Volunteer ConnectionVolume 6 Issue 7 June 2014

Inside This Issue:

Welcome............................1Tip-a-Cop......................….1One Billion Rising....….....2Victim Week..........…........3100 Cars for Good.............3Denim Day.........................3Spring 2014 Training….....4Volunteer Picnic...............5Staff Connection…….......6Media Corner……………..7Volunteer In-Service.........7New Needs..................…...8Look Out For....................8Volunteer Spotlight….......9Birthdays………………....10

Hi Volunteers! This quarter has been a busy and exciting time for House of Ruth and House of Ruth volunteers. In this issue you will see how volunteers have enriched and assisted our programs and services. I just want to give a big shout out to our Spring 2014 training class who completed their 40 hours on April 9th, 2014, (Hooray!) as well as our President’s Volunteer Service Award Recipients, (Congratulations) and our amazing volunteers Vanessa Flores and Adrianna Fernandez for writing a grant for IKEA which enabled us to receive a shelter makeover (Yay!). I am excited for all the new Spring volunteers to get more involved and the upcoming Summer volunteers to join the fun! Also, I am going to be traveling a lot this summer so wish me luck in Europe June 9-25th and El Salvador July 24-August 3rd! I can’t wait to see everyone around! -Marina Wood, Prevention Coordinator

…Welcome…

Quote of the Month:

…TIP-A-COP FUNDRAISER AT CASA DE SALSA…What a wonderful evening at Casa de Salsa in Claremont! Our annual Tip-A-Cop Fundraiser in January is a night where local police officers act as servers. Pomona, Claremont and Upland Police Departments became servers for the evening and provided fabulous service to all of the guests. We raised over $4,000 through tips and a percentage of food sales from the evening! A big thank you to the volunteers who came and supported the event. We hope to see all of you

again next year!

Top left: Volunteer Beth Hubbard and friend, Top middle: Volunteer Taylor Marvulli and friends, Top Right: Volunteer Ali Ghilarducci and friends, Bottom Left: Police officer-servers, Bottom Middle: Volunteer Arturo Garcia and friend, & Bottom Right: Volunteer Taryn Cronkite with HofR staff.

"It is one of the most beautiful

compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to

help another without helping himself."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Volume 6 Issue 7 Page 2

…ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE…

Above Center: One Billion Rising organizing crew which included representatives from University of La Verne, House of Ruth, and Project Sister Family Services. Top Left: Deputy District Attorney Michele Daly. Top Center: HofR Grant Writer Ashley Solis. Top Right: House of Ruth volunteer Dottie Chamberlain. Bottom Left: House of Ruth volunteer Eugenia Castro helped distribute cards with real survivor stories to event guests. Bottom Center: Marina and Intern Eli Longnecker. Bottom Right: House of Ruth Volunteer Tracy Evanson shared her story of survival with the guests at ULV.

House of Ruth, Project Sister Family Services and University of La Verne held our 2nd Annual One Billion Rising event on February 14, 2014. The idea of the One Billion Rising campaign is based on the fact that one billion women

worldwide will be abused in their lifetime. We named our event “Journey to Justice” because the events of the day symbolized the path taken by a survivor as they come forward, seek help and navigate the challenges inherent in

achieving safety, empowerment and justice. We gathered at both in La Verne and Pomona for speakers, music, dance, personal “justice” photos, and survivor testimony.

For Victim’s Rights Week, April 6th-12th, 2014, there were a number of events to memorialize victims of crime and thanks to our volunteers, House of Ruth was able to table at two of these events. On Aprill 7th, volunteers Melisa Whiitehead & Estefany Gomez tabled the Victim Right’s

Memorial at the County of San Bernardino. (Pictured above right) On April 10th, volunteers Doreen Wills and Cecilia Houston tabled a Candlelight Vigil at Rancho Cucamonga Civic Center. Doreen is pictured above left and a dove-releasing ceremony is pictured above-center.

…VICTIM’S RIGHTS WEEK EVENTS…Volume 6 Issue 7 Page 3

…100 Cars for Good……Denim Day…

For those of you working in the Shelter Children’s Program this year, we have finally received the new van from Toyota! A huge thank you to every volunteer who voted and promoted this campaign and a big kudos to Development Assistant Helen Veyna for writing the grant and Intern Eli Longnecker for creating the flyer!

