Friday, March 16, 2012
Waldorf Astoria
7PM

The Diplomat’s Reception brings together residents of Central Florida and representatives from across the globe for one important reason: to end domestic violence.

In years past, Harbor House, its Board Members and the Central Florida Consular Corps have hosted this red-carpet, black-tie gala at Orlando’s most exclusive private homes. This year, the 5^th Annual Diplomat’s Reception will be held poolside at the equally exquisite Waldorf Astoria on Friday, March 16^th, 2012 at 7PM.

If you’d like to make your voice known in the fight to end domestic violence, we invite you to join Harbor House, its Board of Directors, Honorary Consuls from over 15 countries and International Diplomats and other prominent dignitaries for this special event.

Sponsorships, ticket packs and individual admissions are available. But hurry! This exclusive event sells out quickly!

Your support of the 5^th Annual Diplomat’s Reception will directly benefit survivors of domestic abuse who have fled violent homes to pursue safe, healthy and happy lives through Harbor House. Your purchase will save a life today and build for a better future tomorrow.

$125 per person | $150 per person (day-of event)

Your Event Ticket Includes:
Discounted Room Rates  |   Discounted Golf and Spa Packages

Our Sponsors
  
              

Bright House Networks
Eprosystem
Vicki Johnson Communications
Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce of Greater Orlando
Nina Yon, Board Member        

For more sponsorship information, please contact mmartino@harborhousefl.com.
For other event inquiries, please contact mskim@harborhousefl.com

Diplomat's Reception

March 16, 2012

Time: 7:00pm - 11:00pm

Price: $125.00

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Recognize, Respond and Refer.

The R3 App was created by Harbor House of Central Florida for its Project Courage Initiative to encourage healthcare professionals and those at risk to Recognize, Respond and Refer (R3) to Domestic Abuse.

Lives can exponentially be saved when people can:

1. Recognize the signs of domestic abuse.
2. Respond correctly and effectively to those signs.
3. Refer victims of domestic abuse to proper assistance.

About the App

This is the first app to have information that will aid medical professionals in hospitals, doctors’ offices and clinics make appropriate assessments of domestic violence victims and refer them to resources that can help.

No other tool is geared toward both healthcare professionals as well as those at risk.

The creators of the app, Harbor House of Central Florida, Florida Hospital, and the mobile development company all understand that the main targets of this app, those in the healthcare industry and young adults are more apt to receive information, utilize it, and respond if it’s delivered on the venue they use the most – their mobile devices.

Lastly, the database compiled to drive the resource data portion of the app was made possible by countless volunteer and staff hours as there is no comprehensive list (comprised of hotlines, resources and shelters) found currently in the U.S.

Security and Safety

While the app was designed for medical settings, Harbor House recognizes that those in abusive relationships might utilize the tool. Because of this, and due to the inherent danger involved in abusive relationships, special precautions were put into place to ensure the safety of survivors.

 These include:

• Warning notices on the iTunes information page.
• Video disclaimers that must be viewed prior to usage for both professionals and survivors.
• Multiple reinforcements to seek further assistance either locally or through the national hotline.

 

Sponsored By: 

Why a Paws Kennel?

• 97% of Americans who have pets consider them to be members of the family.
• 48% of domestic violence survivors delay leaving an abusive home because they don’t have a safe place for their pets.
• Pet abuse is often a retaliatory action of abusers. Animals are used as leverage by the batterer as a means to control their victims or as part of a pre-emptive strike to gain or maintain control.
• According to the American Animal Hospital Association, an estimated 88% of pets living in households with domestic violence are either abused or killed.
• Of all survivors who enter shelters to escape violence, 57% have had a pet killed by their abuser.
• Harbor House will be the only shelter in Central Florida with a kennel for pets of domestic violence survivors.
• Pets are not Pawns!

About the Paws for Peace Kennel:

• The 1,500 square foot Kennel will be located onsite at Harbor House’s confidential Emergency Shelter. It will be housed in the same facility as the In-Kind Donation Center.
• Opening is set for late Spring 2012.
• Pets will be cared for by their owners: survivors of domestic abuse and residents of Harbor House’s Emergency Shelter.
• A visiting veterinarian from Orange County Animal Services will tend to pets’ health needs. Volunteers will assist with Kennel maintenance.
• Science Diet® has generously committed to supplying pet food to the Paws Kennel for at least the first year after opening.
• Operations of the Paws Kennel will be supported by the Paws for Peace Walk and donor contributions.
• The Kennel features a vet clinic, wash and dry area, 10 kennels for dogs and 10 for cats, as well as spaces for other pets, such as ferrets, birds, hamsters and small game animals. For larger game animals, Harbor House offers foster programs with local farms.
• There is a cat porch, complete with kitty condos and toys, three separate dog runs, as well as shared open space.
• The Paws Kennel was built to the highest standards of pet care, including individual ventilation systems for each pet unit, stainless steel kennels, and an elaborate HVAC and backup system.
• Survivors who keep their pets at the Paws Kennel will have special access to the facility so they can enjoy their pet’s company any time of day.
• Pets of domestic abuse survivors will be brought to Harbor House by Orange County Animals services, where they will receive necessary vaccinations.

