Two weeks a year the state capitol in Hartford CT invites the non profit organizations from around the state to come in and set up a table, talk to the representatives, and explain what we do, who it helps, and why we need continual funding. Each organization gets to come in 1 day a year. Friday the 17th was the day the Women’s Center of SECT (Southeastern Connecticut) signed up for.
Little back story before we continue…
I volunteer with the Women’s Center. They offer help to women (and men) in domestic and sexual abuse situations. Here’s the “What We Offer” off their website
(www.womenscenterofsect.org)
“We provide services to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, including advocacy services in New London . We provide crisis intervention, support groups and housing. Phoenix House, our transitional living program, helps women and families who have become homeless due to domestic violence or sexual assault. Beyond shelter, they receive case management support and participate in employment and education programs that support their personal goals toward self-sufficiency. GenesisHouse is our emergency shelter, providing a safe haven for women and their families who fled their home due to imminent danger. In addition to crisis intervention programs we offer community education and the Violence is Preventable (VIP) Program to area schools, community groups and businesses.”
As you can see, amazing program. I am wonderfully fortunate to be involved with them. Most of what I do is more along the lines of community education. I go with Melva, head of volunteers and community education, to various places to set up tables, attend fairs, and talk to the community about what we do, how we can help, and how they can help us. I love it!
So, back to Non Profit Week. There were about 10 other non profit organizations there as well from all across Connecticut. I had a wonderful time getting to talk to various members of our state’s leadership. While in the lunch line, I got into a conversation with a Representative by the name of Ezekiel Santiago. We chatted about his job, and also about why I was there. He was a big supporter of non profits, so I got to talk up the Women’s Center a bit. Very nice guy.
There was one slightly insane man (yes, he did work there. A Representative, I believe) who came by all 10 tables about 4 times over the course of the day. He informed all of us how he was working every single day to get rid of all non profits, because we are all are lying, cheating, thieving, evil organizations who do more harm than even the people we are trying to stand up against. When he got to my table I just informed him that I am sorry he has had bad experiences, but we, the Women’s Center, aim to be a higher standard of non profits. So, he then informed me that because I have an eyebrow ring, I could be federally indicted for “promoting death” (apparently all facial piercings kill nerves, which represents killing the body as a whole, which means promoting death in all forms!). He continued to tell me that because of my piercings and “markings” (tattoos) I could never work in the federal court system, or an insurance agency. “That’s fine” I told him, knowing that debating with this man would get us nowhere but frustrated. He reverted back to his “I am a bad person and promoting death” line. What a funny man. He made my day.
Oh! yes! So a few of us non profits have plastic bracelets we give out (like the yellow Live Strong bracelets). Ours is purple and says “No Excuse For Abuse.” He informed another organization (within ear shot of my table) who also had bracelets that they also promoted death, because they have dye in them that seep into your skin and cause neurological damage, therefore promoting death for all humans. First of all, the dye does not seep out of the bracelets. I looked into it. Second, even if it did, I feel his argument is flawed. Again, silly man. Kept coming back and taking everyone’s freebies. Especially the candy some folks had set out. Admittedly, it was good candy…
One of the highlights of my day at the capitol was talking to the other people representing their non profits. One of which was a lady named Maria who was there representing the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program. She and Melva talked for a few minutes about how to have our programs cross over a bit. You see, violence and abuse is rising among high school and jr. high relationships. And not just the guys beating up on the girls, but the girlfriends abusing their boys, which is “okay” because they are girls. Wrong, wrong wrong! So they talked about how we can better reach kids, and how they can encourage their Big’s and Little’s to communicate and learn more about domestic abuse and how it is NEVER right. After they were done talking, I told Maria that I have been a Big Sister for 2.5 years now, and it has been one of the best things I have ever, ever done. She lit up! Thanked me for what I was doing, but also told us that many years ago she herself was a Little! Said that her Big Sister made all the difference in her life, to the point that she now works with the BBBS program. Said that without her Big Sister, she wouldn’t have known to believe in herself, that she could be anything, or have ever had home made pasta. hehe. I have to tell you, that was such an encouragement to me. Queenie, my Little, is one of the highlights of my life. I know I am making some small differences in her life, but sine I can only see the past and present, not the future, I don’t know how much of a difference I may or may not make. But Maria’s story was encouraging. I want my Queenie to know that she can be whoever and whatever she can be, that Yeshua loves hermore than anyone on earth ever could, and that it’s never okay for her to hit or to be hit. Or treated like dirt emotionally.
So, that’s it for now I suppose. That was my Friday. That’s my life. I volunteer with an AMAZING organization, and I spend my Sundays with the greatest Little in the world. And I promote death with my eyebrow ring (oh, but not nose studs [yes if a nose ring] or ear rings). He he.