Denim Day is a campaign to raise awareness and educate the public about rape and sexual assault. This movement arose from the outrage that followed an Italian Supreme Court decision in 1998 to overturn a rape conviction because the victim wore tight jeans. For the last 3 years, Project Sister Family Services has organized a Denim Day & Anti-Violence Community Fair at the Pomona Civic Center Plaza.

Prevention Coordinator Marina Wood and Volunteer Dottie Chamberlain representing House of Ruth on Wednesday, April 23rd 2014.

Volume 6 Issue 7 Page 4…Welcome Spring Volunteers!…

I always had a passion for helping those in need. it wasn't until this volunteer training that a spark ignited in me. Its indescribable how life-changing this training program was for me. I went from rarely thinking about DV to constantly, everyday thinking and wondering what i can do to make a difference in one persons life who is suffering in silence. my heart has grown and become alert to DV where ever i am, to educate and promote being an advocate for the House of Ruth. -Brooke Anderson

This training was eye opening! The information I received from this is so applicable to my life and business. I have learned the characteristics of a healthy relationship, societies definition of men and women roles, how to listen and communicate. The list of life changing lessons I received from this training goes on and is immeasurable. I highly recommend this training to everyone. I believe much if this information should be taught in high school! -Doreen Wills

Next Volunteer Training takes place:July 11th from 9am-1pm and Monday July14th-Friday July 18th 9am-6pm!

Volume 6 Issue 7 Page 5

…Volunteer Appreciation Picnic…

Each year, House of Ruth holds a Dinner in honor of our volunteers during April, which is Volunteer Appreciation Month. The dinner is an opportunity to honor volunteers who have provided over 100 hours of service through the President’s Volunteer Service Award as well as all volunteers who have chosen House of Ruth as their site. We provide dinner and smal tokens of gratitude to reinforce how much volunteers mean to us. Last year alone, House of Ruth volunteers provided 6,918 hours of service. This equates to the hours of about 4 full time paid staff. The dinner is also an opportunity for House of Ruth’s teen volunteers to mingle with the 40-hour trained volunteers since they are limited to having no client contact. Lastly, the dinner provides a space for mixing, mingling, and fun among new and old volunteers as well as staff. This year I chose a “picnic” theme and had some grillers come out and make burgers for everyone. We played games, won prizes, took picnic-themed photos, honored volunteers, welcomed new volunteers, and hopefully inspired everyone to keep up the good work. Thank you everyone for coming and making the event a success!

Volume 6 Issue 7 Page 6

…Staff Connection…This section helps us get to know a little bit more about the wonderful staff we have here at our agency and make sure that

volunteers continue to feel connected to House of Ruth.

Five Fun Facts About Angela:

Her office has skateboards, sand from the beach and an “ocean view.” She says, “You may smell coconut or sunscreen.”

Angela enjoys listening to 80’s and relaxing spa music while she is at work.

She enjoys card and board games.

She also enjoys to travel.

Angela loves to get ideas from Pinterest. To contact Angela use the following information:Email: angela@houseofruthinc.org

This month’s Staff Connection is about CHAT Therapist, Angela Barrios-Lucero. Angela started as a volunteer in 2004 as a trainee for the counseling department. She is currently a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Art Therapist. Angela provides individual therapy and support groups to children, adolescents and adults in our shelter & outreach. She is also a lead therapist mentoring/training new trainees while they earn their clinical hours and the liaison to AWBW (A Window Between Worlds) art healing program using art, music, play, body movement, theatrical, and relaxation workshops. Angela also runs a hotline shift and volunteers at our yearly holiday store.

In my conversation with Angela, she described why she likes working at House of Ruth. Angela said, “I appreciate the support about the importance of continued education through trainings, conferences and workshops that I am encouraged to attend. Working in a client centered environment has given me extraordinary opportunities. This agency, the clients and my counseling team all have played an important role in helping me earn my license and advancing my career. Working at this agency has given me the energy and passion to give back to our community. We promote learning and teaching something new each day. I am behind closed doors most of the day, but when the door opens, out walks stories of courage and healing.

