Awareness Event

On Wednesday, we joined Vice President Biden on his trip to visit the headquarters of the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) in Austin, Texas and commemorate National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

On March 13, 2013, Joyful Heart joined our partners in Washington D.C. for the public launch of NO MORE, the nation’s first unifying awareness symbol to end domestic violence and sexual assault. It was an electrifying and historic day, bringing crucial discussion and unprecedented light to our issues. NO MORE Day of Action came on the heels of the President’s reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, 400 days after the bill’s expiration and subsequent debate in Congress. For members of the field who work with these issues, the timing of the day underscored the necessity to come together as a united front to say NO MORE to bystanding, silence and violence against women and children.

As you know, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. And this year, Joyful Heart partnered with dozens of organizations, community-based programs and government officials to turn towards the issue of sexual assault in New York City with Denim Day.

Created in June 2010, the Honolulu 5K For Kids is a local not-for-profit event that helps promote health and fitness for Hawai‘i's children, as well as their families, to create a more active and healthy lifestyle. All the funds that were raised through the event go towards providing additional funds to Hawai‘i schools for physical education, fitness, and athletic programs.

On Tuesday, January 17th, over 100 individuals gathered for the unveiling of the One Strong 'Ohana campaign. The Joyful Heart Foundation—together with the Hawai'i Children's Trust Fund—coordinated the effort with the generous support of the Hawai'i Community Foundation, which hosted the event in downtown Honolulu. The press conference-style event commenced with welcoming remarks from Aileen Deese, Program Director of Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii and member of the Hawai'i Children's Trust Fund's Advisory Committee. Aileen commented on what a powerful message it was to have representatives from the government in attendance, including Lt. Governor Brian Schatz, Bruce Coppa, Chief of Staff to Governor Neil Abercrombie and the Director of the Department of Health, Loretta Fuddy.

On October 27th, in honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we were proud to partner with our friends at Bank of America and the Verizon Foundation on a powerful screening of Telling Amy’s Story--the first screening of this film by a major financial corporation.

On a sunny morning in April, dozens of advocates from the movement to end violence—all wearing denim—gathered on the steps of City Hall in to commemorate Denim Day of Action in New York City, a day recognized across the country as one to raise awareness, support survivors and debunk myths and misconceptions surrounding sexual violence.

On December 7, 2010, Joyful Heart co-hosted the New York premiere of “Telling Amy’s Story,” a documentary that chronicles the events leading up to the death of Amy Homan McGee, a mother of two who was shot and killed by her husband.

On a cool fall evening in New York City, Joyful Heart held an intimate conversation about teen dating violence prevention to help raise awareness and inspire increased involvement from our joyful community.

On a beautiful, breezy afternoon near the coast of Hawai‘i, over 30 advocates, working in the fields of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse, gathered together with the Joyful Heart Foundation to talk about the challenges of working on sexual and family violence, and the possibilities presented when different groups come together in partnership.