Kate Bieber Ogg: Volunteering to End Gender Violence

Sanctuary for Families

Kate educates her family and community about Sanctuary’s work.

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.

Kate Bieber Ogg has been involved as a Sanctuary volunteer on and off for nearly 10 years.

Kate first heard about Sanctuary in 2000 through her interest in issues surrounding gender violence and women’s rights. She began volunteering with other organizations tackling those issues during her college career, and officially began volunteering with Sanctuary in 2002 as a law student participating in the Courtroom Advocates Project.

“I believe in the importance of telling our community, and showing my children, that gender issues are crucial in today’s society,” says Kate. “Organizations like Sanctuary demonstrate that we will not turn a blind eye to the pervasive issues of gender violence.”

Over the years, Kate primarily volunteered as a ‘Holiday Helper’ during the holiday season, simultaneously contributing to the Adopt-a-Family Program and other various events. In 2014, she decided to increase her commitment to the organization and began volunteering two days a week within the Development Department.

Kate has provided tremendous help in organizing events, reaching out to current and prospective donors, doing research, and tracking and thanking supporters.

“I love hearing about the positive experiences of staff and clients alike, but I find it most rewarding to spread the word about Sanctuary’s work,” Kate says.

“Whenever I have the opportunity to speak to someone who has never heard of Sanctuary, and the conversation eventually turns into ongoing support in the form of a donation or volunteering, I know my work is meaningful.”

By giving her time as a volunteer, Kate has learned that the power of people to organizations like Sanctuary is critical.

We are so grateful to Kate 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!

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!