Tools for Self Care:

For self care, Angela utilizes a variety of tactics:

❖Getting fresh air

❖Practicing yoga

❖Eating healthy

❖Creating art

❖Gardening

❖Listening to relaxation scripts as a way to meditate

❖Breating exercises

❖Postive talks and affirmations

❖Watching funny movies.

Volume 6 Issue 7 Page 7

MEDIA CORNER:New Domestic Violence Documentary: Private Violence

Read the review from Sundance Film Festival 2014:The most common question asked of domestic violence victims is, “Why didn’t you leave?” Private Violence introduces us to two women whose stories illustrate the complexities and problems inherent in that question and encourages us to reevaluate the discourse about domestic violence. Kit Gruelle, a domestic violence survivor, has been an advocate for battered women for more than 25 years. We are privy to her educational sessions with police, consultations with experts in the medical and legal fields, and—most critically—her work with individuals, in particular Deanna. A young mother, Deanna miraculously survived kidnapping and brutal beatings by her ex-husband. When Deanna’s case goes to federal court, the stakes are raised as she and Kit battle to reunite her with her daughter, keep her abuser behind bars, and help her regain her dignity. Shot with skill and immediacy, Private Violence is rooted in the extraordinary courage of Kit and Deanna, who shed light on the cycles of abuse and the shortcomings of law enforcement and the justice system. In the process, they represent hope, empowerment, and the possibility of change. - K.Y

May Volunteer In-Service:

Our quarterly Volunteer In-Service meetings are an opportunity to get updated agency information, meet other volunteers, check-in, eat, ask any burning questions, and learn something new. This time we watched the newly released Tough Guise 2 (Katz, 2013) and ate pupusas. The film included some much-needed updating in terms of pop cultural and media references and focused a little more on men as perpetrators as well as victims of their own violence. The discussion following the film was great and while everyone agreed the film was incredibly important, some criticisms were that sometimes the imagery was too graphic. It seemed great for college classrooms but might need some parts taken out for high schools. Thanks everyone for coming!

“Last night was great!! I learned more about DV and I will make sure to continue educating the community about these issues.” -Eugenia Castro, Volunteer

Volume 6 Issue 7 Page 8

Shelter: We are in need of trained hotline volunteers from

9am-3pm as well as Spanish speaking hotline volunteers who can have the Spanish day cell phone. We are also in need of kitchen advocates

Monday-Friday from 11-4.Contact: Kim Mason kmason@houseofruthinc.org

Shelter Children’s Program:❖ We are in need of volunteers to assist with Day Camp

outings from June 16th-September 1st, with transportation in particular.

❖ Mondays 1:30-3:00❖ Tuesdays 9A.M -12 P.M (Movies)❖ Wednesdays 12:30-3:30P.M (Swimming)❖ Thursdays 1:30-3P.M (at Shelter)❖ Fridays 9:30-3:30

Contact: Dee Dee Carter dcarter@houseofruthinc.org

Community Services Department:❖ We need childcare assistance on Monday 9:30-11:00

and 11:00-12:30, Wednesdays 9:00-11:00, Thursdays 9:30-11:30 and Fridays 1:30-3:00. Any assistance would be welcome.

Contact: Lisa Irey Lirey@houseofruthinc.org

Ontario Office:❖ Ontario needs reception assistance and assistance

filing case notes.Contact: Maricela Peña mpeña@houseofruthinc.org

Development Department:❖ We are in need of grant research.

Contact: Pat Bell pbell@houseofruthinc.org

Counseling Department:❖ Counseling needs a volunteer to help file and

organize client case notes at the office in Ontario.Contact: Vibi Salcedo vsalcedo@houseofruthinc.org

…NEW NEEDS…There is always a way to lend a hand here at House of Ruth, so in this section you will find any new, updated,

or upcoming needs that the different departments of HoR would like volunteer help with.

We will need around 4-6 volunteers on Saturday June 7th for Michael Ryan concert fundraiser at University of La Verne’s Morgan Auditorium from 7:30-10:30pm. Volunteers will be ushers and will also direct traffic from concert to reception.

We will need approx. 8-10 volunteers on Saturday August 16th from 8am-noon for a Walk-a-Thon organized by Hair Phases Salon at Chaffey College’s track. Volunteers will provide water, do registration, etc.

