Dear Friends,
At this time of year, when days are short and temperatures drop, we seek and celebrate light, both as a source of warmth and more symbolically, of hope. While this year has been rife with challenges for our client communities, Ascend Justice has been privileged be a part of many, many hopeful moments over the course of 2019:
- Mercy, a mother of four who has recovered from unspeakable abuse that lasted decades. She tells us that she is a prayer warrior, and now she is the person answering late night calls from victims of gender-based violence.
- Rachel, a mom of three small boys whose family was devastated by an unfair and unwarranted DCFS investigation. She contributes gifts for dozens of our current clients in an effort to make meaning of her own suffering by helping other families.
- Selena, a young mother and survivor of domestic violence, received a standing ovation after addressing an audience of judges, attorney and DCFS administrators to share her vision for how the child welfare system could support survivors of gender-based violence, rather than compounding the trauma they have suffered.
- Supporters like you, who have held Facebook fundraisers, requested donations in lieu of wedding gifts, sent snacks and toys for our clients’ children and provided the financial support we need to advocate for survivors of gender-based violence and the child welfare system.
While we end 2019 with a new name and an expanded mission, Ascend Justice remains committed to fierce advocacy and thoughtful stewardship of your donations. And this year, when you make a donation a generous donor match all donations, making your gift go twice as far to help people in our community like Mercy, Rachel and Selena. I hope you’ll join us as we help to create hope.
Sincerely,
