Welcome Iris!
A Safe Place is excited to introduce our new Director of Communications & Community Engagement, Iris Shore. Iris recently moved to Nantucket from Western New York, although, she has been traveling to Nantucket for many years. She brings her fundraising knowledge from working with the National MS Society as well as other non-profit experience.
A few words from Iris:
“I’m super excited to be a part of this wonderful organization and working together with my fellow colleagues. I’m looking forward to the next few months and getting out into the community and meeting everyone personally. (Well, as soon as Covid gets out of here. Can someone book it a one way ferry ticket please?) l’ve always been in awe of the many non-profits on this island that provide assistance to its community members. It was my hope that when I moved here last year, that I would find a place where I could contribute my skills and be passionate about the mission of the organization.”
In her down time Iris enjoys yoga, reading, cycling and knitting. She is also an ocean lover and has a personal goal of swimming in a wet suit this winter. (Brrr!)
Nonprofit Book Club
Nantucket Book Clubs is a new project created by Nantucket Book Partners (Mitchell’s and Bookworks) to connect and collaborate with the Nantucket community. They reached out to nonprofits, businesses, and community members to pick books to read and discuss together in 2022 according to their mission and interests. We hope you consider supporting your local bookshops as they continue to support the literary needs of our community members and organizations.
Join A Safe Place and Nantucket Book Clubs as we read and discuss Playing Dead. Book discussion will be held Tuesday, March 8 from 4:30PM – 5:30PM at the Nantucket Atheneum.
We chose this book as a way to begin the conversation on why a woman might stay in an abusive relationship and how easy it is to mistake power and control for love and trust.
Save 10% on this book club pick with coupon code ACKBOOKCLUB here
Check out the event page on Facebook here and invite a friend. We hope to see you there!
A Word About Safe Exchange Zones in Domestic Violence Cases
Previously printed as a Letter to the Editor in the January 20, 2022 Inquirer & Mirror Newspaper:
ARE SAFE EXCHANGE ZONES SAFE FOR CUSTODY EXCHANGES?
A Safe Place is a member of the Supervised Visitation Network, a membership organization of professionals who provide supervised visitation and neutral exchange services to families. A Safe Place and the Supervised Visitation Network are concerned about the use of “Safe Exchange Zones” such as the Police Department parking lot for custody exchanges. The original intent of the “Safe Exchange Zones” was to provide a safe place for online transactions like Craigslist, but increasingly they are being suggested as custody exchange locations as well.
While this may seem like a good idea, if you are concerned about your safety when exchanging your children with another parent, this does NOT offer sufficient security measures to minimize or prevent physical or verbal assaults common in abusive relationships. Although many of us want to believe that these kinds of tragic events couldn’t happen on Nantucket, we certainly are not immune to this kind of violence happening. Sadly, there have been violent, and even fatal, incidents that have occurred during custody exchanges in front of Police Stations across the country. On January 6th, a custody exchange in the North Versailles, Pennsylvania police parking lot ended in gunfire Wednesday, leaving a 6 year old girl and an adult wounded. This is a reminder that violence during the custody exchange of children is an all-too-common occurrence in the United States.
A Safe Place and other members of the Supervised Visitation Network provide safe, supervised exchanges of children in custody cases, that minimize the chances of violence by keeping parties separate at all times, enforcing staggered arrival times to prevent stalking and other altercations, conducting thorough intakes of all parties to understand the issues present with each family, and other measures that have proven to be effective. An unmanned area with security cameras only helps Law Enforcement capture perpetrators after tragedies have occurred and does nothing to prevent children from witnessing high charged emotional conflicts that commonly occur during exchanges. SVN and A Safe Place understand the unique emotional and physical safety risks that require careful preparation and training of those providing Supervised Visits and Exchanges.
For more information about A Safe Place’s Visitation Center, please call: # 508-228-0561 or email Crystal@asafeplacenantucket.org
Stop & Shop Community Bag Program
Today is launch day for the Stop & Shop Community Bag Program! Starting today and for the entire month of February, when you purchase a $2.50 reusable bag at the Stop & Shop located at 31 Sparks Avenue Nantucket, MA, $1 is donated to A Safe Place.
Our goal is to sell 200 bags, equivalent to $200 raised. We are confident that with the help of our dedicated supporters, we can reach this goal.
We strongly encourage you to share this news with family and friends as well.
The Community Bags are located on displays around the store and at the checkout. For more information about the program, please visit stopandshop.bags4mycause.com
Thank you for your support.
Our Contact Information
A Safe Place
5B Windy Way
Nantucket, MA 02554
508-228-0561
http://www.asafeplacenantucket.org