If you are interested in any of the above needs please contact Pat Bell at pbell@houseofruthinc.org.

…Look Out For…Rest in Power Dr. Maya Angelou 1928-2014

Volume 6 Issue 7 Page 9

…Volunteer Spotlight…For this quarter I would like to honor the 22 dedicated volunteers who received a President’s Volunteer Service Award. The Award is given to any volunteer who has

provided over 100 hours of volunteer service. Some volunteers who give over 175 hours can get the Silver or Gold Award as opposed to the Bronze. This year we had three

volunteers get Silver: Leona von Kalb, Eli Longnecker and Jade Jackson, and two volunteers get Gold: Victoria Wilging and Rocio Gonzalez.

From left to right: Lindsey Thompson (117), Rocio Gonzalez (259.5), Gabriela Osuna (118.5), Jade Jackson (293.75), Monica Coy-Miras (117.25), Eli Longnecker (181), Ali Ghilarducci (100.5), and bottom row: Taylor Marvulli (110).

Volunteers who received the 2013 President’s Volunteer Service Award in order ot hours provided were:

Ali Ghilarducci, Christie Stegmaier, Vivian Voong, Brenda Davila, Arturo Garcia, Taylor Marvulli, Chan Clark, Jorge Castillo, Lindsey Thompson, Monica Coy-Miras, Gabriela Osuna, Maggie GrosJean, Rebecca Lin, Trevor Hurley, Ursula Flanagan,

Alyssa McPherson, Joan Rybicki, Eli Longnecker, Rocio Gonzlaez, Jade Jackson, Victoria Wilging, and Leona von Kalb.

Happy Birthday! Last but not least, we want to wish a

To the Following Volunteers:

MayMachara Clayton: 1st

Brooke Jepsen: 2nd

Cintia Rodriguez: 15th

Esmeralda Flores: 15th

Crystal Davis: 16th

Bettina Aschenbrenner: 17th

Catherine Conrado: 19th

Leah Martinez: 21st

Jade Jackson: 23rd

Maggie GrosJean: 26th

June

Rebecca Zelaya: 6th

Paola Tovar: 6th

Taryn Cronkite: 6th

Angela Vincente: 7th

Rebecca Lin: 8th

Ivette Gonzalez: 9th

Ashley Kohler: 10th

Cherie Kohler: 10th

Cecilia Houston: 10th

Adaeza Anyanwu: 10th

Monica Angel: 13th

Evelien Magana: 16th

Veronica Valadez: 20th

Vivian Voong: 20th

Victoria Wilging: 21st

Monica Coy-Miras: 22nd

Miriam Esquivel: 25th

Joan Rybicki: 27th

Glenda Lopez: 30th

January Jorge Castillo: 1st

Melisa Whitehead: 6th

Rebecca Sangsland: 7th

Alex Torres: 10th

Adena Royster: 19th

Annmarie Delgado: 19th

Connie Thomas: 24th

Venice Torres: 29th

February

Katie Baker: 3rd

Maria Heredia: 6th

Janet Hall: 7th

Elizabeth Cruz: 17th

Jordan Lara: 18th

Doreen Wills: 21st

Tracy Evanson: 24th

Ariana Garcia: 24th

Erika Akeo-Garcia: 29th

March

Brenda Davila: 1st

Dulce Orozco: 4th

Kiara Smith-McDuffie: 10th

Ellen Lebow: 11th

Shannon Sateri: 18th

Debbie Ciarvino: 22nd

Desiree Garcia: 24th

Aleida Bogdanski: 26th

Vanessa Sapien: 29th

Claudia Morales-Saldana: 3rd

Tanya King: 5th

April

Lissette Perez: 6th

Patricia Banker: 6th

Michelle Horngren: 14th

Estefan Encarnacion: 17th

Penni Nagel: 20th

Donna Bales: 23rd

Stephanie Nunez: 30th

Volume 6 Issue 7 Page 10

P.O. Box 459 Claremont, CA 91711Hotline: 1-877-988-5559

Pomona Outreach: 909-623-4364Fax: 909-629-9581

www.houseofruthinc.org

Marina Wood, Prevention CoordinatorEmail: mwood@houseofruthinc.org

Phone: 909-868-8010