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KFW’s Art Meets Activism Grant Recipient 

January 20, 2022By

The Art Meets Activism grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women will allow us to provide trauma-informed art–making with survivors of intimate partner abuse. 

This Art Meets Activism grant will provide an advocate on staff with training and certification in therapeutic artmaking. We’ll be able to offer art-based support groups for residents at shelter, as well as community-based workshops for survivors receiving supportive services outside of shelter, with an informed focus on healing. Open studio sessions will also be available for self-guided art.  

The goal of these activities is to help survivors heal emotionally. Similar to the nature-based healing approach of our farm, trauma-informed art-making may increase survivors’ confidence, leading to improved feelings of self-worth and well-being. Through group sessions, there is the opportunity to become more connected to community, ultimately reducing the frequent feelings of isolation some survivors experience.    

We are honored to receive this grant and be among so many inspirational women and organizations. Here is a full list of fellow grant winners.  

About KFW 

The Kentucky Foundation for Women is a private foundation formed in 1985 by Louisville writer Sallie Bingham.  Its mission is to promote positive social change by supporting varied feminist expression in the arts. 

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Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 17, 2022By

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”

As we honor and celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr, these words written by him decades ago continue to inspire and make a meaningful connection to our mission. 

“I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits.”

His words call us to personal and social action that acknowledges racism and prejudice persist in our lives, community, and nation.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

We are reminded that freedom of spirit is tied to every part of our being and that long-term sustainable change is possible.

“We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

As this new year continues to unfold, may we continue to serve and commit to justice with the same peace and compassion of today. Let us remember that to serve is to commit to change — and to change we must heal.

Continue to educate yourself.

Our book recommendation is Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi

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January is National Stalking Awareness Month

January 5, 2022By

Stalking is illegal and survivors have rights.

For Survivors

Stalking often co-occurs with intimate partner violence and can be an indicator of other forms of violence. 

All stalkers can be dangerous. Intimate partner stalkers, compared to acquaintance and stranger stalkers, are more likely to threaten and physically assault the victim and their friends and family. 

Did you know stalking can include these behaviors? 

  • Repeated phone calls, texts, or communication on your social media 
  • Sending unwanted gifts to your home or work 
  • Threatening you or your loved ones 
  • Following you or watching you from a distance 
  • Digital harassment, such as tracking your location through an app or showing up at a place you’ve checked into online 

Learn more about the crime and ways to plan for your safety: 

For the Community 

How can you take action? 

  • Share information on social media. Follow SPARC and share their infographics and other posts to inform your friends and family. 
  • Learn how to support someone experiencing stalking by reading this document. 
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SPARC Stalking & IPV: Fact Sheet

Click here to find out more facts on Stalking & Intimate Partner Violence

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karol in front of damselfly galleryBlog

Damselfly Gallery

December 21, 2021By

“I was inspired by the beauty of it all.”

You’ll find Damselfly Gallery on Main Street in historic downtown Midway. Paintings, pottery, jewelry, and woodworks by Kentucky artists fill the eclectic gallery.

Rob Mills purchased the shop from the Thoreson family a few years ago. His mother, Karol, moved from Pennsylvania to help out a couple times a week. She loves getting to meet so many new people.

Karol found out about Handmade by Survivors products from an article in Kentucky Homes & Gardens. She came to take a tour of our shelter and farm to learn more about becoming a retail sales partner. “I was inspired by the beauty of it all,” says Karol.

She’s proud to support the mission and spread the word in the community, always sharing a brochure and information if people are not familiar with our organization. Karol loves anything with lavender, so her favorite products are the Fresh Start candle and Remembrance soap.

Damselfly Gallery is open seven days a week.

This is one article from our fall issue of Bloom. Click here to read the full issue! 

Visit Damselfly Gallery!

