Holiday Help For Domestic Abuse Victims

The advocacy group Healing Abuse Working for Change offers shelter and court advocacy for people, including many from Swampscott, who suffer domestic abuse.

This holiday season they are asking for donations for their clients so they can meet their needs and those of their children.

Swampscott police Det. Ted Delano, who works with victims of domestic violence, is promoting the HAWC's holiday program.

He says the advocacy group does a lot of good for people who, often, are scared and may not know where to turn.

This good includes maintaining a hotline for those in need, finding them emergency shelter, helping them file restraining orders or providing them counseling.

 

People who seek these services include a number of Swampscott people, more than some people might think, the detective said.

So far this year Swampscott police have responded to 139 reports of domestic disputes

Each time police respond the person who called for help gets a follow-up letter from the department that offers ways to help and among them is contact information for Healing Abuse, including their hotline number.

The 24-hour hotline is             1-978-744-6841      . They can also be reached via email at www.hawcdv.org. The main office is located at 27 Congress St, Salem MA. The office number is             978-744-8552      .

The executive director of the Healing Abuse group, Candace Waldron, said the organization responded to about 5,000 requests for help this year in the more than 20 towns and cities it serves.

And about 350 to 500 clients of Healing Abuse need material help this holiday season, whether it is for basic necessities such as food, shelter and heat or to buy their children gifts, she said.

The best way to help is to donate gift cards, Waldron said.

Below is information from a flier detailing ways to contribute to the HAWC Holiday Program.

Wish List for Parents:

•  Gift certificates to department stores, movie theaters, restaurants, drug stores, book stores, Walmart, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks

•  Bath & Body products

•  Make up kits/cosmetic bags/ handbags

•  Disposable cameras, photo albums, picture frames

•  Bathrobes and slippers- all sizes

Wish List for Teens:

•  Gift certificates to music stores (Best Buy, Newbury Comics, iTunes)

•  Gift certificates to Target, Old Navy, Gap, Kohl’s, Barnes & Noble, Borders

•  Bath & Body products

•  Jewelry, hair accessories, make up kits

•  Electronics: iPod, gameboy, etc.

Wish List for Children:

•  Multicultural dolls: baby dolls, fashion dolls, doll strollers/cribs/clothes (Hannah Montana, Twilight themed, superhero toys)

•  Arts & crafts items

•  Educational toys/games

•  Cars, Trucks, Fire Engines

•  Linkin Logs, Legos, other building

blocks

•  Disney or children’s program DVDs

•  Sports equipment: basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, baseballs, team apparel

Empowerment is central to our operating philosophy at HAWC, and we respect the right of our clients to choose what is best for their families this holiday season and always.

We invite you to assist us by purchasing gift cards for our clients, so that they can prioritize their needs and choose accordingly.

A gift card is truly a gift, both of generosity and of empowerment.

Here is a list of frequently requested gift cards:

*Market Basket/Stop N Shop/Shaw’s*Target*Marshalls*TJ Maxx*Gas cards*Best Buy

Food Wish List:

•  Canned and Jarred Goods: Fruits, Vegetables, Sauces

•  Dry Storage: Rice, Pasta, Snacks

•  Any Holiday Themed goods: cranberry sauce, gravy, Thanksgiving or Holiday Baskets

All items must be new and unused; gifts with violent themes or graphics will not be accepted.

Gifts should NOT be wrapped, but wrapping supplies are welcome!

Gifts can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 10:00 am—4:00 pm at:

HAWC

27 Congress Street, Suite 204

Salem, MA 01970

            978-744-8552      

www.hawcdv.org

BEGSLIST.ORG SEEKS HELP FOR THE NEEDY DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

With the holidays fast approaching, many people are doing their shopping online - but the Internet is also a very popular place for people in need asking for a handout on Begslist.org.

There are thousands of pleas for help on Begslist.org, an online donation website, which is dedicated to helping people in need through online begging via the Internet. Most of us this year will be enjoying a wonderful holiday dinner with our friends and family, but for millions of families across the country, Christmas will be like any other day; a struggle to make ends meet.

