Elgin’s Community Crisis Center

By Kevin Miehlke, Roosevelt University student

We live in a world where violence unfortunately exists within the homes of some families. The side effects of domestic violence can be detrimental to individuals, and experiencing or witnessing violence can leave children with a shattered sense of how to appropriately function within their relationships.

However, the Community Crisis Center of Elgin believes that through children we can break the cycle of violence and prevent future generations from living with the threats and fears of family violence.

The Center has been open since 1975, and although they have seen a 2003-2004 renovation of their building to be completely ADA compliant and struggled through times of financial stress, its doors have remained open every single day in order for victims of domestic violence to safely seek out shelter and resources.

It is crucial that children be reached early on so that habits of fear and violence do not become engrained into their lives. Just last year, Community Crisis Center was able to provide services to 480 young people and give shelter to 155 of them.

Gretchan Vapnar, executive director of the Community Crisis Center, oversees the coordinators for children’s services. She explains that the Center wishes to encourage children in their programs to identify and articulate their feelings so that kids can develop better conflict resolution skills. Certified professionals provide age appropriate counseling to improve self-confidence and an understanding of family functionality.

In order to reach out to other children in the community who have experienced domestic violence, the Center’s community educators work with some of the nearby school districts to speak with students and faculty on domestic violence, sexual assault, and economic issues. By having these Center community educators maintain a clear presence in schools, students can be assured that there are resources and contacts available if they have witnessed domestic violence.

Members of the Community Crisis Center have seen that the majority of relationships related to domestic violence are male-centered, and so there must be efforts taken against the idea that men demonstrate a controlling behavior. Children need role models in their community, both men and women, who can express to younger generations the dire need for loving and caring relationships between spouses and families.

Unfortunately, like so many businesses recently, the Center has been significantly affected by decreases in funding for their programs to the extent that layoffs and pay cuts had to be made in order to keep their operations running continually twenty-four hours a day. They cannot afford to close their doors for the sake of all those they have supported as well as future clients. The agency’s hotline is staffed by professionals who often serve as the first wave of support for victims.

Some of the other specific services the Center provides include legal and medical advocacy; meals and financial help for housing; shelter for women and their children; counseling; economic crisis program; sexual assault program; and the batterer’s intervention program. The Community Crisis Center staff pride themselves on creativity and a strong sense of family as they ambitiously work to accomplish the goals they’ve set.

There is a level of domestic violence in Illinois that is far greater than the resources available in agencies aiding efforts against domestic violence. However, initiatives run by the Community Crisis Center and other organizations associated with the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence are doing their best to combat domestic violence and educate surrounding communities concerning the extent of such violence. Just as the Community Crisis Center has never allowed their doors to be closed, we all must work without ceasing to ensure that domestic violence does not become a habit of the future.

Roosevelt University Students are learning about domestic violence in their Writing Social Justice course.

2011 Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month – October 2011

October 3rd Family Violence Coordinating Council Fall Conference “ Lt. Mark Wynn: Keynote speaker.” Conference is free to attend with no registration fee. Lt. Mark Wynn is the guest speaker. Hosted at Harper College 8am-4:30pm. The Community Crisis Center will offer 5.5 CEUs for $10. Nursing CEUs (5.5) will be offered by Northwest Community Hospital for free and 5.5 MCLEs for attorneys are offered at no charge. Event is full.

October 4 Northwest Community Hospital Ribbon Ceremony in ED Driveway @ 12:30pm. Hospital staff and visitors are invited to tie purple ribbons on the columns and trees to symbolize Breaking Silence on Domestic Violence.

October 10 Northwest Community Hospital Conference Center Rm 1-6 presents a 1-hour seminar on Domestic Violence and Why Women Stay. Open to the public, offering 1 NCE credit. Presentation will be repeated on Oct. 28th at 1:30pm.

October 14 Elgin Community Crisis Center Partner In Peace Breakfast 7:30am Elgin Country Club Contact: 847-742-4088 $25pp, Reservation required.

