PUBLIX, TARGET, GANNETT FOUNDATION PARTNER WITH WOMEN ARE DREAMERS TOO, TO GIVE ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS TO BATTERER-GENERATED RISK OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

Women Are Dreamers Too- The non profit business technical initiative provides the much needed economic solution to batterer-generated risk of abject poverty for survivors of domestic violence.

November 18, 2003, Norcross, GA --- He was never physically abusive to the kids, but they watched his abuse on me from broken bones to having my clothes burned off of me. My self worth was stripped from me and I lived under a dictatorship like atmosphere. If I went anywhere the mileage was checked, and if anything went wrong it was always my fault. One particular time, I remember being out of food and my husband said to go get groceries. He told me to write a check and he would make sure the money was in the bank. So, I did and he never put the money in the bank. The police picked me up in front of my kids and I went on the longest ride I've ever been on, the ride to jail. Once there I was finger printed and booked and to be truthful the rest is just a blur after that, I did not want to remember it. I was only there a short time until I was bailed out, then I had to go to court and stand in front of the judge for my action, which was believing in my husband.

Another time, I thought I was going to be beat to death. My husband hit me so hard that it broke the false teeth in my mouth. He never would allow me to replace them. I used the only glue I could find and later false teeth repair kits to try and keep my teeth together. Due to this I could not eat a lot of things. In the meantime all of my bottom teeth fell out and I was not allowed to replace them with false teeth. When my kids would achieve good grades and win awards, banquets would be held. I would always attend, but I was very self-conscious because I knew how I looked without any teeth and I knew I might not be able to eat what they were serving"
-   A survivors story by Linda Hokkett
March 15th 2003 at The Marriott Hotel, Norcross; WADT Orientation 2003 Spring Semester

Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a home where you were afraid to even breathe, talk or do things that we take for granted like sleep or eat.

Imagine living every moment in fear and on the edge, afraid to move the wrong way, order the wrong toppings on pizza for fear of being beaten. Imagine your small innocent children not being able to live the lives of other children laughing and playing, because they see their father beat their mother and even being abused themselves. Take the time to think about what life must be like if it were like that. Now add the holiday pressure to the mix.

Domestic violence like illnesses does not discriminate. The question to ask is what does one do after the batterer has been prosecuted? What are our responsibilities as a civil society? To the victims and the innocent by-standers (the children). Where does she begin, the day after", economically?

The kids need to be housed, fed, they need childcare services, because the mom has to work, the mom needs to learn to joggle her schedules between work, parenting, PTA meetings and emotional scars, court appearances for both prosecution and child custody battles.
HOW does she move on? How does she recover from all these batterer-generated risks?

The Publix, Target and Gannett Foundation have now partnered with Women Are Dreamers Too with $3,000.00, $1,000.00 and $1,000.00 grants respectively to provide on-going business training and counseling services to survivors of Domestic violence.

The timing of these grants are very significant since they were awarded in time for the holidays, when the demand on Women Are Dreamers Too as well as other social services are at the highest. The economic downturn, the reductions in charitable giving, coupled with enormous demand has made these grants well timed, that Women Are Dreamers Are Too are forever grateful, to Publix and Gannett Foundations for their Partnerships.

For additional information about Publix Foundation, please visit:
http://www.publix.com

For additional information about Target Foundation, please visit:
http://www.target.com

For additional information about Gannett Foundation, please visit http://www.gannettfoundation.org

For additional information about Women Are Dreamers Too, please visit http://www.wadt.org or call 678/ 421-0191 Fax: 678/421-0708.
Women Are Dreamers Too graduates the fall class in February 2004.
Next class is scheduled to commence in March 2004.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Cindy Williams, Ph.D.
Women Are Dreamers Too Inc.
678 421-0191
Fax: 678/ 421-0708
http://www.wadt.org