Members of the Women of Impact Boone County (WOI) philanthropic giving group brought their passion for supporting local nonprofits together and voted Mental Health America of Boone County as their 2023 second-quarter grant recipient.
The local nonprofit was awarded a check for $11,710 to support their domestic violence efforts. Mental Health America of Boone County (MHABC) envisions a just, humane, and healthy society in which all people are accorded respect, dignity, and the opportunity to achieve their full potential free from mental health stigma and prejudice. Their mission is to promote and develop programs that provide safe refuge from traumatic life events and address the intellectual, emotional, physical, recreational, and cultural needs of the youth of Boone County and their families.
Specifically, MHABC operates a domestic violence program that provides housing and supportive services for survivors of domestic violence and their families. Often, survivors have been traumatized by the physical and emotional abuse they have suffered over the course of their relationship with the abuser. Because of the isolation survivors so often experience as a result of the abusive relationship, they are cut off from the rest of the world and made to feel like no one could possibly help them or believe them. This can lead to many related mental health issues, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, addiction, OCD, and panic disorder. This isolating feeling also contributes to the potential onslaught of the mental health issues mentioned above. On average, 24 people a minute are victims of physical violence, rape, or stalking by an intimate partner. That adds up to more than 12 million women and men a year. Generally, one in three women have experienced domestic violence in their lifetimes.
The funds requested and received from Women of Impact Boone County will fund programming for survivors of domestic violence that will allow them to connect with one another and receive the support they need to overcome the isolation they have experienced for so long.
The Women of Impact grant will fund activities including connection events (such as Coffee and Connection) which will allow survivors to gather, do crafts together, talk and support one another, group holiday meals, outings for survivors and their families, educational and empowerment presentations featuring guest speakers, support groups, and many other events and activities designed to provide fulfillment and human connection for survivors and their families. Connection is the antidote to isolation, and through these activities, survivors will begin to heal from the isolation of abuse.
In this picture, you can see a newly-created space available to the public as a way to honor domestic violence survivors. People can come sit and spend time as needed. There is a book bin that will be filled with domestic violence resources and will have a QR code on it to scan and fill out a form online for help.
To learn more about Mental Health America Boone County, visit www.mhaboonecounty.org or call (765) 482-3020 x103 to learn about current needs for domestic violence.
The Women of Impact Boone County group is growing and thriving! Now is the perfect time to join the group and become a member and begin collaboratively supporting Boone County-serving nonprofits with the other 125+ members. To join or learn more, click here or contact us today!
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF BOONE COUNTY
Since 1991, the Community Foundation of Boone County has granted over $29 million from its various funds to nonprofit organizations and programs working to solve critical challenges in Boone County. Through the generosity of donors, the Community Foundation currently holds over $30 million in net assets. Over the past 32 years, we have worked with donors to create permanent funds for charitable giving. The establishment and growth of permanent endowment funds will strengthen Boone County for generations to come.