Domestic Violence Victims Receive a Helping Hand from Koster Finance Employee
Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) June 01, 2017 -- Brenda Marquez, a local Clark County resident and an employee at Koster’s Cash Loans, became a passionate advocate for the victims of domestic violence at just 10 years old.
“My fifth grade teacher put together a play and dinner for the children from Safe Nest,” recalled Marquez, “and it was then that I conveyed the idea of volunteering once I was old enough.”
True to her word, Marquez will be celebrating her seventh anniversary as a volunteer for Safe Nest come this August. Safe Nest is a Clark County organization that provides confidential shelter, counseling, advocacy and prevention services for children and partners affected by domestic violence. In 2016, Marquez put in over 100 hours at the institution, something she truly considers “a blessing.”
In her professional life, Marquez and her fellow employees also help individuals get through tough periods. Koster’s Cash Loans provides short-term personal loans as well as financial advice that can help people deal with unexpected circumstances or close the distance to make ends meet.
Safe Nest can similarly help domestic violence victims obtain food, clothing and other basic necessities, but Marquez asserted that the most important thing the shelter provides is a sense of normality. “When a family comes to the shelter, they are coming for help, but in receiving that help they leave behind everything they knew,” she explained. “A child leaves behind their bed, their toys, and their friends.”
As a result of the trauma inflicted upon them and being outside their comfort zone, children will often behave in abnormal but understandable ways when they come to Safe Nest. Some may shut down, and others may do the exact opposite: act out and rebel.
In either case, volunteers like Marquez are there to help children adjust. They will watch them on the playground, help organize fun activities, facilitate snacks and reading times, give them someone to talk to and just generally help the kids feel like they can enjoy themselves and thrive.
“It is difficult to understand what a child is going through after a trauma, and so as a volunteer my main focus is to remind them that they are children.”
Marquez noted that children staying at the shelter may just see a new playground, but what they do not see as clearly are the vital social skills they develop once outside their vulnerable situation. Learning to share and take turns with the other children can help them feel more trusting in others as they take themselves out of the defensive or introverted modes often assumed by abuse victims.
“One of our greatest feats in the playroom is seeing a toddler cry for 20 minutes straight for their mother the first day and going straight to the building blocks a week later.”
Moments like these keep Marquez returning to Safe Nest to provide assistance, love and support as often as she can. By working closely with these children, she can provide them with positive experiences and a positive example.
At the end of the day, Safe Nest and its volunteers are there to give children “guidance and reassurance that everything will be ok and that their new home is only temporary,” said Marquez, things that truly matter when your world feels turned upside down.
About Safe Nest
Established in 1977, Safe Nest is Nevada’s largest and most comprehensive non-profit agency devoted solely to domestic violence issues. Serving approximately 43,000 people annually, Safe Nest’s programs include 24-hour confidential shelter, 24-hour hotline and protection order services, counseling, advocacy, court assistance, and prevention education. For more information, please call 702-877-0133.
About Koster’s Finance
Koster’s Finance is a personal loan agency that firmly believes in helping people to avoid money traps and stay within a budget. They take a lot of pride in providing quick, worry-free Las Vegas cash loans to their valued customers as well as helping them to avoid future financial bumps in the road. With 13 locations across Las Vegas, Henderson and Clark County, help is never far away.
Jason Queen, Koster Cash Loans, http://kosterfinance.com/, (702) 641-1777, [email protected]
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