On July 29th, we decorated an apartment for a family that I don’t know. We made their beds with soft quilts and comfortable sheets. We placed stylish lamps on their nightstands. We hung art, laid a rug under the coffee table, and covered the kitchen table with blue scalloped place mats and a vase of flowers.
I will never meet this family, but I hope the decorations will make their stay more restful and pleasant. They will be recovering, restoring, and resetting. This family will be survivors of domestic abuse.
One in four women, one in seven men, and one in three teenagers have experienced domestic violence. Unfortunately, it is very likely that someone you know is currently experiencing it. Thankfully, there is help.
Jersey Battered Women’s Services (JBWS) is a private, nonprofit agency that provides safety, support, and solutions for abuse, for anyone who lives or works in primarily Morris or Passaic County. More than 75 paid staff and nearly 200 volunteers work together with the help of the community to fulfill the agency’s mission. JBWS offers a 24-hour helpline, a safe house, support and counseling, and transitional living, which is one of the areas where I help by decorating.
A welcoming, cozy apartment can ease stress and shows the care of the community. JBWS also operates the Jersey Center for Non Violence, which assists with learning alternative ways of behaving and ending the cycle of harmful, abusive behaviors within a family.
Molly and her oldest daughter, Grace, at a JBWS fund-raising event. (Submitted photo)
JBWS staff and volunteers are passionate about helping others, and they inspire me to use my time and resources to better the lives of our neighbors in need. For the past two years, I’ve been a corporate sponsor. This past summer I was nominated to the board. We are always looking for our community to help support us and get involved. Coming up soon is the JBWS’ Thanksgiving Project, followed by the Holiday Boutique, and the Adopt-A-Family program. Can you lend a hand? We’d love it!
In May, you don’t want to miss Grand Tastings, JBWS’ premier fundraising event. In addition to a dynamic program, guests enjoy a grand tasting of signature dishes prepared by notable local chefs and restaurants, as well as delightful samples from select purveyors of wine, spirits, and beer. Then there is the 5K in June, held in Morristown, and the Autumn Auction for Hope. More don’t-miss events are listed on JBWS’s website, including golf and pickleball!
To obtain resources for someone you love in an unhealthy relationship, volunteer, or attend an upcoming event, visit www.jbws.org.
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