olive's apron tea cupsBlog

Olive’s Apron

August 23, 2024By

“This is making my momma heart so happy.”

Thanks to the generosity of Olive’s Apron, a charming tea shop and bakery in Lexington, a few moms and daughters living at the shelter got to experience the most magical tea party.  

The tea party room was a fairytale. We got to dress up in fairy wings and with magic wands in hand, we were treated to beautifully arranged trays of cupcakes, cheesecake mousse, sandwiches, and other delicious treats. The Olive’s Apron team went above and beyond to make us feel cared for. 

“It was such a special, sweet day,” said Hallie, our community engagement coordinator. Advocate Finley added, “It was a fairy tea party dream. We had so much fun!”

About Olive’s Apron 

Olive’s Apron owner Ashley Crossen named the shop after her great-granny, Olive. Her photo, along with her rolling pin and biscuit cutter, holds a place of honor on the mantle in the shop. 

You can stop by for treats and tea Wednesday – Sunday. They also offer afternoon tea, tea parties, and custom cakes and cupcakes.

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A Clean Start

August 5, 2024By

“I endured every form of abuse from a partner for several years.”

Paige Swope holds the Ms. Kentucky Festivals 2023 title, and her platform is awareness for intimate partner abuse.

“I endured every form of abuse from a partner for several years,” she shares. “Women, and especially children, who are suffering through a domestic violence relationship lay heavy on my heart.”

Paige began her support for our organization during this year’s Shop & Share event in February. “It brought tears to my eyes seeing how much support the community was giving.”

The experience inspired Paige to do more. She recently organized an online donation drive for self-care items to support survivors and their children living at the shelter.

“There were many times I went days without brushing my teeth, combing my hair, or showering,” she remembers. “I want women and children to never have to worry about having access to basic hygiene necessities.”

“It took me years to physically and mentally heal from the abuse I endured, and now that I am free, I want nothing more than to be able to give back and contribute to such an important organization.”

Read the Summer 2024 Issue of Bloom

This is one article from our print newsletter. Follow the link above to read the full issue!

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AAWD & UK College of Dentistry Partnership

July 29, 2024By

Dental health matters to the physical and emotional well-being of survivors.

Many have been denied medical care and suffered tooth trauma before fleeing the abuser.

For nearly two decades, a partnership with the American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD) at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry has responded to the need.

Seven survivors are currently receiving dental care and treatment from the university’s Student Dental Clinic.

AAWD members organize an annual fundraiser to replenish the survivor dental fund. This year’s event, Strut Your Smile, included a fashion show and silent auction.

“We get to fundraise, and then see them as a patient,” shares Ciara Sandefur, past president of the university’s AAWD chapter and Strut Your Smile committee member. “I think that is so cool.”

One survivor who received dental care and treatment through the AAWD partnership shares, “It’s given me my life back. I’m able to smile. I’m able to laugh again. I’ve had people tell me, ‘You’ve got a beautiful smile.’”

Read the Summer 2024 Issue of Bloom

This is one article from our print newsletter. Follow the link above to read the full issue!

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Thank You Pearse Lyons ACE Foundation!

July 22, 2024By

Dr. Pearse Lyons founded Alltech with the vision of sustaining and nourishing the world’s plants, animals, and people.

A recent $100,000 donation from the Pearse Lyons ACE Foundation to support our mission echoes this commitment.

The generous gift, made possible by the success of the second annual Alltech Make a Difference Golf Scramble, expands on previous investments in our small farm.

“A contribution to GreenHouse17 creates a home for healing and regeneration, as well as the ability to serve thousands of survivors each year through legal advocacy, affordable housing assistance, children’s safe exchange and visitation, and countless other services,” said Deirdre Lyons, Alltech’s co-founder and director of corporate image, design and construction.

“GreenHouse17 saves and transforms lives,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Our partnership goes beyond the funds we can donate but extends to exchanging ideas around future fundraising opportunities and business outlets that help to further their mission, which we profoundly believe in.”

