By Barbara Wesley
I was a licensed clinician for many years, and I have been a volunteer for pretty much all of my life. After retirement I started looking for something that would involve me more deeply in reaching out and serving people.
I met Rachelle Currie, HAVEN’s Associate Director, quite by chance, when I was collecting tickets for a fundraiser outside McHenry Mansion. Rachelle had been downtown at “Kick Up Your Heels!” saw that something was going on and stopped to see what it was. We talked, and Rachelle gave me her card. I came in and met with Rachelle and May Rico, HAVEN’s Executive Director. Within a week I was completing the process of becoming a HAVEN Board member.
I am proud to be a part of HAVEN.
The core values of this organization are my own values: individual empowerment, societal change, advocacy for those impacted by domestic violence or sexual abuse, or human trafficking; working toward an environment where people can be themselves in their community and in their relationships and can be safe.
I am so impressed with the HAVEN staff at every level.
These people work so hard, are totally committed to the work they are doing, and support each other. They are constantly under stress; first at a professional level where they are dealing with people’s lives, and second at a personal level, because they work in an organization where funding is always in a state of fluctuation – consequently there is always a very real worry about their jobs. And despite all this, they remain a family, committed to Haven’s goals, to each other, and to the people they serve.
There’s more!
I am also extremely impressed with the level of integrity that HAVEN shows in our usage of the funds we receive from public (government) sources, private organizations and individuals donors. Every dollar that comes in is wisely and carefully spent, always keeping our mission in mind. Nothing is wasted. Ever.
I have never regretted for one second joining HAVEN and I am very proud to be even a small part of the difficult and wonderful work we do in this community.