Doreen Jackman: Seamstress, Tailor, Volunteer, Friend

Sanctuary for Families

Doreen keeps our Butterfly Boutique in shape.

It’s National Volunteer Recognition Week, and every day this week we’ll be highlighting a Sanctuary volunteer being honored at our Pillars of Change Volunteer Recognition event on May 5th. Learn more and register for Pillars of Change.

Doreen Jackman knows the value of a good outfit. A skilled seamstress, she has volunteered with Sanctuary for over six years, lending her tailoring talents to clients in need of new suits for job interviews, and assisting our In-Kind Donation Program staff in managing donations. Prior to become a volunteer, Doreen worked at Sanctuary for five years.

Doreen spends countless hours every week volunteering in The Butterfly Boutique, Sanctuary’s on-site space where clients can “shop” for donated clothing, toiletries, accessories and other basic necessities to meet their immediate needs – 100% free of charge.

Each week, Doreen sorts through hundreds of donations of clothing and other items. She restocks and organizes the boutique, ensuring it remains a warm, welcoming place that meets all of our clients’ needs.

Doreen is also an invaluable source of help during the holiday season, when Sanctuary distributes thousands of gifts to our clients. Year after year, her time, dedication and organizational skills are an amazing gift to staff and clients alike.

“One of my favorite memories from volunteering was working with a client who was looking for a suit in The Butterfly Boutique,” says Doreen. “She had an important interview later that day and I was able to help her pick out an outfit that made her feel comfortable and confident. I also tailored the suit to fit her perfectly.”

The client was one of many to benefit from Doreen’s seamstress skills. Over the years, she has tailored suits for dozens of participants in Sanctuary’s Economic Empowerment Program.

Leah Chapman, Coordinator of Donated Goods for Clients, works closely with Doreen.

“Doreen is kind, loyal, enthusiastic and dedicated. She brings spirit and laughter with her wherever she goes and she never says no. She is always willing to come in and lend a helping hand,” Leah says.

“She has become a great friend to me, and I value her advice and opinion in all she does at Sanctuary.”

We are so grateful to Doreen for her incredible service, and look forward to honoring her at Pillars of Change on May 5, 2016.

You can join us at Pillars of Change by registering now. We hope to see you there!

Anne-Cecile Raphael: a multilingual, multi-talented volunteer

Sanctuary for Families

Anne-Cecile volunteers her legal and language skills.

It’s National Volunteer Recognition Week, and every day this week we’ll be highlighting a Sanctuary volunteer being honored at our Pillars of Change Volunteer Recognition event on May 5th. Learn more and register for Pillars of Change.

Anne-Cecile Raphael is an attorney, an advocate, a transplant to the United States from France, and speaks four languages (French, Chinese, German and English).

Who better to serve as a volunteer attorney with Sanctuary’s Immigration Intervention Project and Anti-Trafficking Initiative?

Anne-Cecile first became interested in bringing together her legal expertise and her interest in gender issues when volunteering with trafficking survivors in France. After moving to the United States almost two years ago, she found Sanctuary and began volunteering in our Legal Center. Her previous experience as an attorney in France and in China made her a valuable asset to our team from the start.

While at Sanctuary, Anne-Cecile has assisted numerous West African clients in navigating their immigration cases, and recently got involved with the Anti-Trafficking Initiative (ATI). A fluent Mandarin speaker, Anne-Cecile represents the growing number of Chinese clients seeking services with ATI.‎

Having previously worked with Chinese sex trafficking survivors in Europe, Anne-Cecile brings with her the cultural sensitivity and knowledge necessary to win client trust and to effectively address clients’ experiences of sexual violence, exploitation and trauma.

“Anne-Cecile has demonstrated great compassion and patience during her many sessions with clients, who have difficulty speaking about their horrific past,” shares Carolien Hardenbol, Co-Director of the Immigration Intervention Project.

“She has shown great dedication to serving some of Sanctuary’s most high-needs clients and is highly motivated to addressing the multiple challenges our clients face.”

Anne-Cecile recently received some exciting news: she was accepted to the Masters Program in Anthropology at Columbia University.

“I know this may affect my ability to volunteer regularly with Sanctuary,” she says. “But I hope to find new ways to stay involved and connect my interests!”

She’s already found one very dedicated way to stay involved – next November, Anne-Cecile plans to run the New York City Marathon on behalf of Sanctuary, raising funds and spreading the word about our work to end gender violence.

We are so grateful to Anne-Cecile for her incredible service, and look forward to honoring her at Pillars of Change on May 5, 2016.

You can join us at Pillars of Change by registering now. We hope to see you there!

Joel Kurtzberg: 19 years of dedication

Sanctuary for Families

Joel is a 2016 Pillars of Change honoree.

It’s National Volunteer Recognition Week, and every day this week we’ll be highlighting a Sanctuary volunteer being honored at our Pillars of Change Volunteer Recognition event on May 5th. Learn more and register for Pillars of Change.

