Resource Center: 19th Annual Fling, Why Support

23 Jan Resource Center: 19th Annual Fling, Why Support

It doesn’t matter where.

It doesn’t matter who.

Sexual assault and domestic violence ignore cultural boundaries, race, even gender – although women are more often victims than men. Fact is those twin horrors are equal opportunity offenders. And it turns out intimate partner violence is the most common form of abuse in women’s lives – much more than assault or rape by strangers or even acquaintances. So women – and yes, victims are most often women, not men, and children too – are more at risk at home than on the streets.

Interpersonal violence is a global plague – read Nick Kristof’s Op Eds in The New York Times. He is one among many outstanding journalists who consistently rail against such horrors all over the world – but it is not acceptable anywhere.

It is not acceptable in the Telluride region. In fact, the goal of the San Miguel Resource Center is to become so effective in our neck of the woods, its services will no longer be necessary.

Now celebrating 20 years of community service, the Resource Center is the region’s only nonprofit dealing with interpersonal violence. The organization is all about eliminating domestic violence and sexual assault in our backyard through crisis intervention, education and social change. It defines abuse as anything from a vague feeling something is wrong to battering and worse – much worse.

The annual Chocolate Lovers Fling: Unrestricted funds from the evening’s fun go a long way:

On Saturday night, February 1, 7:30 – 11:30 p.m., at the Telluride Conference Center in Mountain Village, the San Miguel Resource Center holds its the 19th annual “Chocolate Lovers Fling,” this year themed “The Olympics. The event is an all-out bash and the nonprofit’s only major public fundraiser featuring the region’s best professional chefs from venues as diverse as Mountain Village Market, Allreds, Bon Vivant, Alpino Vino, Hotel Madeline, “221,” and Krasic Cuisine, competing to create the most decadent chocolate desserts, prizes for Best Dressed and Amateur Chocolate, a silent auction, the popular wine toss, a 50/50 cash raffle, and dancing to the spins of DJ Harry.

Proceeds from the Fling, which, with all its moving parts, demands hundred of man hours to cobble together, represent 1/3 of the Resource Center’s annual budget of $110,000. Funds raised at the party, one of the biggest bashes of the winter season, are particularly important because they are unrestricted.

Unrestricted funds – as opposed to restricted funds through grants from government entities, which come with strings – allow the nonprofit to meet the ever changing needs involved in crisis response.

“Funds raised at our Flings allow us to meet the ever changing needs involved in crisis response,” said co-executive director Melanie Montoya. “For example, in 2013 we served almost 2x more sexual assault clients than in an average year. That required additional funds for transporting victims to get medical help or forensic exams, particularly children who have to go to the Dolphin House in Montrose to be examined.”

Unrestricted funds allowed the Resource Center to meet the higher demand for our prevention education programs, specifically in schools that had critical incidents.

“We increased our programming from 407 presentations in 2012 to 531 in 2013. A lot of our referrals for child victims have come from such programs,” continued Montoya.

In 2013, client numbers were up 33%, which resulted in a greater demand for services including financial assistance, safe housing, therapy, transitional housing fund, advocacy hours, legal accompaniment, and staff time in general.

“We clearly need financial support in the form of unrestricted funds more than ever,” said Montoya. “Because of funds from the Fling, we were able to offer new support groups last year for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Discretionary funds clearly help us meet such needs and provide better ongoing healing and empowerment opportunities for our clients. Please join in the fun at this year’s Fling, where we celebrate healthy relationships, the goal of the Resource Center.”

More about the San Miguel Resource Center:

The Resource Center was called Tomboy House when it was first formed in 1992 by a group of locals, including Bev McTigue, Dr. Marshall Whiting, Dr. Susannah Smith, and Marsha Ewell. By 1994, Tomboy House had established a 24-hour hotline to help victims through crisis intervention and referrals. That year, the nonprofit served 28 clients.

These days, in addition to crisis intervention and a hotline for Telluride, Norwood, Nucla/Naturita, the SMRC provides a wide range of programs/services in English and in Spanish, including cultural outreach, advocacy to help clients with court and medical services, safe housing, preventative community education, and awareness initiatives. Specifically:

24-Hour Crisis Hotline

Trained staff and advocates are available 24 hours to listen, lend support, and respond in-person for crisis intervention

Personal & Legal Advocacy

Assistance is available for food, medical care, housing, transportation, access to community services, and throughout the criminal justice system process

Emergency Shelter & Safe-housing

Safe, temporary, and confidential shelter for victims/survivors of violence and their children

Support Groups

Professionally facilitated groups for victims/survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault

Resources and Referrals

Assistance in identifying additional services and available support within our community. You can also find more resources and information here: http://sanmiguelresourcecenter.org/information/

Art Alchemy II

An Art Therapy program we are able to provide for children who are survivors of or witness to Domestic Violence or Sexual Assault:  http://telluridearttherapy.com

Cultural Outreach Program

Provides culturally competent services to clients of all different backgrounds

Prevention Education Program

We visit classrooms (preschool – 12th grade) throughout San Miguel County and the West End of Montrose County, teaching children and teens a wide range of important life skills to prevent violence and abuse. We currently work with 1,487 students in our region. We offer interactive lessons on conflict resolution, bullying prevention, child abuse prevention, sexual assault prevention, healthy teen dating relationships and more, working to create the next generation of non-violence

Volunteer Advocates are an essential piece of the work that we do.

The SMRC currently has close to a 100-strong team of volunteers.

“And we want YOU too! We ask all of our volunteers to participate in our FREE Advocate Training Program which certifies people to work with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in the state of Colorado. We offer three trainings annually,” explained Montoya.

That’s saying a mouthful, but the challenge to operate effectively continues.

” In 2013, the Resource Center served  33% more people with the same amount of resources and staff. And we were able to pull it off because of the amazing staff, advocates and board. However, given the current trend, we really truly need funding to support another staff person to provide more support services and programming for our clients,” added Montoya. “And one more thing: When a community unilaterally expresses beliefs in tolerance, acceptance, and non-violence, the word spreads and that community attracts people who share those beliefs. That is what I want to see continue in our service area – not a steady increase in our numbers.”

Ways you can help:

Attend the Fling Saturday, February 1.

Volunteer. Become a certified advocate or simply help with the many events that take place throughout the year such as the Fling. Learn about domestic violence and sexual assault. Education is the key to dispelling myths, ending the blaming of victims and preventing future violence.

Visit www.sanmiguelresourcecenter.org to learn more about how you can help and to buy tickets to the Chocolate Lovers’ Fling.