November 6, 2009
An article in the Philanthropy Journal on September 10, 2009 reported that although corporate funding for 2009 is down, more than eight in 10 corporations are encouraging volunteering among employees and more than half are reporting an increase in volunteerism.
While volunteerism may be up, corporations are being increasingly cautious with their grant making, due to the economic crunch they are in. According to the article about a third are ending their current relationships with their grantees and about the same number are looking for new nonprofit partners.
-Krista Norsworthy, Intern, Save the Family
November 6, 2009
According to a survey released by the Children’s Action Alliance, 331,000 Arizona kids ages 0-17 live in poverty. Arizona’s “overall child well-being” level ranks 40th, with 50 being the worst. Arizona is 46th with children living without healthcare, leaving 286,00 children without security for their health. The results of the survey are astounding and represent the crisis that our children are facing within the state.
Arizona also ranks 49th when it comes to teen violence and death rates and currently has 1,737 youth in juvenile detention facilities.
The survey points out how much our education system is at risk as well, ranking 47th for 4th graders scoring below basic reading level. We rank 46th on the list for number of 16-19 year olds who drop out of school. 37,558 of teens dropping out of school a year. How does our social system in our state allow this be so high? Since when has going to highschool been optional? Education is the key to our children’s futures and it is clear the state is doing a poor job of setting the building blocks for our youth.
It appears child abuse has also become a norm for our state with 34,587 reports of suspected child abuse and neglect a year. Thats an average of 95 a day! Child abuse and neglect also leaves 10,404 kids in foster care a year and an average of 15 infants murdered a year.
Our teenage girls are getting pregnant at remarkable rates, we rank 47th on the list for births from girls ages 15 to 17. An average of 35 children a day are born to teen girls in Arizona with 12,824 a year.
Clearly this survey shows that we are doing a poor job as a state ensuring that our youth is safe and educated. It’s remarkable that this statistics are a reality, some of them are really hard to morally face. If you would like to get involved in trying to change these numbers please do. You can visit www.azchildren.org or come into Save the Family to see how you can help!
-Krista Norsworthy, Intern, Save the Family
November 6, 2009
An article in the Phoenix Business Journal reported that last year Phoenix had a larger percentage of jobs lost than any other major U.S. city. According to the article the Phoenix workforce dropped a whopping 7.8 percent between July 2008 to July 2009. Tucson wasn’t far behind at 7.5 percent.
Phoenix came in fourth place when it come to number of total employment lost with more that 140,000 jobs! The top three were all MAJOR cities and included Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.
-Krista Northsworthy, Intern, Save the Family
October 28, 2009
Domestic violence doesn’t discriminate. It affects men, woman and children of all different backgrounds,ages and circumstances. One place someone should never fear is the home where the live and the people who live within it.
By definition, domestic violence is a pattern of behavior that includes the use or threat of violence and intimidation for the purpose of gaining power and control over another person. This behavior can be physical, verbal, sexual, and emotional.
On a national level, according to the Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence an estimated 85 percent of domestic violence victims are women and 1 in 4 women in America will experience domestic violence within their lives. An alarming 4.5 million physical assaults are committed against U.S. women by intimate partners annually. Dating violence is a big problem in Arizona with approximately one in five female high school students reports being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.
There were 27 deaths involved with dating relationships last year alone! According to newspaper reports, 106 people died in Arizona in 2000 as a result of a domestic violence related homicide. In 2001, 92 people died in Arizona as a result of a domestic violence related homicide.
It is apparent domestic violence is a huge prevalent problem in Arizona and this country. Please get involved with helping this cause. Even if domestic violence doesn’t affect you directly, it effects you indirectly. If you have a feeling that someone around you is a victim of domestic violence, listen to it and say something.
Domestic violence should never be taken lightly and has been silenced way too long. Help bring awareness to this issue this month and do your part to end this horrible reality. Purple is the color for the Month’s activities so wear purple ribbons to bring national awareness to the issues faced by battered women and their children.
Sources:
Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence, www.azcadv.org
-Krista Northsworthy, Intern, Save the Family
October 19, 2009
Save the Family Board Member Linda Minde will be honored as a finalist for the 22nd Annual ATHENA Award. Minde has actively served on the Board of Save the Family, and as Chair of the Public Relations, Fundraising and Promotions Committee since September 2008.
The ATHENA Awards honor Valley Businesswomen for their excellence in business and leadership, exemplary community service and their support and mentorship of other women.
Minde has participated in, and contributed financially to, many events and fundraisers at Save the Family and has advocated for the agency in her company as well as in the community. Her company, Tri-Lite Builders, has donated labor and materials for remodeling project at Save the Family and has offered to do a yearly volunteer project.
The ATHENA Award’s will be held this Wednesday at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa. Individual Reservations are $65 for Chamber members or Nominees and $75 for non-members.
October 17, 2009
For Immediate Release:
Scottsdale Fashion Square – Oct. 15th – 18th
The Mannequin Is Our Muse art exhibition will feature 100 mannequins designed by local businesses and organizations. The Mannequins will be on display at the Barney’s New York grand opening event at Scottsdale Fashion Square mall in Scottsdale, Oct. 15 – 18. Local celebrity judges will choose the top five designs to be showcased at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in late October.