In 1997, Joel Kurtzberg was a first year associate at Cahill Gordon. Despite his demanding law firm schedule, he wanted the opportunity to give back – and was particularly interested in getting involved with a domestic violence organization.

That’s when Joel was introduced to Sanctuary for Families. “I was drawn to Sanctuary’s holistic approach of working with victims to achieve independence and rebuild their lives,” he remembers.

Joel began volunteering as a pro bono attorney with Sanctuary’s Legal Center, tackling numerous legal matters on behalf of our clients.

19 years later, he not only remains a committed volunteer and supporter, his involvement has even grown. Since 2014, Joel has tutored five survivors of gender violence participating in Sanctuary’s Economic Empowerment Program.

Joel says the most rewarding aspect of his involvement with Sanctuary is seeing the impact it makes on clients’ lives. “I love when a client passes a test that we’ve prepared for together,” he says, “but more importantly, it’s meaningful to see the clients believe in themselves and their capabilities.”

Joel’s favorite memory as a volunteer took place while tutoring a client who was convinced she was bad at math and lacked confidence in her abilities, despite her ability to understand complex mathematical concepts.

He vividly remembers: “The first time I told her how smart she was, she looked at me like I was crazy, but she also kind of smiled at the thought of it. Over time, as we worked together, I saw that smile more and more.”

Through his volunteer experiences over the years, Joel has come to learn that change is possible, and that taking the time to work with people can make a tremendous difference in their lives.

We are so grateful to Joel for his incredible service, and look forward to honoring him at Pillars of Change on May 5, 2016.

You can join us at Pillars of Change by registering now. We hope to see you there!

Grab a beer for Sanctuary’s Mentors!

Sanctuary for Families

Support Pei and Julia’s 40-mile ride.

On May 1, 2016, Pei and Julia will join 32,000 other bike riders in lower Manhattan for the start of the 40-mile TD Five Boro Bike Tour. They’ll ride through car-free streets of Manhattan, bump up into the Bronx, cross into Queens and Brooklyn, eventually ending – and celebrating – with a ride across the enormous Verrazano Bridge into Staten Island.

Who are Pei and Julia? They are incredible women – survivors, advocates, and members of Sanctuary’s Mentors Program. While attending a Mentors Meeting earlier this year, Pei and Julia learned that Sanctuary was once again building a team to ride in the tour. Both avid bikers eager to take on a challenge and give back, they signed up together.

As members of the team, Pei and Julia have committed to fundraising as they train for the tour. Their goal is to raise $4,000 together in support of Sanctuary.

To help meet that goal, Pei and Julia have organized a happy hour event at the popular Brooklyn bar DSK Beer Garden, located at 710 Fulton Street.  The happy hour will take place on April 14th from 6-9 pm, and 50% of the proceeds will go directly to their fundraising campaign.  You can RSVP for the event here.

The Mentors Program was established in 1995 to provide past Sanctuary clients with the opportunity to become powerful advocates for ending gender violence.  Mentors build on their own experiences in order to increase community awareness about Sanctuary’s mission and work.

As Sanctuary Mentors, Pei and Julia work in the community to advocate for victims of teen dating violence, victims of violence in NYCHA housing, and participate in marches, walks and marathons to raise awareness about gender-based violence. Mentors also accompany current Sanctuary clients to court appearances to provide support.

The program also focuses on self-empowerment – Pei, Julia, and other Mentors attend conferences and workshops on domestic violence to educate themselves and learn valuable skills to help other victims.

Pei decided to become a Mentor because she wants to help other victims and survivors receive the support they need to rebuild their lives, and become their own heroines. For Pei, the Mentors Program serves multiple purposes, as it provides a support group to survivors while also empowering them to be powerful advocates and supporters for current victims of domestic violence.

“I hold the time that I spend with the other Mentors dearly, and it gives me time to breathe and tosit down and simply share my experience and emotions without the feeling of being judged,” says Pei. “The Sanctuary Mentors Program has done a lot for my life after the abuse. It helped me rebuild my life, my personality, and my self-esteem with a supportive network. It gave me a way to give back after all the help I received from Sanctuary.”

Julia agrees. “The services I received from Sanctuary helped empower me to make positive changes in my personal life that have lasting effects,” she says. “This inspired me to want to be a Mentor and advocate to help others see the choices they have that allow them to step into the life they truly desire.”

Happy Hour Fundraiser at DSK Brooklyn Beergarden

Admission to Pei and Julia’s fundraising happy hour at DSK Beer Garden on April 15 is $20, which includes a beer, a sandwich, and an evening of fun with Sanctuary and friends at Brooklyn’s favorite beer garden. $10 from each admission goes directly towards Julia and Pei’s fundraising effort.  You can RSVP for the event here, and please bring your friends.  All are welcome!

If you’re not able to join us but would like to help Pei and Julia in their fundraising efforts, you can donate directly to their fundraising campaign.