Sylvia
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- Mar, 29, 2023
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
Sylvia Allen was born on May 27, 1960, the daughter of an Allegan county resident, the middle child of nine. She later had five children of her own: LaTanya, Katy, Althella, Termaine, and Kira; like every mother, she wanted to provide a good life for them. After her mother died, Sylvia moved to Pullman, Michigan […]
Read MoreSave the Date for Wine Tasting!
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- Feb, 23, 2023
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
Join us May 18 at Fenn Valley Winery any time between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. for a fun night of wine tasting with your friends or loved one! The best part? Proceeds from the event support intimate partner violence survivors! Wine tasting event includes: Five wines to sampleBubbling wine receptionCharcuterieBeef tacosRaffles Attendees must be […]
Read MoreBecky’s Escape From Her Abuser
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- Jan, 27, 2023
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
Becky* found us while running from her ex with her young children. Her abuser routinely hit her and after she decided to leave, he continued to harass her through texts and phone calls. Already verbally and physically abusive, he then escalated and threatened to murder her for daring to leave him. Through the recommendation of […]
Read MoreYou Made This a Great Holiday Season!
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- Dec, 26, 2022
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
We love our community supporters! From donating gifts to children and families in shelter, to gifting us items off our shelter needs list, to helping us wrap presents for survivors of domestic violence and their families, your contributions have made this season a truly magical one! Thank you so much for your invaluable support!
Read MoreYou Make the Difference
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- Aug, 31, 2022
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
Children exposed to domestic violence, who come into shelter with their moms, face added traumas of displacement from their homes, the loss of a parent, exposure to communal living, and the possible move to a new school. With this new transition comes the stress of losing old friends and making new ones. Besides all the […]
Read MoreHear Her Story
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- Aug, 16, 2022
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
Join us October 13 at our annual Fall Fest event to hear the moving testimony of a survivor of intimate partner violence. Once fleeing the threat of beatings and other abuse, she has since obtained safe, permanent housing away from her abuser and is now living free from violence. Along with our guest speaker’s testimony, […]
Read MoreOur Volunteers are Heroes
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- Aug, 05, 2022
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
Volunteers don’t get hourly wages or health insurance for the time and effort they dedicate to a cause – they work because the cause is cause enough for them. For some, domestic violence is personal for them; for others, they recognize how necessary a shelter and supportive services are for survivors of intimate partner violence […]
Read MoreWhen You Give Me The Blues
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- Jul, 26, 2022
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
A poem by Emery Beckman Blue’s origins: trust and loyalty Irony twists the definition into lies, Masked with infinite depths Puffy clouds blind my eyes. Time heals, my eyes now black The evil of your skin spreads rapid, Your fists conjure the storm You find light displaying darkness. You leak evil from behind your eyes […]
Read MoreEnduring the Abuse
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- Jul, 14, 2022
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
For a victim of domestic violence, remaining in an abusive relationship is less about choosing to stay and more about trying to find the best way to cope and survive within a hostage-like environment. While at first glance it appears that leaving is a no brainer, the situation is often more complex than just choosing […]
Read MoreSigns of an Abusive Relationship: Gaslighting
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- Feb, 17, 2022
- Heather Forrest
- Blog
Your partner does not have to beat you in order to be abusive. One sign that your significant other may be abusing you, is if they attempt to gaslight you on a regular basis. Gaslighting is “a psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes a victim to question […]
Read MoreSylvia’s Blog
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