"My CASA was there for me when no one else was." - CASA child

CASA volunteers are very much needed right now. In 2015, for the entire year, 93 filings of abuse and neglect were brought to the attention of the court. Already in 2016, 96 cases have been filed, putting us on course for a much higher number of filings this year than last year. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteers are currently serving fewer than half of the children who could benefit from advocacy and the voice the CASA gives them in the courtroom. 

2016s Fall Pre-Service Training course begins in October and there are still seats available. Volunteer today and make a difference in the life of a child.   

What is a CASA?
CASA volunteers advocate on behalf of children involved in the court system due to abuse and neglect. CASAs uncover facts in the case and report that along with the child's wishes to the court. In addition, the CASA makes recommendations to the court regarding the child's best interests. CASA volunteers are unique, as they are trained and certified to do this work, and are assigned only one case at a time. The result of this one to one advocacy is a strong, trusting relationship between the child and the advocate. Because of that relationship and the advocate's work to objectively uncover facts in the case, the CASA volunteer is considered the expert of the case and their recommendations are thoughtful, and specifically tailored to that child's needs.  The CASA also brings with them consistency to the case. The child's CASA remains the same, even if the child moves out of the area.  

We are excited to announce Dr. Jacquelyn C. Campbell, PhD, RN, FAAN as the featured presenter for 2016. Dr. Campbell created The Danger Assessment (DA), an instrument that helps to determine the level of danger an abused person has of being killed by their intimate partner. For 25 years, the Danger Assessment tool has been used by law enforcement, health care professionals, and domestic violence advocates.

This session will give participants background and instruction on how to administer the DA to victims/survivors, the weighted scoring for the DA, the resulting levels of Danger and what kinds of safety strategies might be recommended at each level. Participants will be eligible for certification in the DA at the completion of the session and will receive directions on how to obtain and use the certification.

Those who attend will receive a certificate of completion for the Domestic Violence Summit from SOS as well as information on how to complete the Danger Assessment Training on your own, if you so choose. There is an additional discounted charge for online certification for each participant which is $25 per participant when accompanied with the live training session. The online portion takes about 10 minutes. Official Danger Assessment training certification has proven to be valuable for use in court proceedings.

The 2016 Domestic Violence Summit will take place in Emporia, Kansas on Tuesday, October 11. Cost is $40 per person and includes lunch and refreshments. Registration will close on Tuesday, October 4. More information can be found on the SOS website. 

SOS Strong is an annual grassroots, all-male campaign made of local men dedicated to helping SOS stop sexual and domestic violence, child abuse and neglect. Each "Strong Man" signs a pledge to lead by example, not blame victims, and be a positive up-stander.  Their goal is to raise $1,000 each to support SOS programs.  This fundraiser was designed to show that men are more than abusers, controllers and runaway fathers. Children need to know men can be positive influences and compassionate people. The community needs to see that abuse is not just a woman's problem, it's everyone's problem. 

SOS would like to gratefully and wholeheartedly congratulate these men on their leadership and strength of character. 

 - James Baker

 - Jason Brooks

 - Jim Cummins

 - Tracy Edwards

 - Larry Finley of CBAS

 - Art Gutierrez

 - Joe Lauer

 - Tony Leek

 - Chuck Samples

 - Garret Seacat

 - Philip Wilson

This year's campaign brought in nearly 280 donations with over half of those coming from new donors to raise a grand total of $16,322.61!

We can't thank these amazing men enough for their hard work, creativity, and dedication to helping end domestic violence, sexual assault and neglect. 

As a nonprofit organization, we rely heavily on the generosity of the public to support us and our clients through donations. In the past several months, we have been extremely blessed with donations of household good, clothing, and furniture. Our limited storage space is at capacity and at this time, we are unable to accept additional donations in those categories. 

Food donations, however, are still very much needed. When individuals and families come into the shelter, they often have little with them and when they move out, they sometimes lack the resources to meet their family's basic needs. SOS tries to give a "starter" box of food to help them get on their feet and get started in this new phase of life. Food donation baskets are being slowly filled at both Dillon's and Country Mart in Emporia but more food is still needed to ensure all individuals can leave shelter knowing where their next meal is going to come from. Cleaning supplies and paper products are necessary as well. Donations of this type go to support clients both inside and outside the Shelter.

If you would like to donate food, cleaning or paper products, please call 343-8799 or drop them by the Administrative Office at 618 Mechanic St. in Emporia. For a limited time, please take all other types of donations to other charitable organizations in the area such as Abundant Harvest and the Salvation Army. 

Hope-A-Palooza, our largest annual fundraiser is a gala event hosted by SOS every spring. This year's theme is Flashback Bash f e aturing Fast Times, an 80s and 90s cover band as the headline entertainment. Dust off your high tops

 and neon and save the date for Friday, March 31. Tickets on sale soon!

For more information on Hope-A-Palooza, contact the Community Relations Coordinator at 620-343-8799 or by email. 

Domestic violence affects 1 in 4 women and 1 in 8 men. One in 15 children will be witnesses to this violence. This sad reality exists in every state, every community, every neighborhood. It's not just a women's issue or a family matter -- domestic violence affects victims, witnesses, friends, and family. It can result in lost wages, inability to focus and thrive at work or school, difficulty maintaining personal relationships, and many more. Perpetrators of domestic violence may use a combination of tactics to gain and maintain dominance, power, and control over their victim.

SOS advocates work hard every day to offer free and confidential services to victims of domestic violence. Another goal is to continually spread awareness throughout the communities we serve. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and we have some special things planned. See below:

If you'd like to request a speaker or a presentation for your class, group or event, contact us at 620-343-8799 or by email.