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Danbury Women's Center Celebrates A Quarter Century Of Service

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Danbury Women’s Center Celebrates A Quarter Century Of Service

By Jan Howard

The Women’s Center of Greater Danbury has come a long way in 25 years, from a few founding mothers, 40 members, and start-up funds of $250 in 1975, to a staff of 18, more than 300 members, and a program budget of $776,000.

What started out as an informal group of women wanting to share information has become an agency that addresses a variety of needs of women and families in the Greater Danbury area with compassion, confidentiality, and professionalism.

The center provides services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault as well as other non-crisis services. It serves as an advocate against all forms of violence through in-school educational programs and workshops, and offers support groups, counseling services, and resources for transitions, such as divorce and bankruptcy.

As of June 30, 1999, 1,214 clients in Newtown were served by the Women’s Center. Seven Newtown residents serve as direct service volunteers.

It all began 25 years ago when Alice Chapman, Betti Corso, and Bonnie Law and a few other women decided to form a group that would offer a social, supportive environment for women to share information.

“We were in NOW [National Organization of Women], but we recognized the fact that while NOW was working for women, there were a number of women that were not involved. They were afraid of it,” Ms Chapman said. “We decided instead of keeping women isolated, we would begin an organization where women could get information.”

With a $50 donation from NOW, Ms Chapman and other founding members asked others to join, and 40 people showed up and paid dues of $5 for the year.

With the start-up funds of $250, the Women’s Center set itself up in a one-room office on Main Street in Danbury. “We started as a referral group, advising people where to go for their particular problem,” Ms Chapman said. “This led us into the beginnings of service. Everything we were hearing about domestic abuse made us see this as an important issue.”

The Women’s Center has been successful, she said, because “we recognized the needs and adjusted as they came up. We adjusted to the community.”

  Women’s Center Executive Director Patricia Zachman agrees. “We have been responsive to the community. The key is listening to our clientele.”

  “We’ve also had a lot of wonderful help from our volunteers,” Ms Chapman said. Last year over 80 active volunteers provided over 20,000 hours of service to the Women’s Center.

In 1976 the Women’s Center established its first staff position, but there was no active funding from outside its membership. Indirect funding began when the agency rented a portion of the old library building at 256 Main Street from the city of Danbury for $1 a year. Fundraising events helped keep the Women’s Center going, Ms Chapman said. “Later on we began receiving town and state funding.”

“We are very diversified in our funding,” Ms Zachman explained. Today the agency receives funding from federal, state, and municipal governments, state coalitions, United Way chapters, foundation grants, corporations, fundraising activities, and membership dues of $35 a year from members.

The Women’s Center’s first shelter for women and children opened in a rented facility in 1982. In 1987, the center purchased and renovated Elizabeth House, its current 12-bed shelter.

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Women’s Center has launched a fundraising campaign to raise $1 million to renovate its headquarters at 2-16 West Street. Three years ago, the building was up for sale through foreclosure and was purchased by the Women’s Center for $400,000.

Because the continued location of the Women’s Center in downtown Danbury was critical to its mission, Ms Zachman said, “We took the risk. It cemented our future.”

“We had to look at what it would cost to rent,” Ms Chapman said. “It was also indefinite where we’d be located. We had to do it.”

The building needed a lot of work, she said. “It had been ignored for a long time. We found a lot of expenses we didn’t expect.” Renovations included a new roof, painting of exterior trim, new windows, and asbestos removal.

“It’s been a learning experience,” Ms Zachman said.

Firms involved in the renovations, such as Caldwell and Walsh of Ridgefield and TJ & Son of Danbury, have been supportive of the Women’s Center, Ms Zachman said. “We’ve been very lucky.”

“I have a lot of friends in the community who helped prepare us,” she said. “Real estate people assisted us. We’ve been blessed with friends guiding us.”

Ms Chapman said the center’s biggest support came from the City of Danbury itself, particularly Mayor Gene Eriquez. “We wouldn’t have done it without him,” she noted.