The stories from people asking for help are heartbreaking. A recently widowed dad who lost his job; a failed businessman with no money and no hope for a future. And, of course, stories of so many families who can't afford gifts for Christmas.

"We are a family of 9, and my husband lost his job, so we didn't have Christmas last year. This year we were lucky enough to find a place to live, but no money for Christmas..."

"I am a single mother of six and I am seeking help to have a Christmas with my family. I have been laid off from work and I experienced as a child not having many Christmases, but I don't want that for my kids..."

Others post stories asking for help, not for themselves but for others in need. Charities, organizations or everyday people just wanting online donations for various causes will try begging on Begslist.org to help others.

"Help the Children of Chicago - My deepest wishes for the spirit of Christ and Christmas. Can you help the needy children this season with a small donation, any amount.. because it the thought that counts. It's better to give than to receive as our children are the future and needy families need help."

"This is a Memorial to my brother who died of Cancer in 2006. We wish to aid in the support of Community Hospice groups everywhere. Hospice is currently undergoing a financial hard time and needs our help. Hospice does a job that really helps. Take it from one who knows what they do. During my brother's final time, they provided many services that we the family could not."

Begslist.org is an online donations website dedicated to helping people in need through the use of free cyber begging. Try something different this Holiday Season and take the time to send donations whether it be toys, food, clothing or financial support to those less fortunate. One of the most effective and timely ways to donate to people who desperately need help is to make monetary or holiday donations online by going to www.begslist.org.

For more information about Begslist.org , donations or cyber begging, please visit http://www.begslist.org/. And please show support for people in need this Holiday Season!

About Begslist.org

Cyber begging, Internet begging, or Internet panhandling is the online version of traditional begging or panhandling where people can ask strangers for money, food, clothing, or shelter. Begging online has a clear advantage to street begging or panhandling where it can be done with relative anonymity, thus eliminating or reducing the embarrassment, shame, or keeping one's dignity that associated with begging in public. Begslist.org is a free way to ask for donations online, maintain privacy, and protect one's pride when begging for help.

Since 2007, Begslist.org has tried to keep the reputation of establishing itself as free cyber begging website that allows access to anyone who needs help as compared to a paid cyber begging (pay-to-post) website by offering users FREE postings to ask for help.

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/begslist

Join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Begslist/48221925633

SOURCE Begslist.org

Osama Bin Laden Dead

May 1, 2011, 11:29 pm

Osama Bin Laden Dead, U.S. Official Says

By HELENE COOPER

 

WASHINGTON — President Obama announced late Sunday that Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks, was killed in a firefight during an operation he ordered inside Pakistan, ending a 10 year manhunt for the world’s most wanted terrorist. American officials were in possession of his body, he said.

The fate of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Al Qaeda number two in command, was unclear.
The death of Mr. Bin Laden is a huge punctuation in the American-led war on terrorism. What remains to be seen is whether the death of the leader of Al Qaeda galvanizes his followers by turning him into a martyr, or whether it serves as a turning of the page in the war in Afghanistan and gives further impetus to the Obama administration to bring American troops home.

One American official said that American forces, acting on intelligence, launched a “targeted assault” that killed Mr. Bin Laden, whose ability to elude capture for so long deeply frustrated the Bush administration.
The news of the death of the leader of Al Qaeda was bound to electrify the world, particularly as it comes a full decade after American forces, under President Bush, launched their all-out assault to find the man responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks.

Since those attacks, Mr. bin Laden was able to elude capture by hiding out in the mountains of Afghanistan and elsewhere. He initially escaped from Tora Bora in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan after an American invasion routed the Taliban, his protectors. Since then, he issued some 30 messages, in audio, video or electronic text. Intelligence officials believe they were passed from hand to hand repeatedly to obscure any trail back to his hiding place. Even while in hiding, he remained a potent symbolic figure. And American officials believe, based on intercepted communications from second- and third-tier Qaeda operatives, that he also still helped shape Al Qaeda’s strategy.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------



Tuesday's Children, a non profit family service  organization founded by family and friends of the 9/11 victims, has made a long-term commitment to meet the needs of every family who lost a loved one in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2011.  

