Please join us for our 12th annual Soup for the Souls fundraiser!

  The Illinois Valley Safe House Alliance staff and community partners will be receiving special training with A Windows Between Worlds. Window Between Worlds is dedicated to cultivating and supporting a network of trans formative arts programs that empower individuals and communities impacted by violence and trauma. A Window Between Worlds views art as a catalyst to release trauma, build resilience and ignite social change. When individuals create art in a safe community they can be heard and respected: replacing violence and shame with safety and hope. At the Alliance we will be incorporating these tools and resources into providing our survivors with healing in the form of arts.      

Teen’s speak art competition offers large prizes and important message Teen dating violence can sometimes be invisible to those of us who haven’t been teens in a while. Unfortunately, it isn’t invisible to teens: One in 10 high school students report being purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend. Many teens do not tell anyone about the abuse, but if they do tell someone, they are far more likely to tell a friend than a teacher, parent, counselor or other caring adult. Nearly 60% of teens know someone who has experienced some form of abuse in a dating relationship and 1 in 3 report knowing someone…

Every April we are busy planning our annual event “Soup for the Souls”. (Actually, the planning begins in January) It is a great event, lots of people laughing and having fun, lots of good homemade soup and bread and exciting bidding during the cake walk for home baked cakes. We bring people together in April because it is the month to remember those who have suffered from the trauma of sexual assault. Some may wonder why we have such a fun get together during such a solemn month. Shouldn’t we be sad and have quiet respect for the ones that have been affected? I don’t believe so. I don’t believe…

Over the years we have worked very hard to engage social service agencies, organizations, and community members as partners, donors and volunteers. We have a tremendous base of support in our community and we would be lost without the volunteers who help us with events, errands and other projects. We are incredibly grateful for these partners in our community and we literally would not be here if not for the support they give us on a regular basis. We have been less successful at engaging the community in the work that we do. That is not surprising. The work is hard and a significant amount of training and experience is…