October 14 Shelter Inc, Fall Seminar “Bullying” Schaumburg Township District Library
9:30-12:30pm. Admission is free. Contact Laura 847-590-6190 X37

October 20 Georgio’s Pizzeria Fundraiser for NWSADV 4-10pm
100 W. Higgins Rd. Suite L100 in the Arboretum- South Barrington
Georgio’s Pizza will donate 20% of its dine-in sales and 10% of its carryout sales from each purchase presenting this flyer.

October 25 WINGS Annual Meeting Luncheon and Awards Ceremony
11:00am - 1:00pm Chandler’s Chop House
401 North Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Cost per person: $25.00, RSVP by Friday, October 21, 2011

October 27 “Break the Silence on Relationship Violence” Community Event
Keynote speaker Wendy Cohen from the Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s Office
The Clothesline and Silent Witness project, and Memorial Ceremony
Hosted by Roosevelt University and NWSADV
4:30-6:30pm Roosevelt University Schaumburg Campus, 1400 N Roosevelt Blvd Alumni Hall Register @ www.roosevelt.edu/breaksilence

Municipalities Partner with NWSADV to recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month with Proclamations Read on the following dates:
September 19th- Elk Grove, Hoffman Estates
September 26th- Barrington, Prospect Heights, Wheeling
September 27th- Schaumburg
October 3rd- Palatine
October 4th- Bartlett, Mount Prospect
October 6th- Streamwood
October 11th - Inverness

NWSADV participates at Hanover Park Cop Day Picnic 2011

Volunteers from the Elgin Community Crisis Center and NWCASA will be hosting the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence table at Hanover Park Cop Day Picnic on July 13th in Hanover Park. Please stop by and say hi!

Events: Domestic Violence Awareness Month – October 2010 Northwest Suburbs of Chicago

Local Events During Domestic Violence Awareness Month – October

All of October, Between Friends will provide a table of DV information in the Rolling Meadows courthouse "Entrance area"

All of October, Hoffman Estates Department of Health and Human Services offer screenings and no cost consults. 847-781-4850

October 1 Purple Ribbon Tying----Ribbons will be tied on the trunks of the tree's of the Rolling Meadows Court House. The ribbons will stay on the tree's throughout October. (Between Friends) Contact: April Fehrenbacher, ICDVP 847-818-8900

October 6 Between Friends court advocates will be in front of the Rolling Meadows Court House with DV awareness stickers

October 8 Elgin Community Crisis Center Partner In Peace Breakfast 7:30am

Contact: 847-742-4088

October 15 Dress to Express---Wear Purple all day today! Take a picture of your coworkers wearing purple and we will put your pic and your business's link on our webpage during the month of November. (Between Friends)

October 15 Family Violence Coordinating Council Fall Conference “ Holding onto Hope, Substance Abuse, Domestic Abuse and the Family.” 8am -4:30pm Chandlers Banquets Grand Ballroom for More information contact Grayce 847-818-2528

October 20 Safe From the Start of Northwest Cook County, in collaboration with the Northwest Suburban Alliance on Domestic Violence will be displaying the Clothesline Project at the Palatine Opportunity Center (1585 N. Rand Rd.) during the National Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. Safe From the Start is a community response dedicated to reduce the trauma of exposure to violence in children ages 0-5 in the communities of Northwest Cook County. The Clothesline Project is a moving and provocative display of personally decorated shirts showing how violence has affected the lives of survivors and their children. Please join us on October 20th between 4-7 PM to view the shirts and find out more information about local domestic violence information and resources. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Laura Rutledge, from the Safe from the Start program at (630) 823-5204.

October 22 NWSADV Men’s Initiative on Domestic Violence keynotes Hoffman –Schaumburg Rotary at Poplar Creek Country Club

October 25 Illinois Domestic Violence Laws Training---This is a training to provide an overview of DV laws for counselors, advocates, crisis line workers, etc. ICDVP credits will be provided. (Between Friends)

October 26 Hanover Park and WINGS are hosting a domestic violence candlelight vigil at 6pm at the village hall. Event is free and open to the public.

October 27 Northwest Community Hospital - presentation on Dynamic of Domestic Violence will be on Oct 27th from 11am to 1pm in 30 minutes increments open to public in the conference room 1-6