This year we all celebrated North Texas Giving Day's 10th year! How cool is that? Together as a community, you have helped raise over $240 million for non-profits across North Texas. Just this year alone North Texas Giving Day raised over $48 million for 2,690 local nonprofits. We are honored to be included in this list of impact makers in our community! We also had the opportunity to serve on the Giving Day Denton planning committee and had a blast putting together a day of fun for families across Denton.
Your support made all the difference. With your help we won the "Strong Women, Better World" prize for being the women-focused nonprofit in Denton County with the most donors, and raised a total of $17,835- and that's before bonus funds! The support you have shown for the local families that we support is incredible. YOU ROCK!
Thank you to all our donors!
Amy & Gene Cherrnay
Andrew and Wendy McQuade
Andrew, Elizabeth, and Emma Morris
Antoinette W.
Arlinda Whitaker
Ashley Jones
Becky and Thad McCollum
Bill and Judy Giese
Blake McDaniel
Blenda & James Johnson
Butler Law Firm, PC
Caim Superstars
Carmen Rivera Worley
Carol Crumpton
Caroline Booth
Carrie Wilson
Cheryl Ellis
Claudia and Clint Lynch
Crystal R
Darrell Rials and Dixie Westbrook
David Carmel
Debbie Pahler
Don and Kate Lindsay
Dr. Charlotte D. Nabors
Elizabeth Nelson Keller
Fred Trafton & Grace Kirby
Geoffrey and Robin Dennis
Gerry Veeder
Greg & Marilyn Rimling
Gretel L'Heureux
Groggy Dog
Jacqueline Shaw
Jarrell and Bertha Sharp
Joe & Mary Kaszynski
Joe Rice
John and Paula House
John Booth
Judy MacMorran
Kathryn Pole
Kathryn Vermillion
Kathy Eubanks
Kayla Swenson
Keely and Chris Briggs
Kimberly Karl & Stan Haddock
Krista Williams
Larry & Ann Tubbs
Laura and Kenneth Finger
Laura Vogel
Les & Pam Nasche
Linda Pope
Linnie M McAdams
Liz Diebold
Lynn McCreary & Shannon Williams
Marilyn Abram
Mark and Bert Zeitlin
Mary Chaplin
Matt and Sara Richardson
Matt Kernan
Meg Barry
Michael Burgess
Monique J Gulyas
Nanci M. Kimmey
Nancy Bertolino
Natalie Klempel
Neal Ashmore Family Law Group
Norm and Dana Pomerance
Pat Cheek
Peggy Aitken
Pete Kamp
Sharon K. Lowry
Sherrie Taylor
Stacey Campbell
State Representative Dr Lynn Stucky and Lori
Steve and Shari Cobb
Susan Gehrlein
Susan Hekman
T. Miller
Teri Watkins
Todd & Chris Price
Tom and Janie Cindric
Tom Shaw
Tracy Grunig
Tricia Hoffmann
Trinity Presbyterian
Vanessa Skelton
Wayne and Melissa Grissom
Thank you for investing in safety, hope, healing, justice, and prevention with Denton County Friends of the Family. Check out this video from the North Texas Giving Day Honorary Chair, Former First Lady Laura Bush giving everyone a big shout out and celebrating you!
Healing Through The Arts is part of the initiative of music and art therapy at Denton County Friends of the Family and is being hosted in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Throughout the evening we will have dance performances from TWU and UNT, and Morse Street Baptist Church. Join us for the early bird community art project: Arrive at 6pm to participate in a hands-on art activity.
Healing Through the Arts is hosted by the Our Community Matters Program at Denton County Friends of the Family and Greater Denton Arts Council.
Here is the program you have to look forward to tomorrow evening:
At Friends of the Family we provide compassionate, comprehensive services to those impacted by rape, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, while partnering with our community to promote safety, hope, healing, justice, and prevention.
If you or someone you know needs help please call our 24-hour crisis line at 940-382-7273 OR 800-572-4031.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (#DVAM). Will you #StandWithUs as we create awareness, compassion and impact for the 1 in 4 women who are victims of domestic violence?
There are tons of ways to get involved this month. Whether you're attending an event, volunteering or becoming a social media advocate- no job is too small to be one of our rockstar impact makers. We could not do the work we do without community support and we want to thank you in advance for investing in safety, hope, healing, justice, and prevention for victims of domestic violence. You make the difference!
