Our guest
blogger this week is Ashley Gillard, Hope House Board Member and chair of Hope
House Young Professionals.
The purpose
for forming this group is to tap into the resources young professionals bring
to the table. Members of the group are
from all areas of Kansas City and work in a variety of industries, from law to
health care to psychology and beyond.
Our members offer
a willingness to take on new projects for Hope House’s benefit, and to create
their own fundraising events that target other young professionals in the area.
While people
in the beginning of their careers may not be able to make a large monetary donation
to Hope House, they can offer a yearly membership (only $30), participate in
fundraising happy hours, and spread awareness about Hope House to their peers
and at their places of work.
You might
wonder why I was so anxious to get this group started. My journey to become a Hope House Board Member and the chair of HHYP began eight years ago. It all started in my first women’s studies
course as an undergraduate, which opened my eyes to all of the difficulties
women face in our world.
But, what
truly changed my life forever was the day I met 16-year-old Nicole. It was
the first day of my women’s studies internship at the local sheriff’s office in
their domestic violence unit.
On that day, Nicole had told her mother that her grandfather had been abusing her for years. They came to the sheriff’s office to seek help in obtaining a restraining order against her grandfather.
Nicole was scared and worried. But with the help of those around her and the local resources, she made it through the restraining order hearing and through those first difficult months.
On that day, Nicole had told her mother that her grandfather had been abusing her for years. They came to the sheriff’s office to seek help in obtaining a restraining order against her grandfather.
Nicole was scared and worried. But with the help of those around her and the local resources, she made it through the restraining order hearing and through those first difficult months.
What Nicole
made me realize is that domestic violence is in all the places you expect, plus
all the places you wouldn't expect. If
you and I don’t help in whatever way we can, then people like Nicole might not
have caring people around them to help carry them through to better days.
The Hope
House Young Professionals group aims to be a vehicle for change. HHYP allows people to
step up and do what they can to become involved in an important cause.
Becoming a member is simple. For $30, you can become a HHYP member for a year, which puts you on our invite list for happy hours and fundraising events like Margarita Ball. If you’re interested feel free to sign up on the Hope House website, or contact me for more information at ashley.gillard@bryancave.com.
Becoming a member is simple. For $30, you can become a HHYP member for a year, which puts you on our invite list for happy hours and fundraising events like Margarita Ball. If you’re interested feel free to sign up on the Hope House website, or contact me for more information at ashley.gillard@bryancave.com.
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