Take Action Against Domestic Violence Award

Shalom Bayit:  Furnishing Peaceful Homes, NCJW's furniture bank for survivors of domestic violence is the recipient of the King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence 2006 Take Action award.  Below are the comments from the award ceremony on October 26, 2006 by  Rose Singer, Seattle Section President, and Lauren Simonds, Executive Director .

Thank you.

 I’m Rose Singer, President of the board of directors of The National Council of Jewish Women, Seattle Section. With me is Lauren Simonds, Executive Director. We are honored to be the recipient of this award.  Shalom Bayit is a program truly born from the community.  It is a tangible response to domestic violence that gets people involved through donations including furniture and volunteer work.  It was envisioned by the pioneering volunteers of NCJW who were led at that time by co-Presidents Jennifer Cohen and Felicia Wartnik.  These women, along with many volunteers identified an unmet need, and then developed the infrastructure to create this innovative program.  Shalom Bayit began with money from the Women’s Endowment Foundation of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.  In the past three years financial support for the program has diversified and comes not only from the Jewish community, but also from individuals, foundations, and corporations.  In the five years since its inception, Shalom Bayit has helped over 425 women and their children in King County furnish new homes and begin new lives.  We have received more than 5500 pieces of donated furniture and household items from over 700 donors in King County.  What began as a volunteer endeavor quickly became a program that needed staff support, and I’m thrilled that all the women who have served as the coordinator of the program are here this evening:  Angie Burgin, Celia Cohen, Ellie Rose, Elizabeth Mackey and Rachel Love.  Once again, thank you for the recognition, it truly means a lot to our dedicated volunteers and members of our organization.

NCJW has been at the forefront of social change for over a century.  Inspired by Jewish values, especially the value of tikkun olam – repairing the world, and believing that these values have universal appeal – NCJW takes a courageous stance on progressive issues affecting the lives of women, children and families.  Through a program of community education, social justice, and community service, members and supporters of NCJW bravely and boldly speak out in support of child welfare, women’s rights, reproductive freedom, and civil liberties.  NCJW embraces women of diverse backgrounds and temperaments, thinkers and doers, who want to play a part at the local, national, and even global level. Yet, all who come to NCJW share this: a belief that progressive ideals put into meaningful action can improve the world – it is out of this belief that Shalom Bayit was created.  NCJW is one of the most potent, most effective, most satisfying places where individuals can take action and become a positive force for change.  Thank you again for this honor.