Save the Family’s mannequin is a domestic violence survivor. The theme combines art and design to represent the foundation’s mission and support national Domestic Violence Awareness month.
Save the Family (www.savethefamily.org) provides transitional housing and case management services to more than 300 families a year. With more than 160 housing units serving homeless families with children throughout the Valley, Save the Family is changing the face of homelessness one family at a time. Through programs like Career Development and domestic violence and parenting classes, clients in Save the Family’s program learn to become both economically and emotionally self-sufficient.
MISSION STATEMENT: We help children in homeless families by treating the whole family with programs to break the negative cycles of poverty, abuse and homelessness. We strengthen the Valley’s communities by facilitating their transition to self-sufficiency.
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October 17, 2009
Save the Family Board member Maggie Cathey received the first Leading Women of the Community awards, presented by the Mahnah Club of the East Valley at the Tempe Center for the Arts on Thursday, October 15th.
Cathey has served on approximately 41 community service boards since she moved to Arizona in 1981. The Mahnah Club honored Cathey at their annual fashion show, The Heart of Fashion. The club which was founded in 1954, is an all-volunteer women’s service that focuses on community action to help women and children. Mahnah is word meaning “leading women of the tribe,” derived from the Hopi Indian’s. The club donates an average of over 4,000 volunteer hours annually to various causes and has raised over $1.5 million over the past 10 years for local charities.
Congratulations to Maggie Cathey and thank you to the Mahnah Club of the East Valley for recognizing honorable women doing great community work!
October 1, 2009
Yesterday I attended the Maricopa Association of Government’s Domestic Violence News Conference at Sojourner Center. It was a powerful event reminding us all of the horrors of domestic violence. Oralia Hernandez recounted the years of abuse she endured at the hands of her husband. She called it her “dirty little secret” because she would do everything to hide her abuse from coworkers and friends. She said she learned to think like him, to anticipate how he would react to situations in order to prepare herself and their children. She even renovated their attic as safehouse so her children could hide there until activity had died down.
Oralia stayed with her abusive husband for many years out of fear for her safety. Her husband would tell her, “if you leave I will hunt you down and cut you up into small pieces so no one will find you.” Her main reason for staying was her children. She didn’t want to leave them in the care of her husband. After many years of enduring the abuse Oralia finally sought help. She moved into to Sojourner Center’s shelter in 1999. Oralia Hernandez now shares her story with the community as a Communications Advocate for Sojourner.
Thank you Oralia for sharing your story and bringing awareness to Domestic Violence and Abuse. Your bravery will help so many. At Save the Family the majority of our families are single mothers who have fled a domestic violence situation. Thank you to the Maricopa Association of Governments and Sojourner Center for bringing awareness to this issue and we ask everyone to support our efforts to end domestic violence.
-Andrea Sok, Director of Community Relations for Save the Family
September 18, 2009
Wells Fargo Donates $5,000 in support of Save the Family Career Development Center
Mesa, AZ. Friday, September 18th 2009
Wells Fargo has donated $5,000 in support of Save the Family’s Career Development Center. The Career Development Center is adjacent to Save the Family’s main program facility in Mesa. The Center is staffed with two full-time employees and one VISTA volunteer who work together to assist clients in their job search. Volunteers also aid clients in resume writing, interview techniques and GED tutoring.
Save the Family (www.savethefamily.org) provides transitional housing and case management services to more than 300 families a year. With more than 165 housing units serving homeless families with children throughout the Valley, Save the Family is changing the face of homelessness one family at a time. Through programs like Career Development and domestic violence and parenting classes, clients in Save the Family’s program learn to become both economically and emotionally self-sufficient.
MISSION STATEMENT: We help children in homeless families by treating the whole family with programs to break the negative cycles of poverty, abuse and homelessness. We strengthen the Valley’s communities by facilitating their transition to self-sufficiency.
September 15, 2009
The following statistics were compiled by the Children’s Action Alliance.
- In one year in AZ, there are 1,707,221 children between the ages of 0 and 17
- One in five lives in poverty – 331,000
- 286,000 have no health care
- 37,558 teenagers drop out of school
- 95 reports of child abuse/neglect each day – 34,587
- 35 babies are born to teen mothers each day – 12,824
- 10,404 abused and neglected children live in foster care
- 1,737 youth are juvenile detention and correctional facilities
- 15 infants are murdered
Where does Arizona rank in comparison to the rest of the country? (1 is best 50 is worst)
- Overall well-being of AZ’s children – 40
- Rate of children without health insurance – 46
- Poverty rate of children – 37
- Teenagers (16-19) that are dropouts – 46
- Teenagers (15-17) that have children of their own – 47
- Death rate of teens by all causes – 49
- 4th graders scoring below basic reading level – 47
Save the Family helps children of all ages out of situation like those listed above. Help change the statistics and bring Arizona to the top of the list. Visit www.azchildren.org or www.savethefamily.org for more information about what you can do to help Arizona’s children.
