Community members, business leaders and local politicians came together for the 5th Annual Working to Heal Breakfast, a HAWC (Healing Abuse Working for Change) mission-focused event, on Thursday, October 22 at the Danversport Yacht Club. Leadership from the North Shore’s longest-standing domestic violence agency is thrilled to share that this year’s breakfast brought in almost $40,000–the highest amount ever raised through this event in its history.
The funds raised will be allocated toward the programs HAWC provides the more than 2,000 clients its serves per year, through services including a 24-hour hotline, individual and legal advocacy, and Parent-Child Trauma Recovery. Specifically, a large portion of the funds will benefit the agency’s Emergency Shelter, which has a capacity of 7 rooms and serves clients and families who are in immediate crisis due to a domestic violence relationship.
Cuts in governmental funding this year had impacted the family programming within the shelter—such as trauma-reducing art therapy and personal budgeting classes. Breakfast-goers were informed of the incredible benefits this programming provides HAWC clients within the shelter, inspiring many to make generous donations toward this growing need.
“Although this event occurs every year, it never ceases to amaze me how willing the members of our community are
to support HAWC and its mission,” said Anthony DiPietro, executive director. “We rely on this annual gathering and the contributions raised from it to facilitate our clients’ growth and safety. This year’s event was a huge success, and we are so grateful to all who participated.”
During the program, DiPietro shared staggering statistics recently released by Jane Doe Inc.—the statewide domestic violence coalition, in a report titled Not One More. According to the data, over a decade there were 334 homicides related to domestic violence, representing 14 percent of all homicides in the state. Twenty two of those lost were children, and 133 children lost one or both parents from a DV homicide.
However, on a hopeful note, DiPietro also shared that agencies like HAWC are working every day to reduce these incidences of violence.
Through various grant funding and partnership opportunities, including a relationship with North Shore Elder Services to reduce risk of elderly abuse and a collaboration with New England Law School students for legal support, the agency has been hard at work providing resources to the community so that those in domestic violence related relationships can find safety before tragedy strikes.
Attendees also heard from a former HAWC client who shared her story of overcoming obstacles thanks to the agency’s services.
HAWC is deeply grateful to the event’s Platinum Sponsors—Groom Construction, CSL International, and Institution for Savings—as well as Gold Sponsors, Kelly’s, Analogic, St. John’s Prep, EBSCO Publishing and MiddleOak Insurance.
To learn more about Jane Doe Inc.’s report, Not One More, visit http://www.janedoe.org/site/assets/docs/Learn_More/DV_Homicide/notonemore_final.pdf.