So let's cover the basics... "What is Domestic Violence Awareness Month aka #DVAM?"
DVAM works to connect advocates across the nation who are working to end violence against women and their children.
Our goal is to increase awareness and educate our community so we can all stand together and ensure that those affected by domestic violence have a voice and they are heard. We accomplish this through community events and activities celebrating our community coming together, celebrating survivors and those who work to end domestic violence, while also mourning the loss of those who have died due to domestic violence.
1 in 4 women are victims of domestic violence and we need your help to ensure we can make a difference for her and her family. So here's what you can do this month. Pick #1Thing that you will do to be an impact maker! There's so many options, which one is the right fit for you?
1. Check Out An Event
We've got a full lineup of awesome activities to share with you.
Healing Through The Arts | October 11th
Candelight Vigil | October 18th
Advocacy Conference | October 25th
You can learn more about all of the DVAM events at dcfof.org/dvam
2. Volunteer
Head over to dcfof.org/volunteer to sign up and become one of our rockstar volunteers. Volunteer at an upcoming event, in our shelter, help out in the food pantry or even with our Children's program. We always need extra hands to help the hundreds of women and children we are serving each month.
Want to volunteer for one of the upcoming DVAM events? AWESOME! Email volunteer@dcfof.org to get setup right now.
3. Social Media Advocate
Become a social media advocate by helping educate the community and creating awareness within your social network. Email volunteer@dcfof.org to learn more about joining the group!
4. Get Trained
Invite our Prevention, Education, and Awareness team out to speak at your organization, school, business, church etc. Learn how each of us plays a role in the process of education, accountability and prevention efforts pertaining to sexual and domestic violence. You can request a training here.
5. Tell Us Why You #DVAM?
Tell us why you stand for the 1 in 4 women who are victims of domestic violence? Why is DVAM important to you? Email volunteer@dcfof.org or post it on social with #WhyIDVAM
There are so many ways to get involved this month and no effort is too small. Just pick #1Thing that you're doing to do to help make an impact!
At Friends of the Family we provide compassionate, comprehensive services to those impacted by rape, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, while partnering with our community to promote safety, hope, healing, justice, and prevention.
If you or someone you know needs help please call our 24-hour crisis line at 940-382-7273 OR 800-572-4031.
Not every incident of danger or crisis will happen during business hours, and in those circumstances, it can be difficult for someone to know where to turn for help. If a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault is in immediate danger we always encourage them to call 911 to provide that immediate safety that they are needing. But what we know is that sometimes a victim is afraid to call the police because they are afraid of the retaliation they may face from their abuser if the police do not have cause to arrest them, or if they are released quickly on bail.
If they are able to safely leave the house or distance themselves from the person causing them harm, some people are able to call friends or family to come and help them leave the situation. Others have been so isolated from their abuser that they have no one to call. Whatever their circumstances are in that moment, it can feel incredibly paralyzing- like the next move they make will either be their saving grace or put them in a lot more danger, and they can't navigate which is which. In these moments- please call our crisis line.
The DCFOF crisis line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to answer questions and provide resources to those in need. When you call in you have the right to remain anonymous and can just use that opportunity to ask questions and learn more about your options. Our crisis line staff are trained to help you navigate to safety. Maybe you are looking for a way to safely leave an abusive relationship, maybe you are worried a friend or family member is being abused and want to learn more about warning signs, or maybe you think that your own relationship may be unhealthy but you aren't exactly sure what to do about it or even if you want to end it. We can help with all of this and more, and connect you with the resources that you need to make the right decision for you!
Just last month alone we had over 239 crisis calls answered on the 24-hour hotline. Majority of the calls are domestic violence or sexual assault related. Whether it's calls coming in for someone needing shelter or a friend/family member calling to ask for advice on how to help someone in a violent relationship. Sometimes family members are upset because their friend or family member is not currently leaving an abusive relationship. We encourage them to continue to be a support for the victim, so when they are ready to leave, they know they have someone. Often abusers will isolate victims so they don't have true supports systems when that time comes that they are ready to leave. We know that there are many barriers when a victim is leaving her abuser. In fact, it is the most dangerous time and victims are at the highest risk of being killed by their partner when they are trying to leave. So we work to encourage family and friends to support her and not judge and know that she is the best judge of when it is safe to leave.
