|
The Center for Family Solutions is in dire need of new playground equipment. Through the years of extremely hot summers, the outdoor elements have severely damaged the outdoor play structure and playground equipment at this domestic violence emergency shelter, making it unsafe for use. The damaged structure is in the process of being removed, but due to budget constraints, new play equipment cannot be purchased. The replacement equipment needs to be commercial grade to withstand the wear and tear it receives from the nearly 100 children who stay in this shelter each year. The safe house is welcoming, with a soothing, healing environment inside. But when you look outside it is a completely different story; the children need safe and adequate playground equipment.
Woman Haven, Inc., d.b.a. Center for Family Solutions was founded in 1978 and opened an emergency shelter for battered women and their children. The agency maintains a 24-hour crisis line for victims of abuse and offers a wide spectrum of services, from legal assistance to counseling and emergency food aid and transportation. More than 10,000 victims have been served. In 2006, the organization received a grant to remodel its safe house. But there were no funds for a playground.
Childhood is supposed to be the happiest time of your life, but these children show up scared out of their wits and with nothing but the clothes on their backs. If we can give them a place to play and forget about everything for a while, then maybe the summer breaks and holidays will be a little brighter.
The traumatic effects of domestic violence on women have been widely documented. But the fate of a second set of victims, battered women's children, is often overlooked. Violence in the home rips a child's world apart, research shows, creating emotional stress that harms the development of their brains and impairs cognitive growth. When mothers are forced to flee a dangerous environment and seek emergency shelter, the children they bring along lose the comforting staples of everyday life - attending school, playing sports, and even seeing friends. When their moms go into hiding, these kids' lives are uprooted; they are truly the innocent bystanders and it's heartbreaking.
While fun is the top reason for installing the play equipment, it will also serve an important therapeutic purpose. After witnessing and sometimes experiencing abuse in their own homes, children arrive at the safe house in fragile condition. They tend to cling to their mothers, show fear of being alone, suffer from sleep problems and often struggle with depression or antisocial behavior.
When they get outside and play, the kids not only have the chance to feel normal again, but they tend to let their guard down and become more likely to share things with therapists. So it can really contribute to healing.
Playing games such as ping pong also places children in situations with winners, losers and rules, allowing therapists to work with them to address boundary issues and any aggressive behaviors that may arise.
The Center for Family Solutions has a plan to make life a bit more bearable for the children in their care. These funds will help transform the backyard of this safe house into a kid-friendly fun zone, complete with slide, swings, jungle gym, a ping pong table, a basketball hoop and bikecycles for the children.
| 
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)
;)