Helping The Awareness Center Help Others!

Dear Friends,

The Awareness Center has had the honor of working with Jewish survivors of sexual violence everyday.  Often when survivors first call us they are barely able to utter the words "I was sexually abuse or assaulted".  We help these survivors to find their first therapist and or help them find legal resources so that they can begin their healing journey.  It's incredibly valuable and rewarding work.

Survivors choose their own path, making the brave decision to tell a friend, parent or spouse that they were a victim of a sex crime.  Admitting what happened is not easy task. The fear of being shamed or blamed for what happened to them is incredibly intense no matter what age they are.  One of the most important aspects of The Awareness Center is helping survivors find others who are also survivors.  It helps them to know that they are NOT alone.

As survivors begin to heal some become more active within our organization.  Some quietly help new survivors through difficult times. In past years some survivors have helped out by stuffing envelopes or helping to develop our mailing list.  And throughout the years a few survivors started to speak out publicly and write letters to the editors of newspapers, sharing their stories.

But no matter how each of us choose to overcome our trauma, all survivors are heroes.

At some point in their healing, survivors realize this is about more then just their own healing and or exposing their predator.  It's about protecting the next generation.  It's about protecting children.  It's about changing how our communities treat the innocent and vulnerable -- kids who live in fear, children of today who are afraid to go to sleep at night, children who are crying out for help.

That's why The Awareness Center is so critical.  Day in and out, we work tirelessly to heal the wounded, protect the vulnerable, and expose offenders and those who cover up sex crimes.

Many charities have people that believe in their cause but survivors are different.  We do not just believe in the cause, we live it.  We do whatever it takes to expose sexual predators as a way to keep our children and unsuspecting adults safe.

Just last month we heard about a father who has been molesting his children.  The father was someone with a great deal of political clout.  Not only are we making sure the adult survivor who called us get the help needed, we are helping the entire family deal with the molestation.  Hotline reports were made.  We contacted the mother and got her involved in a domestic violence program. We also made sure that the younger siblings were in counseling with highly trained mental health professionals who specialize in working with child sexual abuse.  We also helped the offending father find a treatment program.

Today we are asking for your help to keep The Awareness Center moving forward.  When you donate to The Awareness Center, you are not just helping one survivor to heal, you are also helping Jewish communities around the world.  This is not some abstract concept.  It's the truth!

Your donation will make a difference.  It will ensure that our website will continue to be a resource for survivors, families and supporters.  It will ensure the phone will be answered every day. It will ensure that a sex offender will continued to be “outed” and our community members will be warned.  A donation will help us put the secrets of sexual violence and cover up into the public eye so that reforms will happen and lives will be spared.

All donations are tax deductible and can be made either on-line through our website or by sending a check or money order to The Awareness Center.  WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY!

We are honored by your presence in The Awareness Center and blessed by your generosity.  Your end of year donation will make a difference in the lives of many innocent and vulnerable people who have come forward or are waiting for someone to reach out to them.  Thank you for your help and support!

Sincerely,
Vicki Polin and our Board of Directors