list from a much longer list from the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

More . . .

Seeds of Hope Book Release Celebration

Members from the community gathered on the evening of February 21 at

Rediscovered Books to celebrate the release of Seeds of Hope, annual report turned children’s book, written by the WCA’s own Communications Manager, Christine Davis. The book was illustrated by a former client, Laura Gray. They sold over 50 books on opening night.

The book is seen through the eyes of Jimmy, a fictional 8-year-old boy who escapes an abusive parent with his mother and baby brother, as he navigates the first few nights at the WCA’s safe shelter. Many details about how Jimmy navigates his stay are based off real experiences of hundreds of children that pass through our shelter every year.

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PSA Awards and Screening

Video contest winner Lana Ballenot, with WCA staff Rebecca Del Rossi and Chris Davis. As Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month drew to a close, the WCA’s annual PSA Contest awarded its winners for the sixth consecutive year. Every year, the Women’s and Children’s Alliance hosts a Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest open to junior high and high school students across Idaho to raise awareness about teen dating violence. Students are invited to create digital posters or 29 second videos to highlight topics related to teen abuse.

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Survivor Story March 2019

When I first met him, it was like a fairy tale. He was perfect; handsome, sweet and kind. For two years he remained that way; he never even raised his voice to me in anger. We were married on December 28, 1996 and that’s when it all changed. I became a possession; a thing. We had our first child in May 1998 and I thought things would get better and they did, for a while.

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Staff Spotlight: Jim Crouch

Jim Crouch has been an extraordinary co-worker at the WCA for the past 16 years. He is devoted to assisting with all facility needs and is a guiding light to keep our spirits up each and every day. Asked why he works at the WCA, Jim says “The people are caring and support one another.”

Before coming to the WCA, he worked for the West Ada School District (formerly known as Meridian School District) as custodian at Centennial High School and Lewis and Clark Middle School. Jim loves the outdoors, particularly fishing and camping. He is very involved with his church. He loves Harley Davidson motorcycles – his wife even bought him his first one for their 21st wedding anniversary.

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Corporate Pillar: Christopher “Zee” Zahn

Christopher “Zee” Zahn of Zee Christopher and Zee’s Rooftop has been an extraordinary WCA Corporate Pillar for several years. Chris not only does special catering and food donations for our clients and for special events, he also creates beautiful flower arrangements each spring for our annual TWIN Awards Luncheon.

In absolute selfless Chris “Zee” style and compassion, he donated not one but two special dinners at the 2018 Concert for Cause, generating thousands of dollars for the WCA’s direct client needs.

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Supporting Our Clients

Our community is constantly giving back and supporting our clients on their journey to safety, healing and freedom. We would like to highlight just a few special cases that have happened recently.

Our work is only possible through the support of our community.

There are simply too many companies, families, and individuals to list. Check out our Facebook page for more fun photos and stories!

Wish List

Our lists of needed items are updated as needed and always available on our website. New items from this list below can be dropped off at the WCA lobby at 720 W Washington St. M-F from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

2019 Day Planners (8 1/2 x 11)
Baby Monitor – 5 needed
Dress Up Costumes (girls and boys) – 3 of each
Nuby Sippy Cups – 10 needed
Piggy Banks – 10 Dozen
Stamps
Twin or Double Strollers – 2 needed
Umbrella Stroller – 3 needed
USB Flash Drive – 20 needed
Gift cards (Home Depot, Walmart, Thriftway Lumber, Any $ amount)
Gift cards, $20 and up (i.e. Winco, Albertsons, Target, Shopko, Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer, etc.
Gift cards, $20 and up for any gas station
Gift certificate to Jump Time (any amount) – 5 needed
Gift certificate to Lakeshore Learning Store gift card (any amount) – 4 needed
Passes for family-friendly activities (movies, bowling, JumpTime, Wahooz)

You can purchase other much needed items through our Amazon Wish List.

The Philanthropy Files

Diana Burrell, Philanthropy Manager

The darkness of winter is fading, the days are getting longer, the earth is starting to turn green with the promise of brightly colored flowers to follow. With that promise comes hope for what is possible in the future.

That is how I think of philanthropy throughout the year. Philanthropy—the love of humanity—is fundamentally hopeful. It is the belief, followed by action, that one person can help empower others with the contribution of their time, talent or treasure. It is the belief, that by investing ourselves, we can help positively affect the futures of our neighbors and our community.

The WCA’s volunteers and donors give hope to our clients in a myriad of ways, large and small.

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The Compassion Project

Rebecca Del Rossi, Prevention Coordinator

“Adolescents are not monsters. They are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves.” – Virginia Satir

As Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month came to a close at the end of February, I spent a lot of time reflecting on the month and what it means to be a teenager in this day and age. I am not so far removed myself, being only 23, but I find myself slipping into this idea of “kids these days” and feeling like I know more than them. Which partially might be true. I have completed high school and higher education and I have at least five more years of life on people who are classified as teens. From that perspective, I have knowledge and maturity that was not available to me when I was 13, 15 or even 18. But does that really mean I know more than teens and can brush off their feelings and thoughts as invalid? I’m arguing no. For this month’s Compassion Project, I want to talk about how we can be better advocates and allies to teens and other youth.

The definition of adultism in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “prejudice or discrimination against young people as a group.” This can look a lot of different ways- from voting eligibility to assuming that a teen or other young person is inherently ignorant about life. It can look like depicting teens as apathetic and lazy. It can look like assuming that the biggest problem in a teen’s life is going to a dance or being asked on a date. It can look like ignoring and minimizing the day-to-day problems teens face that adults forget about.

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