Family Services of Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, Inc., held its 5th Annual Fall Luncheon on Oct. 16, 2019 at the Eclipse Center in Beloit.

Keynote speaker Stephanie Klett talked to 130 guests about how childhood experiences dramatically shape adulthood.  

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Agency hosts 5th Annual Fall Luncheon

Three thousand pinwheels will be placed outside the Rock County Courthouse to raise awareness for the county's high rates of child abuse and neglect.

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Pinwheels for Prevention, commemorating April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, will be at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday on the Lower Courthouse Park and Pavilion of the Rock County Courthouse.

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Pinwheels event to raise awareness for child abuse

Shelter usage increased approximately 43 percent at the Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center (BDVSC) from 2016 to 2017, which is the highest amount of victims the center has sheltered in the last 20 years.

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BDVSC program director Kelsey Hood-Christenson said the center had 8,031 shelter nights in 2017, with a monthly average of 669.  This also is the highest monthly average in the last 20 years.  One shelter night equals one person per one night.  In 2016, the shelter had 5,604 shelter nights, with a monthly average of 467.

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BDVSC shelter usage way up

The Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center (BDVSC) is expanding its services in early 2018, including partnering with the Beloit Police Department, in order to reach more survivors.

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Changes include adding a text line as well as a lethality assessment protocol in collaboration with police.

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BDVSC expands services with text line, assessment

The Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center is calling all artists to donate artwork that encapsulates women's empowerment.

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The BDVSC is planning an art show starting at 5:30 p.m. on August 25 at the Beloit Arts Incubator.  The show will also be open from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Aug. 26.

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Shelter plans art show to empower local women

One of Family Services' mental health counselors has begun bringing in her furry friend as a way to further help her clients.

Jenifer Jelinek, counselor, began bringing her dog Luka in August, 2016.  She said her American Staffordshire Terrier/Boxer mix is another tool for her toolbox when helping to treat client's mental health issues.

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Four-legged friend helps out at Family Services

Volatile. Violent. Horrific. Worst case-scenario. These are the words "Esmerelda" used to describe her home life at the beginning of 2016.

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Esmerelda and her children are survivors of domestic violence.  In the span of six months, she went from hopeless to hopeful because of the Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center of Family Services.

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Domestic Violence Survivor learns to find hope

“We are honored to have enjoyed the support of the community over the past 80 years as the agency worked to help improve the lives of those facing substantial challenges. We hope to continue to merit community support in the coming years as we develop continuously evolving strategies to better serve some of the most vulnerable members of our community,” John Pfleiderer said.

Family Services Celebrates 80 Years

Inspiring parents and children to read together from an early age is what Team Mosaic wanted to accomplish with its book "All Because You Read to Me."

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Team Mosaic decided to partner with Family Services to focus on early literacy.

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Team Mosaic encourages early reading

Family Services is hoping to light up the evening with its annual fundraiser, "A Starry Night."  The 2018 dinner will be from 6 - 10 p.m. on April 14 at the Eclipse Center.

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"The community's support helps women, children, seniors and families with basic needs, counseling, trauma recovery and more," said Alyssa Whitney, development director.

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Read more here.

Fundraiser to honor local stars

A local domestic violence survivor says new services at a Beloit organization will help others like her get out of abuse.

This year, Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center has added a texting line for victims to reach out without having to make a call.  Plus, the police department has adopted a new policy for response, to better identify the most at-risk victims when responding to calls for service.

BDVSC, police adding services for better victim outcomes

A new garden in Horace White Park is more than a healing place for survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence.

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Kelsey Hood-Christenson, program director for the Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center, said during a dedication Tuesday that Family Service's new Serenity Garden will serve as a community statement.

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Garden raises awareness of abuse, violence

Many generous hands have come together to continue work on the Serenity Garden located in Horace White Park.

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The garden honors victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse.  Several dozen community members either donated materials or hands-on labor.

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Volunteers lend hand at Serenity Garden

With 40 percent of Beloit girls estimated to have endured some form of abuse, those with the School District of Beloit and the Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center are trying to save them before they become entrenched in a lifetime of domestic violence.

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Center works to help abused teens

Victims of domestic violence in Beloit have a strong likelihood of breaking free from abuse, according to some new statistics compiled by the Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center (BDVSC).

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“It feels good to hear that. We are hoping to continue to record information which is a good measure of our services,” says Kelsey Hood-Christenson, Director of BDVSC.

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Read more here.

Group says violence victims are leaving their abusers

One local organization is commemorating April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month by shedding a light on this national issue locally.

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Family Services' Sexual Assault Recovery Program (SARP) is encouraging the community to participate in Denim Day on April 25, SARP program director Amanda Isunza said.

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Read more here.

Program sheds light on sexual assault

Family Services is revamping its workplace harassment training program in light of the national movement combating sexual harassment.

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Executive Director, John Pfleiderer said that though Family Services has offered harassment training for decades through its employee assistance program, this new initiative involves a three-tier approach.

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Read more here.

Family Services revamps training

Youth2Youth 4 Change is launching a new campaign to spread the word:  Most Beloit kids don't drink, abuse prescription drugs, use marijuana or smoke.

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There's more:  The percentage of those who do exhibit such behaviors in Beloit is lower than the percentage of students who do it across Rock County.

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Read more here.

Survey: Most Beloit kids avoid risky behaviors

Purple silhouettes of people can be seen throughout Beloit with messages about domestic violence awareness.  These silhouettes were traced from clients of the Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center (BDVSC) all of whom have been affected by or are survivors of this violence.

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This is one of the many activities and campaigns the BDVSC, a program within Family Services, has planned for October in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

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Read more here.

Beloit shelter educates community on domestic violence for awareness month

The Beloit Domestic Violence Survivor Center will improve its shelter facilities thanks to a grant from the Stateline Community Foundation.

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Program Director Kelsey Hood-Christenson said the $2,500 grant will go towards converting the shelter's lounge space into two bedrooms.

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Read more here.

Domestic Violence Shelter expands program

Local organizations are teaming up to plan events that promote sexual violence prevention in honor of April being Sexual Assault Awareness month.

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The Sexual Assault Recovery Program (SARP) or Family Services, will be joining forces with Beloit College to host a Denim Day event on April 26 to promote awareness and prevention as well as to discourage victim blaming.

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Read more here.

Denim Day planned to support sex crime survivors

Father Gary Krahenbuhl, the former priest of Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, spoke at Family Services of Southern Wisconsin & Northern Illinois’s annual luncheon meeting.

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"Never ever underestimate the effect you have. With your smile you can warm a heart, and with a hug you can build a fortress.”  -Father Gary.

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Read more here.

Family Services Celebrates Accomplishments