We never turn a caller away. We will find an answer to their questions or provide them with appropriate resources. We are there to help!
If you or someone you know needs help please call our 24-hour crisis line at 940-382-7273 OR 800-572-4031.
Working on a crisis line is no easy job, but our staff and volunteers do it splendidly! It takes a real heart for this kind of work to answer these calls and provide as much hope as you possibly can to the person on the other end.
If you would like to make a contribution to support our crisis line, please click on the button below!
Every year we have the opportunity to take a look back at the impact we made. Just in case you missed our 2017 Annual Report we've got you covered. Our mission is to provide compassionate, comprehensive services to those impacted by rape, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, while partnering with our community to promote safety, hope, healing, justice, and prevention. We are grateful that we are able to impact the lives of our clients and their children.
2017 was a big year with big impact! We received a $1.2 million grant to help meet housing needs for the clients we serve and launch our Transitional Housing Program, we celebrated our grand opening of The Prevention Center: new office space housing the Battering Intervention and Prevention Program (BIPP) and Prevention, Education, and Awareness Program (PEAP), allowing for expanded services and the Denton County DA's office made a significant donation of $50k to help support the work our agency does in the community (you can read more about these big wins on page 9 of our annual report).
Our volunteers really rocked it out with 23,157 hours of service. Our Survivors Advocacy Team (SAT) responded to over 220 sexual assault calls at local hospitals. You can learn more about our SAT volunteers here.
Because of support like yours, we were able to help thousands of women and children last year access comprehensive services. We provided 2,412 child and adolescent counseling services to 231 children, our Prevention, Education, and Awareness Team educated 28,956 students and community members and 15,405 Adult Counseling Services were provided. This is just a snapshot of the impact happening right here at Friends of the Family.
We provide compassionate, comprehensive services to those impacted by rape, sexual abuse, and domestic violence, while partnering with our community to promote safety, hope, healing, justice, and prevention. If you or someone you know is in need of help our 24-Hour Crisis Line can be a resource.
Step into our speakeasy, where we all stand together against domestic violence and sexual assault. Taste for a Cause is back and better than ever- 20's style!
September 22nd will be a roaring evening of auction fun, live music, spirits, and cuisine from chefs and restaurants across the county, as well as secret entertainment that has yet to be revealed! VIP guests will relax in style with an elevated bar and lounge experience, casino fun, PLUS an extra HOUR of entertainment, drinks, and bites starting at 5pm! Put on that flapper dress or suspenders and make your way to the gorgeous Monroe Pearson for Taste for a Cause- it's gonna be the Bee's Knees!
All proceeds from Taste for a Cause go to supporting Denton County Friends of the Family's programs for victims of sexual and domestic violence. These programs, such as shelter, play therapy, counseling, advocacy, and transitional housing, are life-saving resources to the 1 in 4 women in our community who have been impacted by domestic violence and the 2 in 5 who have experienced sexual assault.
"Last year we provided over 30,000 hours of client services to victims of violence," says Randi Skinner, Director of Marketing and Development. "Fundraisers like Taste for a Cause are a big part of how we are able to maintain the capacity of all of our programs. Of course the night at the speakeasy is going to be SUPER fun! But at the end of the day, we do all of this so that we can continue to never turn anyone away who is in need of free services."
We are less than $10,000 away from our sponsorship goal! Sponsors are an integral part of this event, and enable us to raise the most funds possible to go back into our programs. Every penny counts! PLUS sponsorships come with VIP tickets.. Remember when we sold out last year? Get them before they're gone!
Thank you for investing in safety, hope, healing, prevention, and justice.
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October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (#DVAM). Will you #StandWithUs as we create awareness, compassion and impact for the 1 in 4 women who are victims of domestic violence? 
24-Hour Crisis Line
"Last year we provided over 30,000 hours of client services to victims of violence," says Randi Skinner, Director of Marketing and Development. "Fundraisers like Taste for a Cause are a big part of how we are able to maintain the capacity of all of our programs. Of course the night at the speakeasy is going to be SUPER fun! But at the end of the day, we do all of this so that we can continue to never turn anyone away who is in need of free services."
