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Our Village, Our News
Bridges to a new day
www.romeovillebugle.com
Counseling key to ending domestic violence By Laura Katauskas Staff Reporter
With little resources or agencies dedicated to counseling services for the youth, a group dedicated to ending the cycle of domestic violence, Bridges to a New Day, is looking for volunteers to help them in their mission. An anti-violence charitable organization, Bridges to a New Day offers local residents assistance programs related to counseling, domestic violence and parenting. In addition, the agency provides Will County residents with free domestic violence counseling. “Each year we are seeing an increase
in the services we provide,” said Carolyn Khan, executive director of Bridges to a New Day counseling agency. “Due to the challenging economy, people are in stressful living situations. Our agency has stepped up to meet the needs of the people of northern Will County. We are looking for volunteers to help us make a difference.” The group will be hosting a Volunteer Open House from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday at its office, located at 1135 East 9th Street, Lockport. Khan said working with a shoestring budget; the organization could use any help it can get. The event is designed to be an opportunity for people to come and
learn about volunteer opportunities available including clerical volunteer, data entry volunteer, committee volunteer, community ambassador, intake volunteer and online store volunteer. According to the 2006 Will County United Way community assessment report, mental health services are not perceived as meeting the needs in Will County. In 2011, the group provided 967 hours of counseling services for in-school programs, but that number is increasing with 2012 numbers at 1625 hours. Khan explains that based on this pattern, the agency feels the need to expand this component by adding
OCTOBER 4, 2012
Vol. 7 No. 13
“Due to the challenging
economy, people are in stressful living situations. Our agency has stepped up to meet the needs of the people of northern Will County. We are looking for volunteers to help us make a difference.” Carolyn Khan, executive director of Bridges to a New Day evening hours. In addition, the most dramatic increase in providing services was seen in its free domestic violence services from 2011 to 2012, jumping from 1230 hours of service to 2347 hours. The charitable organization was opened in 2005 with a mission to provide prevention, intervention, and educational services that foster non-violence in the lives of children and adults. Khan explains that in many cases, people are struggling with issues that are affecting them both in their personal and home life. In order to gage progress in these areas, Khan asks clients to report improvements in their ability to cope with their issues and a reduction in the intensity of their symptoms. With both issues, clients See NEW DAY, page 3