“We can’t do it alone,” says Darlene Thomas, our executive director. “Ending intimate partner abuse must be a community effort. Alltech’s longtime support for our farm’s goals to foster stability for survivors and generate sustainable revenue for our mission is a testament to the possibilities of partnership.”

Read the Summer 2024 Issue of Bloom

This is one article from our print newsletter. Follow the link above to read the full issue!

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Summer on the Farm

July 15, 2024By

“The farm awakens a part of me that makes me feel strong and peaceful.”

The summer months are busy on our 40-acre property. From healthy cooking workshops using vegetables from the farm to trauma-informed yoga under the pavilion, residents reflect and find healing in lots of ways.

Although many adult survivors living in shelter and transitional housing take part in the farm’s six-week curriculum to develop job skills while earning a weekly stipend, the commitment can be too physically or emotionally intensive for survivors who have recently escaped abuse.

“The healing garden allows survivors to be even more involved with our therapeutic horticulture and farm-to-table dining programs,” explains Hattie, a farm advocate. “Residents can help tend to flowers, vegetables, and herbs that will eventually make their way into the shelter.”

This garden is a space reserved for survivors and their children to experience the benefits of nature together without worries of making mistakes. There’s something special about eating a dinner made with ingredients you helped grow and harvest.

“It’s a chance for residents of all ages to come and experience the healing powers of the farm,” adds Ryan, an advocate focused on nature-based experiences. “Going outside is important for our brains and bodies. To come out and spend just a couple hours learning a new skill or interacting with a living thing can really make a difference in a day.”

Nature-based healing on the farm is supported by grants from United Way of the Bluegrass, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Extended Social Resources, and BGCF365.

Read the Summer 2024 Issue of Bloom

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Chelsea’s Story

July 11, 2024By

“My life and stability were up in the air.”

“I was scared and trying to leave this relationship, trying to get my ducks in a row.”

A childhood friend recommended she reach out to ask for our support. Chelsea was pregnant when she and her two-year-old arrived at the emergency shelter.

“I would spend hours walking back and forth on the front porch with him in the stroller. I couldn’t get him to sleep and didn’t want to disturb anyone else.”

Those first few weeks living at the shelter weren’t easy. “I was hyper-focusing and overthinking everything. It was really hard on me, being pregnant. My life and stability were up in the air.”

She stayed busy on purpose. “I was meeting with my advocates, doing therapy, or doing groups. We would talk about boundaries and red flags, green flags, even yellow flags.”

During one group activity, Chelsea remembers writing a note to her younger self and a note to the abuser to burn in the fire pit.

“We talked about boundaries and coping techniques. I always did the mommy and me groups. We did pottery and yoga under the pavilion.”

Although put on bed rest during the final weeks of her pregnancy, Chelsea was able to move into a transitional apartment with her son before the baby was born.

“I was in a different elementary school each grade of the year, so stability was always a real big thing for me. When I had kids, I knew that I needed stability because I never had it.”

When asked what she would tell someone coming into shelter, Chelsea said, “You’re here to heal. If you come with that mindset, you’re going to feel like a totally different person. But remember not everybody is going to understand what you went through, so not everybody deserves your story.”

This is only part of Chelsea’s story, in her own words, shared with permission.

Read the Summer 2024 Issue of Bloom

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🚨 Call for 100 Volunteers

July 8, 2024By

GreenHouse17 will be the charitable beneficiary of this year’s CRAVE food & music festival on July 27 and July 28 at Moondance Amphitheater.  

In gratitude for the generous donation, we help the organizers with parking logistics during the event.  We estimate needing almost 100 volunteers during the weekend—and could sure use your help!   

Volunteering for parking at CRAVE is a wonderful way to support survivors while enjoying a vibrant community event.  As a token of our appreciation, each volunteer will receive free admission on their service day and $10 in Crave Bucks, the currency used to purchase delicious food and drinks inside the festival.  

If you have any questions or a big group that would like to help, please send Hallie a note from the form on the volunteer registration page. She’ll get back to you very soon. 

Your support reminds survivors that our community cares about their well-being and fosters a community intolerant of violence. 

SIGN UP HERE!