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Cooking with Theo – Beet Napoleons

December 15, 2021By

Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleons

with spicy mint chimichurri

Like in any home, the kitchen at shelter tends to be a gathering spot for adults and children. Survivors often prepare meals alongside staff, many times sharing recipes from their family traditions. Regular groups and workshops explore connections to food. Topics range from budgeting to self-image.

Bushels of carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and herbs from the farm make for many delicious autumn meals. Chef Theo, an advocate with a focus on food and nutrition at the shelter, makes sure the harvest is put to good use. Healthy eating especially matters while healing the physical and emotional wounds of abuse. This dish is a favorite of residents and staff, and we hope you’ll like it, too.

Ingredients

  • 6 large beets
  • 11 oz goat cheese
  • 4 tsp chives (minced)
  • 2 tsp fresh rosemary (minced)
  • 2 tsp fresh thyme (minced)
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp honey

Napoleons

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cover beets in olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil.
  • Bake 1 hour until a fork is easily inserted into beets.
  • Peel the beets and cut into ¼” slabs, then use a cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut into circles.
  • Mix herbs, honey, and goat cheese until combined.
  • Put dollops of goat cheese between the slices of beets.
  • Press beets down and using a flat edge of a knife, scrape off the excess goat cheese.

Chimichurri garnish

  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 c packed fresh parsley
  • 1 c packed fresh mint
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½ Tbsp kosher salt
  • ½ Tbsp sambal
  • 6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp honey

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Drizzle on plates around the napoleons.

Read the fall issue of Bloom!

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

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Handmade by Survivors Product Reflections 💜

December 9, 2021By

“My smiles are so much brighter. I have found a way to use my skills in something I so much enjoy doing!”

The following reflections were written by survivors who have helped make our Handmade by Survivors products. They’ve given us permission to share these stories with you. 

By D 

I really enjoyed this opportunity to learn how to make candles, soap, and bath salts! It gave me a chance to bond with some of my fellow survivors in such a way that was very valuable to me both spiritually and humanly! It helped me tremendously. Not only did I make life-long bonds, I also had fun doing it! It seems like my 8 weeks flew by. I really, truly hate to see it come to an end. 

I so believe in GreenHouse17 and all the products we made. I know they were all made with love and careful thought and planning. They are a proud group of women who have seen some trauma in our lives! I looked forward to each day as to what we were gonna make! I loved it all, except wiping off the bottoms of the candles! 😊

I surely hope the next crew gets as much enjoyment out of it as I did! I enjoyed everything about it! It relaxed me, we laughed, joked, played, ate ice cream & cookies, listened to the radio, & also drank numerous pots of coffee! I wouldn’t change a thing—Loved it all! 

By A

My smiles are so much brighter, I have found a way to use my skills in something I so much enjoy doing! Making soap and doing different things with my new family that I know God has blessed me to have in my life is wonderful. I find it’s very easy to talk with the ladies I work with. 

To sit back and see what I’m able to do with the things I have made is so awesome, plus the smiles I receive when others see it. I have come to see that I’m able to do so many different things and will be able to put on my resume – like doing stock inventory, as well as learning ways to make wonderful handmade stuff.  

I never even thought about what flowers could do to make oils, soap, candles, lip balm… so many different colors and so many different smells. It’s good for me because I don’t open up – or should I say I used to not! 😊

But the fear of not being good enough or not being accepted gets less and less. I smile more and I look forward to coming and hanging out with everyone.  

I know whoever purchases our products will enjoy them as much as I’m liking being a part of making them. 

By R 

I didn’t realize how important it could be in one’s life when it comes to going about the things you do – working, helping others, or just hanging out. How we do it can be helpful in one’s recovery for the trauma. I have endured so many years.  

In this I have begun to learn how to pick up a new skill, spent sober & clean fun time with others, laughed, and enjoyed the wonderful world of crafting. I never realized that the things I’ve taken for granted in my everyday life could be used to help the body. Plus, it smells great.  

I wish I could have started earlier, but I feel very blessed to be given a chance to join in and learn more. I look forward to learning how to make other things and seeing how this will benefit GreenHouse17.  

