November | 2012 | Inside Hubbard House

November is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month. Although the month of November is coming to an end, this is an issue that deserves awareness all year.

According to PBS.org, homeless is defined as a person who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence. It is estimated that around 3.5 million people will experience homelessness each year – of these, more than 1 million are children. And unfortunately, this is an epidemic that is growing – according to The Homelessness Research Institute at the National Alliance to End Homelessness, homelessness is estimated to increase by 5 percent in the next three years.

There is not one single cause that leads to homelessness. The vast majority of individuals and families who are now homeless became so by a life-altering event or series of events that were unexpected and unplanned for. Some of the leading causes of homelessness are the loss of loved ones, job loss, divorce, family disputes and domestic violence.

Domestic Violence and Homelessness

Domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, 50 percent of homeless women and children are fleeing abuse. Also, around 39% of cities in the United States have cited domestic violence as the primary cause of family homelessness (nationalhomeless.org).

Often times, a person who is experiencing abuse and has little resources feel that they have nowhere to turn. This leaves the victim with the choice of staying with the abuser or leaving and becoming homeless. Hubbard House, the domestic violence center serving Duval and Baker counties in Northeast Florida, is a safe environment that can aid these victims in returning to an abuse-free life. The shelter housed 1,105 victims of domestic violence last year who were seeking refuge from abuse. Hubbard House not only offers food, clothing and shelter, it also offers counseling and guidance to help victims begin living a peaceful life.

If you or someone you know is affected by domestic violence or homelessness and may need help, please see the resources below:

Domestic Violence

Hubbard House

Hubbard House is the domestic violence center serving Duval and Baker counties. Hubbard House provides emergency shelter, extensive adult and youth outreach services, school-based education, therapeutic childcare, batterers’ intervention programs and court advocacy.

24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline: 904-354-3114 or 800-500-1119

http://www.hubbardhouse.org

Homelessness

The Clara White Mission

The Clara White Mission offers job training in educational programs, daily feedings, advancement and more.

613 West Ashley St., Jacksonville, FL 32202

904-354-4162

www.clarawhitemission.org

Community Connections

Community Connections connects women, children and families with a wide variety of resources such as homeless housing, after school programs, special literacy programs, etc.

1839 South Lane Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32210

904-786-6886

http://www.communityconnectionsjax.org

Mission House

Mission House welcomes those in need of assistance and provides meals, clothing, showers and help in securing stable employment, stable medical care and stable housing.

800 Shetter Ave., Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

904-241-6767

www.missionhousejax.org

Sulzbacher Center

The Sulzbacher Center offers safe shelter, case management, medical, dental and mental health care, daily meals, job placement, assistance and life skills, specialized children’s services and street outreach.

611 East Adams St., Jacksonville, FL 32202

904-359-0457

www.sulzbachercenter.org

Hunger

Second Harvest North Florida

Second Harvest North Florida provides the following programs: Kids Café, Backpack Program, Mobile Pantry, Recovered Food Sharing and SNAP Outreach Program.

1502 Jessie St., Jacksonville, FL. 32206

904-353-3663

www.wenourishhope.org

Mandarin Food Bank

Mandarin Food Bank provides emergency food and clothing to those in need in the Mandarin community.

11730 Old Saint Augustine Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32258

904-292-1675

www.mandarinfoodbank.org

Jewish Family and Community Services

The Jewish Family and Community Services food pantry is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1p.m. – 3p.m. Food may be received up to three times in a 12 month period.

6261 Dupont Station Court, East, Jacksonville, FL. 32217

904-448-1933

http://www.jfcsjax.org

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship please call the Hubbard House 24-hour domestic violence hotline at (904) 354-3114 or (800) 500-1119. Hubbard House can help.

ABOUT HUBBARD HOUSE: Founded as the first domestic violence shelter in Florida in 1976, Hubbard House is a certified, comprehensive domestic violence center providing programs and services to more than 5,000 women, children, and men annually in Duval and Baker counties. While Hubbard House is most known for its emergency shelter, the agency also provides extensive adult and youth outreach services, school-based education, therapeutic childcare, batterers’ intervention programs, court advocacy and volunteer and community education opportunities. Visit www.hubbardhouse.org to learn more.

Nov. 25^th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It is an occasion for governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to raise public awareness of violence against women. Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread violations of human rights. It is exploitation, sexual violence, honor crimes, forced early marriages, domestic violence and sex trafficking. These and other forms of violence cause untold human suffering and has a profound effect on our communities. With devastating statistics and a desire for change, The United Nations created the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in 2000.

Take a look at these United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) statistics. They are disturbing and are a call to action. Violence against women jeopardizes the progress and prosperity of the world.

In South Africa, a woman is killed every 6 hours by an intimate partner.
In Guatemala, two women are murdered, on average, each day.
Between 40 and 50 percent of women in European Union countries experience unwanted sexual advancements, physical contact or other forms of sexual harassment at their workplace.
More than 60 million girls worldwide are child brides, married before the age of 18, primarily in South Asia (31.1 million) and sub-Saharan Africa (14.1 million).

As you can see with these alarming statistics, violence against women is an issue around the world. Locally, it is no different. Here are a few statistics to describe the epidemic taking place in our country.

83 percent of girls aged 12-16 experienced some form of sexual harassment in public schools.
An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.
As many as 1 in 4 women experience physical and/or sexual violence.
As many as 2.8 million children run away each year. Within 48 hours of being away from home, one-third of these children are lured or recruited into prostitution and pornography.
Approximately 80 percent of human trafficking victims are women and girls and up to 50 percent are minors.

According to the U.S. Department of State, strengthening the prevention of and response to violence against women and girls is of vital importance to the interests and overall foreign policy of the United States. Women are an invaluable source in peace-building and conflict resolution. A woman’s education is linked to increased national income and improved health. Additionally, women are known to drive economic growth. Violence against women prevents them from fully contributing to their communities.

With the statistics listed above and the information given from the U.S. Department of State, we hope that you will observe this day. Every source of awareness and education helps prevent violence in future generations. It is crucial that our children grow up believing in Every Relationship Violence-Free, regardless of whether it is an intimate relationship or not. We all need to respect the women in our lives and appreciate the contribution they have made into making our world a better place.

For more information on this day and on resources on how you or someone you know can get help please visit saynotoviolence.org. Ways to start or join an effort in ending the violence is also available on this site. The U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 is also available to help you or someone you know escape the violence.

Hubbard House is also available to help. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship please call the Hubbard House 24-hour domestic violence hotline at (904) 354-3114 or (800) 500-1119. Hubbard House is a domestic violence center serving Duval and Baker counties in Northeast Florida. To learn more visit http://www.hubbardhouse.org or http://www.facebook.com/hubbardhouseinc.

Written by Dajana Mihaljevic