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Crisis Hotline Tear-Off Flyer

June 25, 2024By

Raise awareness & offer support 💜

A local hospital reached out to request a crisis hotline tear-off sheet to hang in their bathrooms. We thought it was a fantastic idea and wanted to share it so other workplaces can also offer this resource. 

The Impact 

By placing these tear-off sheets in your workplace, you can: 

  • Raise Awareness: Help bring attention to intimate partner abuse and our organization’s services. 
  • Offer Support: Provide an immediate, accessible resource for those in need. The tear-off sheets contain our crisis hotline number which is answered 24/7. 
  • Show Compassion: Show your employees and visitors your commitment to their well-being. This small gesture can significantly impact someone’s life.

Download the flyer.

Click on the link above to download a flyer to print or share with others.

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Why can’t we accept used donations?

May 29, 2024By

We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from our community.

Your generosity enables us to provide safety and essential resources for survivors of intimate partner abuse.  

Knowing this, many supporters are surprised that we can’t accept used donations. There are many reasons why and lots of ways to still make a significant impact. 

Why no used donations? 

We just don’t have enough space. Our emergency shelter is at capacity almost every night. The shelter’s small basement stores food, towels, sheets, personal supplies, paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, and other essentials for more than 300 adults and children each year.  

Thanks to donation drives and annual events like Shop & Share, the basement remains full for most of the year. 

Last year it took more than 500 hours of staff and volunteer time to keep the basement tidy. The time needed to sort and organize used donations limits the number of advocacy and healing services we can provide.  

Ensuring a clean and safe environment is crucial, and accepting only new items helps us maintain these standards.

It’s also about empowerment. Abusers have told survivors they’re unworthy, harmed their bodies, and destroyed their well-being. It’s our goal to embrace survivors with options, choices, and self-determination as they re-imagine their lives after surviving abuse. 

Partnerships make this possible. 

Our longtime partnerships with area Goodwill stores (see map) and Habitat ReStore locations (see map) make a difference in the lives of survivors. Both organizations issue vouchers to our organization that are then distributed for survivors to shop for needed items. 

This process offers survivors the chance to choose clothing that fits their bodies, lifestyles, and work/school dress codes. When it’s safe for adults and children to move out of the shelter, these vouchers also help survivors obtain tables, chairs, dishes, coffee pots, toasters, and other items necessary to begin again. 

Be sure to let our partners know we referred your donation to them. It helps keep our partnerships strong! 

New Donations 

If you’d like to contribute, there are several meaningful ways to help.  

  1. Monetary donations allow us to address the most urgent needs promptly.  
  2. Gift cards to local stores allow residents to choose exactly what they need.  
  3. We also keep a wish list of most needed items here and a gift list at amazon.com that can be shipped directly to our shelter address.  

Thank you for understanding and supporting us in creating a safe, welcoming environment for survivors. Your compassion and generosity are greatly appreciated. 

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Brain Health & Relationships Study

May 14, 2024By

The University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science is gathering voluntary data from survivors for a study on traumatic brain injuries. 

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? 

Dr. Justin Karr, Assistant Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology, Principal Investigator, says: 

“Brain injury due to intimate partner violence has been regarded as an invisible injury and overlooked public health issue. We’re hoping to learn more about the unmet health needs that survivors experience following a brain injury so that we may determine how to best address those needs. 

There has been a lot of focus on brain injury in athletes and Veterans, but much less focus on survivors of intimate partner abuse. This is a new direction in research on brain injury, and we’re thankful to GreenHouse17 and the women who have participated in our study, as they help us conduct research to inform care for other women with brain injuries.” 

WHY PARTICIPATE? 

Decreased coordination, inability to concentrate, and memory lapses are associated with injuries which can make it harder for someone to escape abuse, find safety, and begin to heal. These common symptoms can often be missed during standard evaluations.  

The research findings will help inform clinicians on how to best support women with head injuries.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Women between the ages of 18 – 59 who have had a head injury from a partner or survivors who have never had a head injury from any cause.  

LEARN MORE

To learn more about the study and see if you are eligible, call 859-880-1218.  

Brain Health and Relationships Study Pamphlet

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