Not only has doing this opened a new door, but it also has given me the pleasure of wanting to write how I feel about things down on paper.

Purchase Handmade by Survivors products!

Your purchase of our Handmade by Survivors products will help survivors of intimate partner abuse as they establish safety, heal from the physical and emotional wounds of abuse, and grow strong as survivors. 💜

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I’ll Stand by You

December 8, 2021By

“When in court I can’t act as your attorney, but I’m here for you.”

Survivors of intimate partner abuse often need to navigate the legal system for longer-term orders of protection and matters related to safety, custody, and property. This is where legal advocates come in. While the advocate’s role is to restore agency and explain processes, most importantly they stand beside survivors during one of the scariest days of the healing journey.

For many survivors, the court hearing will be the first time they see the abuser since escaping.

Morgan remembers her day in court like it was yesterday. “I instinctively look left, right, and there he is, and he’s got this look on his face that just sent a chill up my spine.”

Stephanie Love, a legal advocate serving survivors in Clark and Powell counties, says, “When in court I can’t act as your attorney, but I’m here for you. I can make sure you have what you need. I can nudge you to remember something. I can act as an extra barrier between you and the abuser.”

Advocates make sure survivors have a plan for their physical and emotional safety after court. They also provide connections to our support groups and local resources for food, clothing, and other needs.

“We get the survivor in touch with their community, so they aren’t just relying on us,” says Stephanie.“You want to have other relationships in your life. If you’ve just got the one relationship, how healthy are you as an individual? It’s the same with survivors.”

Legal advocacy and support services are made possible with federal grant funding from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), non-taxpayer funding generated by fines paid by federal criminals. Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) funding also provides survivors with no-cost attorney services and representation for especially difficult cases. The Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet administers both funding sources.

YOU DESERVE TO BE SUPPORTED.

800.544.2022

Our 24-hour crisis hotline is answered every day of the year. You will speak to a compassionate Certified Domestic Violence Advocate who wants to support your specific needs.

Together, we can develop a safety plan that meets the specific needs of you and your children. Find emergency shelter with us or a partner shelter. Make plans for one of our legal advocates to accompany you to upcoming court appointments. Share information about nearby support groups.

You might not be ready to leave or want to know more to support a friend. That’s ok. We are here to listen, too. Please call us if you or someone you know is being harmed.

Read the fall issue of Bloom!

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

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soap decision treeBlog

Handmade by Survivors Soap Gift Guide

November 30, 2021By

Looking for the perfect Handmade by Survivors soap for you or a loved one? Use our decision tree above to help!  

Floral

Blossoming smells like a field of wildflowers. This is a goat milk soap. It’s also available as a collection – soap, bath salt, and candle!  

Clarity smells like a garden stroll. It’s a goat milk soap. Also available as a candle!

Warm

Peace of Mind smells like a chai latte. It’s vegan – made with cocoa and shea butters. Also available as a candle! 

New Perspective smells like a walk in the woods. It’s a goat milk soap. Also available as a candle!

Soothing Serenity smells like a cozy morning. It’s a goat milk soap. 

Calming

Fresh Start smells like a calming lavender field. It’s vegan – made with cocoa and shea butters. Also available as a collection – soap, bath salt, and candle!  

Benevolence smells like a lemon drop. It’s vegan – made with cocoa and shea butters.  

Remembrance smells like fresh baked cookies at tea time. It’s vegan – made with cocoa and shea butters.  

Energizing

Awaken Joy smells like a cozy winter night. It’s vegan – made with cocoa and shea butters. Also available as a collection – soap, bath salt, and candle! 

Boost Your Spear-Its smells like an energizing herb garden. It’s a goat milk soap.  

Sweet Harmony smells like creamsicle. It’s a goat milk soap. Also available as a collection – soap, bath salt, and candle! 

A Super Soap Sampler is also available and includes nine popular varieties! 

