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Daybreak Resources, a program of the YWCA Central Massachusetts, is the most
comprehensive program in central Massachusetts designed to meet the needs of
women and children whose lives are affected by interpersonal violence.
To foster safety in the community by:
Enabling women to break free from abuse
Equipping young people with the skills to resist violence and abuse
Promoting safe, non-violent and mutually respectful interaction within families
Encouraging women to share their strengths and courage with others
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Daybreak Resources for Women & Children was founded on the campus of Clark
University by a student, Beth Herr, who had documented the need for battered
women's services and the lack of those services in Worcester. Together with
a group of volunteers, Herr and one of her professors, Betsey Stanko, started
a domestic violence hotline and established temporary, emergency shelters for
battered women and their children. Herr later became Daybreak's first executive
director when the shelter was incorporated in 1978.
Over the years Daybreak continued to grow in service to the community.
It received its first funding from the United Way of Central Massachusetts
in 1982, and two years later purchased an old Victorian style home which
would become an emergency shelter for women and women with children fleeing
imminent danger. The shelter would be the centerpiece of Daybreak's programming
for many years. In the early 1990s Daybreak added non-residential services
including short-term counseling, support groups, advocacy for court proceedings
and a hotline. A merger with the Child Assault Prevention (CAP) Project during
that same time resulted in the creation of the community education department.
While the agency had grown in services it was not adequately staffed and was
continually in search of the financial resources to accomplish its work.
It was at this time that talks with YWCA Central Massachusetts began.
In 1996, Daybreak Resources officially merged with the YWCA Central Massachusetts.
Over the past nine years, Daybreak has flourished with the development of new
programs and community partnerships. Daybreak has become the area's leading
provider of services to victims of domestic violence and abuse and has received
public recognition of its good work. In 1997 the Worcester County Bar Association
presented Daybreak with the Liberty Bell Award, and in 2004 Daybreak's program director,
Ginger Navickas, was the recipient of the City of Worcester's Woman of Consequence Award
in 2003, and the Jane Doe, Inc.'s Spirit Award for Activism in 2004.
Daybreak receives funding from the state, federal and municipal awards, corporate and
private foundations, the United Way of Central Massachusetts, proceeds from special
events such as Daybreak Annual Breakfast and Great
Guys Award
and through the generosity of individual contributors.
Despite great strides by Daybreak and the growing recognition that domestic
violence is a community problem, its effects are still being felt by too many individuals.
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Staff provide 24-hour, confidential, hotline support and counseling
to women who need assistance with safety planning, Domestic Violence
support, advocacy and referral, including emergency shelter placement.
Languages spoke by staff include: English, Spanish, etc.
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The Daybreak Shelter provides a safe refuge for all women and
children escaping domestic violence. The shelter program is designed
to ensure that women as well as their children are supported and empowered
while they are trying to recover from the violence they have either
experienced or witnessed in their homes. The shelter can accommodate
up to six families (six women and xx children) for 90 days.
In addition to emergency, confidential shelter, the program also provides
an array of emergency services including food, transportation, specialized
children's services, individual and family counseling, legal and housing
advocacy, job search assistance, and parenting skills support.
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TDaybreak support groups involve engaging women in developing strength and courage
to gain control over their lives. The support groups provide a safe place for women
to share their experiences for the purpose of helping each other. Counselors
facilitate discussions around domestic violence issues, including, but not limited
to: self-esteem, empowerment, parenting, and economic self-sufficiency. Support
groups for friends and family members of victims of domestic violence also are available.
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SAFEPLAN (Safety Assistance For Every Person Leaving
Abuse Now) is a statewide, court-based program which provides specially
trained and certified advocates to assist victims of domestic violence seeking
protection from abuse. SAFEPLAN advocates help victims of domestic violence
plan for their safety and obtain 209A restraining orders (also called
protective orders) through the courts. In addition, they provide referrals
to local support services, information on legal and safety options, and
accompaniment to court proceedings. Daybreak's SAFEPLAN advocates are
located in the Worcester District and Probate Courts.
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More information coming soon!
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Daybreak staff co-facilitate an intervention group targeted at women
adjudicated for prostitution-related offenses. The goal of the program
is to help participants develop new attitudes, increase knowledge and
gain skills that provide alternatives so they may exit prostitution.
This is a collaborative program with the probate court and other community-based agencies.
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Trained volunteers and staff provide a range of violence prevention education
workshops and programs to thousands of children, youth and adults each year.
Topics range from child abuse prevention to bullying, and building healthy
relationships to sexual harassment. Girls Promoting Safety, funded by the
United Way of Central Massachusetts' Women's Initiative, is offered in
collaboration with Girls Inc. to middle school girls in the Worcester
Public Schools. In addition, the Daybreak Community Education Department
also provides workplace training for employees and employers around
domestic violence, as well as trainings for professionals and
para-professionals about the complex dynamics of family violence.
Daybreak is the only certified provider of the Child Assault Prevention
Program in central Massachusetts. The CAP program uses a three-fold approach
to work with parents, teachers and children, ages 4-10, to prevent child abuse.
Through guided age-appropriate group discussions, narratives, role plays,
children learn the necessary strategies to protect themselves and stay SAFE,
STRONG, and FREE.
For more information call 508-755-5371
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Local playwright, Jane Dutton, wrote this play as an educational vehicle especially
for Daybreak. The play is about a high school senior who experiences dating violence.
Through her story teens learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships.
The play is available for classrooms, school assemblies, after-school programs,
and youth group meetings. To schedule a performance, contact Lory Santoro at
508-767-2505, ext. 3084 or email at:
lsantoro@ywcaworcester.org
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coming soon!
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