The Final Step
I had an amazing time with this service project and do feel like I have connected with what I did. I felt like I really connected with the women that I met and bonded with them the day at the salon. I really got to know the women and hear about there story. I do believe that this project was a success Jackie and I really put on a beautiful and productive day.  The women at the salon I feel also really connected and got to know the women. I am very proud of the way my project turned out. The highlight of my project was getting to see the smile on the women’s faces and to know that I made an impact on their life. Im happy to know I really did get to make them feel beautiful for a day. I hope to keep working with this organization and making the women feel special.  It makes me feel good to know that I am helping others.  I think Alverno can help by having a clothes drive and toiletries drive.  I feel like the school would be able to raise a lot of donations for the organization. I do think this can be brought to the community and I also will be continuing to work with this organization. 

- Samantha

In researching statistics for my social justice project issue I found out many facts.  One statistic that I found interesting was one woman is beaten by her partner every 15 seconds in the U.S. Statistics say women make up 85% of the victims of intimate partner violence, while men account for 15%.  That is more than three quarters of women go through domestic abuse from one of their relationships. I found this interesting because if there is about 320 thousand people in the U.S. 85% of women get abused that a huge amount. The second statistic that  found interesting was not only do the women suffer from this issue but children do as well.  More than 3 Million children witness domestic violence in their homes every year. Because of this children who live in homes with domestic violence also suffer abuse or neglect at a high rate. Children that are exposed to domestic violence at home are more likely to have health problems, as in becoming sick more often, having frequent headaches or stomachaches, and being more tired and lethargic. . I found this interesting because we forget that children probably suffer as well.  

With this project my partner Jackie and I have met with the Director of the Elizabeth House.  We sat down with her after school to have a meeting to schedule our upcoming events and plans. We scheduled our big event at the hair salon which is where we decided the day and time.  We also talked about the drives we are going to do.  Jackie and I decided we are going to do household items and clothes drive. With the household items we are collecting things such as paper towels,tissues,toilet paper, and utensils etc.  Going along with the household drive we will have a clothes drive where we will be collecting maternity and regular womens clothes.  

Me and Jackie will also be making gift bags for the girls. Me and Jackie will also be volunteering Saturday April 18th at the church by the House.  They will be holding an Alumni meeting and we will be babysitting their kids as they socialize with their past friends and attend the meeting.  This experience has be a lot of fun for me, being able to build up the excitement for this project. I’m looking forward to Saturday and the big event we have coming up. I look forward to hopefully be making an impact on their lives. I think the thing that has stood out to me the most was the statistics that I learned.  I knew it was a huge issue but the statistics are insane.  Its terrible to know how many women suffer from domestic violence.  The amount of times it happens to women shouldn't be this high.  I think we should all try to spread awareness to make this a bigger issue.  What also stood out to me was seeing how much the women have suffered with reading the stories of the women at the home.  It blows me away to see how strong the women are after going through all that they have been through.  

- Samantha Glassick

Forever A Queen: In the Making

After researching my social justice issue, domestic violence, many statistics about the violence were brought to my attention. The first statistic that stood out to me was that more than four million women experience physical assault and rape by their partners. After reading this statistic, it made me perplexed how someone who you love could hurt you. People get into relationships because they trust and love their partner, but for your partner to break that trust and abuse someone they “love” is wrong. The second statistic that stood out to me was that more than three million children witness domestic violence in their homes every year. It’s heartbreaking to read that not only is the victim being exposed to the abuse, but so are their children. This is a perfect example to exemplify that domestic violence does not just affect the victim.

Although Sam and I haven’t physically started volunteering with the Elizabeth House, we’ve met with Kristen, the director, and have set up dates for our drives and “Big Sunday Event”. Before spring break, we went to their organization’s location in Pasadena and shared with Kristen our ideas to help the women. We spoke about leading a paper drive due to their low supply of toilet paper, feminine products, paper towels, etc. Besides the paper drive, we’d also like to have a clothes drive which will benefit the residents of the Elizabeth House, especially the mothers. Sam and I are planning to ask friends to donate their clothes that they don’t need and instead of throwing it out, they could donate it and make use of the clothes. We finally planned our “Big Sunday Event” and are excited to see it happen in May.

While partaking in this service project, the one thing that has stood out to me the most was the way the women are living and how much the volunteers care about them. It was great to walk through the Elizabeth House and get to evaluate their life. I would say that all seven women are in good hands and have a bright future ahead of them. Kristen and the volunteers are all welcoming and very flexible with mine and Sam’s school schedule; including Michael’s salon schedule. Overall this has been a great experience and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

- Jackie Quintero

How It All Started?