Gifts that Give

All our products – soaps, lip balms, bath salts, and candles – are gifts that give. Every purchase provides healing services for survivors of intimate partner abuse in our community. 💜  

You can also purchase products at local retailers like Damselfy Gallery and A Bazaar Universe.

Shop all products!

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Will Smith discusses trauma from intimate partner abuse

November 18, 2021By

Will Smith was interviewed recently about his new memoir, Will.

It caught our attention because he talks about childhood trauma. When he was around 9, he watched his father physically abuse his mother. It left a lasting impact on him. He struggled with considering his father a hero and a good person while hurting someone else he loved.  

“I was probably 9, and I watched my father beat up my mother. And I was too scared to do anything. And just on my young mind, it became imprinted. 

It’s like, what kind of kid stands there and lets somebody hit their mother and they don’t do anything, you know? And that became really the core trauma of my childhood that my personality and my persona became to form around, to be the opposite of that, you know? I was never going to be scared again. 

What was really difficult for me is my father’s my hero. My father’s the greatest person I’ve ever known, and that dichotomy breaks a young mind, you know? It’s like, how do you love somebody who did that? 

That really just became the central core of the wound that I was overcoming throughout my childhood, and then ultimately throughout my life.” 

This leads to one of the myths we discussed recently – intimate partner abuse only affects adults in the household. That’s not true.  

The majority of children in an abusive household will witness the abuse. Studies have shown children who experience intimate partner abuse with their parents exhibit depression, anxiety, learning difficulties, and more.   

They hear the violence and feel scared, too. Every child responds differently but some things are common. Infants may experience failure to thrive or have developmental delays. School children often suffer from depression, anxiety, and digestive illnesses. Teens might show struggles at school and feel responsible for their siblings and abused parent. 

Sometimes survivors stay because they don’t want their children to be homeless or the abuser has threatened to harm the children if they leave. Other times, parents are afraid children could be taken from their care if they expose the abuse. 

**Image from the New York Times

We are committed to safety, healing, and stability for you and your children.

Call us to begin the conversation. We are here for you 24 hours a day. 800.544.2022

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close up of Morgan with flowers around faceBlog

Morgan’s Story

November 11, 2021By

“I am exactly who he told me I couldn‘t be.”

Before my kids and I escaped, I didn’t feel like I had anyone. It was a really low point in my life.

I was seeing a therapist in Lexington, and we came to the realization together that I was in an abusive relationship. At that point, she recommended I reach out to GreenHouse17.

The person on the phone said ‘let’s get you to a shelter.’ I didn’t really feel comfortable doing that, so they gave me the phone number for Kris [advocate]. It was a relief to talk to someone.

I didn’t feel safe meeting her anywhere except my workplace. I brought her in under the guise of a vendor. We found a conference room, and she stayed with me for three hours while I told her my story. Kris was crucial in helping me to escape.

She told me – at this point you’re not leaving, you’re escaping.

I had a small, very tight circle of people who I was able to confide in and trust. I kept in contact with Kris and an attorney, and we got our plan together for my escape.

Initially it was really scary. My sister told me we could live with them for a little while. The day I decided we were leaving, he went to work, and I was acting fairly normal. My sister and brother-in-law pulled up. Within an hour we met with a sheriff’s deputy and got the EPO.

The day at court came. Kris was there. It was crazy and scary, but it was amazing. Everything went in the favor of my kids and me. It’s a long journey. It’s difficult, but you’ll make it, and it’s so worth it. Once you finally take that first breath and realize I’m free for the first time—it’s an indescribable feeling.

My little girl started pre-K and my son is in first grade. We’ve been isolated for years from my family and friends. Now we’re meeting new people and having a blast. I’m now a member of the Attorney General Survivors Council. I’m going to write a book one day. I have no problem sharing my story. I love doing it because I know it’s going to help someone, somewhere—and that’s the goal.

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

Support Survivors Today

Follow the link above to donate now.

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