The fundraising campaign to date has raised $675,000, which has helped the center to renovate the building and bring all its services under one roof. One half of the building will be rented to generate income.

The Women’s Center employs a staff of 12 full-time employees and six part-time employees as administrators and counselors. Trained volunteers help provide the services on what Ms Zachman terms a “shoestring budget.”

Services

In 1999 the Women’s Center provided a variety of services to 20,580 clients, including:

Domestic Violence Services, including 24-hour hotline, individual counseling, support groups, court advocacy, police/hospital response and support, and children’s program. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Every 7.4 seconds, an American woman is battered in her own home. Every day, ten women are killed by their partners. In 1999, 23 Connecticut residents were killed in family violence.

Elizabeth House, a 12-bed shelter for domestic violence victims.

Sexual Assault Services, including 24-hour hotline, individual counseling, support groups, and police/hospital response and support.

Women’s Resource Services, including information and referral, individual counseling, support groups, workshops, and self-esteem programs.

Community Education, including education/prevention programs in area schools, organizations, civic groups, and professional training for police, medical, and school personnel.

Volunteer Program, including support to in-house counselors, support group facilitators, and hotline/helpline coverage.

The Women’s Center also offers support groups that meet in eight to 12-week cycles, including Domestic Abuse Support Group, Incest Survivor, Divorce and Separation, Sexual Assault Survivors Self Empowered, and Between Teens. The center also offers drop-in support groups, such as the Fifty Plus Group and Lesbian Support Group.

It also offers workshops on self-esteem and others of concern to women and their families.

All services of the Women’s Center are free to adults and children in the Greater Danbury area.

While the largest need served by the center continues to be domestic violence, women’s resource services, such as self esteem counseling and support groups, are growing, Ms Zachman said. “The phone rings off the hook.”

“Years ago, if a woman was seen coming or going from the center, it was seen as sexual assault, or domestic violence. Now there are so many other things going on,” she said.

 Ms Zachman noted the importance of keeping women’s issues in the forefront. “Young women today take for granted the things that Alice and her group fought for,” she said. “They opened opportunities for all women.”

The center has overcome many obstacles in its 25-year history. Ms Chapman remembers when it was accused of being too political because the women were meeting to sign cards to send to members of Congress in support of the Equal Rights Amendment. “We had to fight for our cause,” she said.

The women also fought an accusation that it was a lesbian organization. “We were persistent,” Ms Chapman said. “We would not be beaten down. We overcame our obstacles, and held on to our basic principles. We talk about all women so we could not eliminate lesbians.”

“We stand for equal rights for all,” Ms Zachman said. “We reached over 20,000 people last year, but I’m still walking into a room and talking about the Women’s Center because they don’t know about us. If you need services, we are everywhere possible we can be.”

The center provides more than trauma services, Ms Chapman said. “We try to prevent traumas. We’re helping trauma at the moment, but we’re also working for long-range prevention.”

“Addressing problems depends on community support,” Ms Zachman said. “We’re working within the system. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t.

“Our main goal is to meet the needs of anyone who turns to us. We want to minimize trauma with all major transitions, such as separation, divorce, self-esteem, gender equity, and grief and loss. We make sure people get connected with the appropriate resources.”

“We are working to end the violence. Our ultimate goal is a non-violent, non-traumatic society,” Ms Chapman said.

 “So many good things have happened,” Ms Zachman said. “It has been recognized that domestic violence does happen in each community. It is no longer a dirty secret. But it’s not just recognized. People are doing something about it. We don’t want to see isolation of the victim. People are getting involved. ”

“I am my brother’s keeper,” Ms Chapman said. “With our prevention programs, we’re hoping to break the cycle. With earlier reaching out to children to deal with conflicts and anger, we can turn it around. Violence begets violence. We want to change the cycle so there is nothing to beget.”

To serve as a volunteer, or for additional information and schedules for support groups and workshops, please call the Women’s Center at 731-5200.

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