Letter from the Executive Director
It seems like we face choices all day long. What to wear? What to eat? Where to go? What to buy? Who to talk to? How to spend our time? Oftentimes, survivors of domestic violence are denied the ability to make choices. This is one way perpetrators exert control.
We had one client, who after arriving at the shelter, was taken to the clothing closet to pick out a couple outfits. The client stood silently in front of the clothes without choosing anything. The advocate asked the client if she needed help picking something out. The client turned and said, “I don’t even know what color I like. I was never allowed to pick out my own clothes.”
Another client came to the shelter with her items in a clear Ziploc gallon bag. We had a number of purses donated at that time and she was able to pick out a purse of her own. She shared with us that her abuser did not allow her to have a purse and insisted she carry her personal items in that clear bag so he could see what she was carrying.
These sobering moments are reminders why our philosophy of care is a survivor-centered, empowerment model. We continue to look for ways to help survivors gain control over their own choices, no matter how small or how large.
Thank you as always for your support!
Gina Finley, Executive Director, Turning Pointe
Power of the Purse: Power to Help. Power to Heal.
What a smashing success Power of the Purse was for us in 2022! We brought in over $160k, nearly $100k more than 2021. We raised $12k in raffles, all of which will go towards our Client Communal Kitchen remodel. We have just a little over $40k left to raise for that project.
There were a lot of laughs and tears throughout the evening, and our auction was full of excitement. Our Golden Ticket winner, Sue Patterson, chose the Board’s Boozy Bar Cart package as her prize but only kept the bar cart for herself and put the contents of the cart back up for bid, helping us raise another $900.
We are working on securing our date for 2023, so stay tuned. (Next year in the Event Center!)
Staff Spotlight: Theresa Camacho
What is your job title? I am the new Shelter Manager! How long have you been at Turning Pointe? I started working at Turning Pointe in January 2019. What do you want people to know about Turning Pointe? We have diverse staff from different backgrounds who work here and use their life experiences to help others with similar struggles. What is your favorite memory or moment you associate with Turning Pointe? I love my job here, and I have so many memories, but the best for me is our staff retreats. We all get a chance to get together and have fun. At the last retreat, we were treated to massages, got to kayak and go tubing. It was the perfect self-care day. What unchecked items remain on your bucket list? Mexico and Hawaii vacation. What is the weirdest thing you have eaten? I love to try different things, but I would say the weirdest thing would have to be chili-flavored roasted grasshoppers. What is your favorite type of food? Mexican! I love street tacos and all authentic Mexican foods!!! |
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Staff Retreat 2022
Part of taking care of our clients is taking care of our staff. Every year Turning Pointe hosts a day of self-care, bonding, and fun for all staff. Thank you to DAWN staff for holding down the fort while we took part in a day on the water at Board Chair Becky Sayan-Ayers’ home. The day included water sports, massages, food by Wild n Woodsy, board games, and terrarium making.
Kitchen Remodel
| We are currently raising funds for a complete remodel of the Client Communal Kitchen. Our designer, Katherine McBride, is gifting Turning Pointe her time and talent and has already designed the space using a “trauma-informed” lens. The space will have a play area for young children, softer lighting, bistro seats, more prep space, and will be made from functional, durable materials. Here is a peek! |
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Client Stories
As the summer program ended, we were able to see the progress the kids made during their appointments. It was awesome to see their resilience and growth—they improved in their ability to ask for things, and saying “no” when they felt their boundaries were being crossed. Something as simple as being honest about whether they wanted to participate in an activity demonstrates how engaged the kids were throughout the program.
During the youth appointments, participants mentioned really enjoying painting, in particular being able to let go of stress and work through the things going on in their life. A big part of Turning Pointe is creating trust and making a safe space for people to share, and it’s great to see that happening in these moments.
—Luis, Youth Advocate, Turning Pointe
Shelter Needs
- Blankets
- Laundry soap
- Shampoo & conditioner
- Toothpaste
If you would like to help make the holidays brighter for our clients, contact Verenise at 360.426.1216 or vchavez@turningpointe.org.
A huge thank you to our 2022-2023 Adopt-A-Room Sponsors:
| 4th Dimension Construction Aaron & Jenny Lorton Bill & Holly Oplinger Brady Trucking Inc. Cindi Amadio Edward Jones Financial Advisor: Lori Morgan George & Olene Steele Green Diamond Resource Company Hackney Family Dentistry Hood Canal Communications Joe L. & Nancy L. Synder Laura Thomas Melissa & Ted Lagreid Pat & Sandy Tarzwell Mount Olive Lutheran Church Rob & Wendy Wilson-Hoss Ross McKnight (x2 rooms) Shelton Skookum Rotary Sue Patterson The Weza Family |
