BHcare Newsletter

November/December 2014

Message from Roberta J. Cook, President/CEO

There is a stigma associated with the issues we address. There is a history of silence, and oftentimes discrimination against those we serve. Mental illness, domestic violence and addiction can break a community, or together a community can break the cycle.

BHcare produced a PSA which we premiered at our Annual Meeting on October 29. The goal of the PSA is to raise awareness about our services, and to bring people together to support our clients, and to help end the silence, stigma, and discrimination that surrounds individuals and families who are struggling with mental illness, addiction and domestic violence.

I want you to help us break the cycle. View our PSA online now: bit.ly/BreaktheCycle, share it via email and social media using #breakthecycle. With your help, we can ensure that everyone who is struggling to recover from mental illness and addiction has access to the services they need. Together we can keep families safe from domestic violence. Together we can break the cycle of silence.

Sincerely,

Roberta J. Cook
President/CEO

Domestic Violence Vigils Remember Victims & Honor Survivors

Nearly 200 of you attended The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services' annual Candlelight Vigil and Sound of Hope. Each year the vigils are held to remember the victims who have lost their lives to domestic violence and to honor the survivors.

Read more here.

Visit our website at www.bhcare.org to learn more about our domestic violence services.

VSAAC Honors Community Champions

VSAAC honored its 2014 Community Champions at a Piece of the Prevention Puzzle Workshop held on October 1 at Grassy Hill Lodge in Derby.

Read full article here.

Doors Open at New Haven Safe House

BHcare's new domestic violence safe house is up and running and at full capacity. The Greater New Haven facility provides emergency shelter along with individual and group counseling, advocacy, law enforcement-based victim assistance, children's counseling programs, safety education and planning, emergency legal advocacy, and other support services as needed to those affected by domestic violence.

Many thanks to all who helped to make this possible. Because of you, thousands of woman and children are able to escape their abusers and rebuild safe lives.

Client Corner

The Breaking of Dawn

By Lisa Ann

As the sun rises above the mountain ridge

The birds melodious song are as sweet

as a string quartet.

The trees chime harmoniously in the background.

There fraction of sunlight makes for vibrant shades of green

That covers the land and all of

society like a warm blanket, covers a sleeping child.

As each ray refracts and reflects.

The horizon wakes with a bountiful light for all to see.

As society bustles about and uncovers its blanket, perhaps too busy to notice the breaking of dawn and all of its hope.

A light that we at times forget its importance

or simply take for granted.

Though many a times unnoticed:

The Breaking of Dawn and

its vibrant rays always

Rains glimmers of hopeful days and treasured memories

upon the human race.

BHcare Receives Award from VNA

VNA Community Healthcare honored BHcare with its Community Partner Award on October 22 at its annual Harvest Breakfast.

BHcare's 3rd Annual Meeting

Nearly 100 of you gathered at Racebrook Country Club on October 29 to listen to client stories of triumph, celebrate out-going board members, and welcome new Chair, Mike Gulish.

BHcare also presented the New Haven Family Condors with the 2014 Community Partner Award.

Click below to hear about David's journey to recovery and how BHcare has helped him turn his life around.

Recovery is Possible

View BHcare's 2014 Annual Report.

OPTIONS Volunteer of the Year Recognized

BHcare congratulates Keith, our OPTIONS Volunteer of the Year. Keith was honored on October 8 at our Mental Illness Awareness Week Luncheon. Attorney John Letizia
donated a new computer, monitor, printer and
software in Keith's honor.