How You Can Help:

Leave Your Mark and Create a Tile:

You can honor your pet by creating a ceramic tile for the main entrance of Paws for Peace Kennel. For a donation of $100, you can design your own tile with a picture of your pet and a personalized message.

•  On the donation page, select the Paws Kennel campaign from the dropdown.
• In the “Leave Your Mark” section, select the option and donation level of your choice.
• Upload your favorite picture of your pet.
• Write a 25 character personalized message.
• Submit your order and the 6X6 ceramic tile will be mounted in the main entrance of the Kennel this Spring 2012.
• You can even order a duplicate tile or keepsake box for yourself!

Your tile will be adorned in entry of the kennel so that all who benefit from its services will share in the support provided by you and your pet.

Join the Paws Club:

Any donation over $10.00 qualifies you as a member of the Paws Club. On the donation page, we encourage you to join the Paws Club by selecting the membership option. Paws Club members receive the Paws for Peace Newsletter, a free Paws dog tag, and special offers from our sponsors!

Thank you to our generous partners:

• Orange County Animal Services
• SeaWorld
• Shampooch! (Lambs Eat Ivy Salon)
• Florida Department of Children and Families

It’s that time of year when lights shine, hope is renewed and New Year’s resolutions start to emerge. Usually these resolutions involve doing something different so we feel we can better ourselves, manage our time more efficiently, be less stressed, or just be healthier than we were last year. We all know how most of those resolutions work. We start out committed, but in time, life catches up with us and we end up basically back where we started.

But what if this year we made a resolution to do one thing, just a simple thing to make our community healthier, less stressed, and safer? What if doing this one thing was free and took only a little over an hour of your time and could possibly change someone’s life permanently? Would you be interested?

Two years ago, Harbor House developed a training called Recognize, Respond and Refer, better known as R3. Since then, over 3,000 Central Floridians have completed this training and they have already made a huge impact. 61% of them were able to use the training within 6 months of receiving it and have helped someone who was in an abusive relationship. These are people from all walks of life. Fire fighters, EMT’s, physicians, nurses, teachers, daycare workers, human resource managers, security and law enforcement, even a mayor.

But why should you bother taking training on domestic abuse? What difference could it make for you to take the training? You don’t know anyone or haven’t come into contact with anyone who is abused, right?

The odds are you do know someone. In fact, you probably have a connection to one of the 18 individuals who died this year and don’t even realize it. You see, in 2011:

• 185,000 people worked for the same company where one of the Orange County domestic abuse victims worked; 
• 3,000 of you attended the same church;
• 36,000 of your children went to school with their children or grandchildren.  
• 18 individuals have died and 38 children left without a parent or grandparent. 

Still think domestic abuse hasn’t affected you?

This year let’s make a new New Year’s resolution. One that will improve who we are. One that will empower us and those around us. One that will enable us to help not only ourselves and our families, but our community as a whole. I want to challenge every single person who lives in Orange County to take the time learn more about domestic abuse. The knowledge will stay with you for a lifetime – and, unlike that resolution to be a better time manager or handwrite more notes, this one may in fact save someone’s life. And that’s a difference for which, a year from now, you can really be proud.

Harbor House of Central Florida offers free R3 training every month to members of the community.
Sign up today: http://www.harborhousefl.com/free-rrr-training-sign-up/

Thank you for thinking of Harbor House for your holiday giving! There are several ways to get involved during this season. We invite you to give a gift that means so much more than a brand new pair of tennis shoes or a gift card to Wal-Mart for groceries. It’s a priceless message of safety and hope for domestic abuse survivors and their children. Gather your friends, family and co-workers and ask them to pitch in to Give the Gift of Safety, participate in a Presents of Hope holiday drive, or Adopt-a-Family!

Thank you for thinking of Harbor House for your holiday giving! There are several ways to get involved during this season. We invite you to give a gift that means so much more than a brand new pair of tennis shoes or a gift card to Wal-Mart for groceries. It’s a priceless message of safety and hope for domestic abuse survivors and their children. Gather your friends, family and co-workers and ask them to pitch in to Give the Gift of Safety, participate in a Presents of Hope holiday drive, or Adopt-a-Family!

Give the Gift of Safety

Please consider a gift that will keep a survivor of domestic abuse safe. This past year, we provided 25,246 nights of shelter. No gift is too small to help save a life.
Click here to make a gift.
Click here to learn more about how you are making an impact.

Host a Presents of Hope Drive for the Emergency Shelter

To a child, it means so much more. Last year, we had 135 survivors in our emergency shelter during the holidays. Most of them were children and, with the support of individuals just like you, we were able to provide gifts for all of them.

Every mother and child in shelter will have a Christmas this year because of families in Central Florida!
Thank You!

Adopt a Family

Each year, Harbor House assists families in our Prevention, Courthouse and Outreach Programs who have been affected by domestic abuse. Many of these families are in need of assistance during the holidays. You can help by choosing a family to adopt and providing them with items from their wish list. 

All families were adopted this holiday season.
42 families in our Prevention, Courthouse and Outreach Programs will have a Christmas
because of our community partners!  Thank you!