February is for caring and sharing

Valentine Cookies ready to be delivered!

  We love to bake and show that we care for our first responders, medical folks and of course our military. February meeting allowed us to show the love by packing cookies for distribution as well as collecting items such as crosswords, cards, gum and notes of thanks to be sent to military serving abroad.

Letters of encouragment, gum, cards, pencils and games for 

our SOS project

 

New Project! Adopting Grace House- a shelter for victims of domestic abuse

 At our February meeting, our group heard from Deb Weinstein, the director of Starting Point, a local non profit whose mission is:

• Ensuring quality services are provided to victims of relationship violence and sexual abuse;
• Preventing future relationship violence;
• Promoting social change ; and
• Encouraging accountability and education for perpetrators and stalkers. 

Deb shared much important information such as the increase from assisting 5,000 victims to get housing in 2019-2020, to 16,000 the following year . Housing can be emergency or shelter housing. The pattern that they are currently seeing is people staying longer and having a higher level of trauma with increased long term needs.

Starting Point runs a shelter called Grace House. It is a safe environment for victims to get help in the way of emotional support as well as housing. Our Altrusa Club is starting a new project; Care bags, which incoming guests will receive. The bags are filled with personal care items as well as a not of encouragement. Many times when someone leaves an unsafe situation they literally only have the clothes on their backs so being able to have a bag with shampoos, conditioners, toothbrushes etc. is helpful. 

Pictured: Nancy Spaulding, President, Deb Weinstein from Starting Point holding the Care Bag and Cathy Babutt who brought the idea to the club.