Believe You’re Forever A Queen

If I had to be one hundred percent honest right now I would say I was not completely happy we had to do our service project this year.  I had felt that I was not going to be able to give it my all because I felt like I had so much going on.  I really wanted to be able to think about what I was going to do and how I was going to be able to help. Once I looked at the assignment I had realized it would not be to bad. The more I thought about it  I decided I wanted to be able to do my service in the social justice issue under Life and Dignity of the Human Person.  I then got in contact with the Ronald McDonald House in Pasadena which is an organization which provides comfort, care and support to children and families while their kids undergo surgeries and recover in local hospitals.  I was really excited but once I talked to them they informed me I would not be able to become a volunteer in time for my assignment.

A few days later I knew I would need to come up with another plan and fast.  I had found out that Jackie also didn't have a organization to work with anymore so we came up with a plan and decided to work under the issue of Domestic Violence.  I thought this was a good topic to focus on because I believe it is important to remind the victims that they can become stronger from what happened to them and that they are still just as beautiful.  I think it is also important to show them that they are not alone.  The organization that we have chosen is Elizabeth House in Pasadena. It is a providing shelter with hope and support for homeless pregnant women that have been abused or abandoned.

In this service project we hope to be able to take 15 women and treat them to a day of pampering where they will get there hair done and have a chance to feel special.  Union Salon is providing their salon and is giving the women a full day of relaxation. We hope to also be able to have a toy and clothes drive so we will be able to donate to the Elizabeth House.  We decided to call this project Forever A Queen because we hope to show these women that they are beautiful and strong no matter what they go through.

Me and Jackie called many organizations and told them our idea but a lot of them had requirements of being eighteen or older or not being able to come in contact with the women.  I then told Jackie about the Elizabeth House which I had done service for a few years ago. When we researched more about the home and make the decision that it would be a perfect fit for our project. We called the house and spoke to the the volunteer director and told her about our service project and our idea on what we wanted to do with the women.  She loved the idea and had told us that she was going to speak to her boss and propose the idea.  We were very excited that our plan was coming to life. We have a meeting scheduled with the hair salon and stylist on Friday, March 6 at 2:00 PM. Where we hope to get everything planned out to make it one of the best days.  

-Samantha Glassick

Forever A Queen

“Service projects have been changed to junior year this year.” What?! It seemed as if there was little time for all of this to be done, but I was ready. Originally I wanted to work with an organization called Club 21, a society enriched by the inclusion of individuals with Down Syndrome. After making call after call, they didn’t seem to get back to me so I decided I needed a plan B. Luckily, my friend Sam was having trouble getting ahold of her organization so we decided to go from a one man project to a two man team.

The Social Justice issue that I have chosen to address is Domestic Violence. According to the Webster Dictionary, Domestic Violence is defined as, “acts of violence or abuse against a person living in one’s household, especially a member of one’s immediate family.” One in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime; a great deal of women get hurt and lose confidence in themselves.  In my service project I have chosen to work with women who are victims of domestic violence in their household. Due to their abuser’s actions, they escape from their homes and have no place to go. All around the country there are homeless shelters specifically for women who have been battered, have nowhere to live, and still have to care for their children. I chose this issue because my mom once was required to complete service in the community and decided to work with battered women. What I want these women to get out of my project is that they are made aware that they are worthy and shouldn’t give up due to a bump in the road. They  need to prove their abuser’s wrong and show them they are powerful and strong lovely individuals.  Although I wish I could help every victimized women, I was given the opportunity to team up and work with the Elizabeth House located in Pasadena, CA.

I had found numerous of shelters whose mission met my project’s criteria, but the activity was limited. Some didn’t allow contact with the women, and in other shelter’s volunteers have to be eighteen years and older. After making over five calls, Sam suggested the Elizabeth House, a nurturing home where homeless battered women learn to be healthy mothers. I got in contact with the director of the shelter and explained to her my ideas for the service project. She admired the idea and was honored that I’d be working with her shelter.

The name of my project is “Forever A Queen.” I gave it this title because I feel that it is important for the women to feel significant in their life. Even though I have never known a victim of domestic violence, I understand the hardships and confusion following the act.  Some women decide to close off their issues and feel like giving up. They feel powerless and defeated, but that’s not the case. I see the violence as a test put into their lives to show them what they’re really capable of doing. With this being said, for my service project I decided to treat fifteen deserving women from the shelter to a day at the salon. I am working with Union Salon in Pasadena to treat them and make them feel like queens. The day they arrive they will choose a new hairstyle that makes them feel unique and the hairstylists will complete their new look. The day will be spent doing girly, fun, pampering activities. My goal is to get the women to leave the salon feeling confident and ready to take on whatever obstacle may get in their way. I want them to feel like the queen they are and forever will be.

Today Sam and I will be meeting with Michael, the owner of Union Salon who generously will be doing all the hair services for free. I am grateful for his and his co-workers act of kindness of voluntarily spending a day making women feel like queens. I am very excited to see how this project will turn out and I hope for the best.

-Jackie Quintero