The past decade, providing consistent services to more than 1,400 families, including more than 3,000 children and more than 5,500 individuals from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., has garnered the trust of this bereaved community and given us an intimate understanding of the problems and realities in the days, months and years after a tragedy.

Our foundation of community based programs addresses challenges our families face as they arise and provides direction and encouragement to each member of the family.  These programs bring families together, helping them recover from their loss and develop a sense of future.  Individuals of all ages can benefit from our programming.

To Donate, Go To: http://tuesdayschildren.org/

Direct Relief Delivers Medical Aid to Affected Areas

$36 Million in Medical Inventory Made Available; Healthcare Companies and FedEx Step in to Help

April 29, 2011
To help people across the southeastern U.S. who have lost their homes or been injured in tornadoes and other severe weather, Direct Relief USA is delivering specifically requested medical aid to clinics and shelters throughout the south.
Direct Relief is the only nonprofit organization licensed to distribute prescription medications in all 50 states and maintains an ongoing support program with more than 1,000 nonprofit clinics and health centers across the country, including 168 facilities in the six states affected by recent tornados.
In the past week, Direct Relief USA completed a distribution of medical aid this month through its nationwide Safety Net Support program, delivering more than $756,000 in medical material to 39 health facilities in Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.
In addition, emergency shipments have been provided to facilities in North Carolina and Arkansas following tornados that struck in the past two weeks.
In response to the devastating tornadoes this week, Direct Relief has activated its entire network to prioritize emergency assistance to the affected southern states.
The organization has made its current inventory of $36 million in medicines and medical supplies available for the response. Text message alerts have been sent to community clinics and health centers notifying them of available resources.
In mobilizing private resources for the response, Direct Relief has joined with a vast array of nonprofit and public agencies to coordinate assistance, as well as with dozens of healthcare companies that have offered assistance and released previously made product donations to assist in the southern states.
Damon Taugher, Director of Direct Relief USA, says: “Our hearts go out to those who have been affected by this awful tragedy. Direct Relief has worked closely with partners in these communities over the past six years and will continue to provide medical resources to assist in recovery efforts.”
As needs assessments and relief operations have begun, Direct Relief is coordinating efforts with several national contacts, which include the National Association of Community Health Centers, National Association of Free Clinics, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), through the Private Sector ESF-15 National Response Coordination Center, and Rx Response.
In the affected states, Direct Relief is coordinating its efforts with the Georgia Primary Care Association, Community Health Centers of Arkansas, Mississippi Primary Healthcare Association, and Alabama Primary Care Association.
Many clinic partners across the southeast are conducting damage assessments and identifying needs. One organization has made a specific emergency request for assistance, which Direct Relief will fulfill with transportation services donated by FedEx:

• Semo Health Network, Sikeston, MO – Due to flooding, the Semo Health Network is housing 100 evacuated families in nearby hotels, and specifically requested maintenance medications for evacuees. Continuity of care and the availability of needed medicines are important for people with chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and asthma, which are seen in relatively high incidence among partner clinic patient populations.

Another clinic partner has made a request to assist with families whose homes have been destroyed:

• Conway Interfaith Clinic, Conway, AR – An estimated 50 to 60 displaced people are staying in shelters after a tornado swept through the town earlier this week, damaging about 500 homes. Personal care and hygiene items ($14,382 wholesale value) are en route to the clinic today to help the people living in the shelter.

These states have been hit by the recent spate of storms, in which more than 300 people have been killed and thousands of homes destroyed, according to news reports.
Direct Relief’s emergency relief efforts and ongoing assistance to partner clinics in the U.S. facilitate a fast, efficient response when a disaster strikes. The organization’s Hurricane Preparedness Program equips clinic sites across the Gulf States each year with medical material aid that is pre-positioned before hurricane season starts. Direct Relief’s response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 has been one of the organization’s largest, rivaled only by the Haiti earthquake response in 2010.

Incident: Severe weather, including tornadoes and heavy rain, hit the southeastern U.S. April 2011
Human Cost: More than 300 people killed and hundreds injured and displaced across six states
Direct Relief Response: Medical aid offered to partners across affected states through local, regional, and national associations, including Primary Care Associatios, the National Association of Community Health Centers, and the National Association of Free Clinics.