High Point Community Against Violence
Making High Point safer for everyone
THANK YOU to Wendelta, Inc. which recently gave a multi-function copy machine to HPCAV. This gift makes it easier for our staff and volunteers to function efficiently. We are very grateful for this donation!
The machine was picked up and then set up in our office by a participant in the Life Construction Program, providing another opportunity to put his skills to work.
Together, we ARE making High Point a safer place for everyone!
High Point Community Against Violence (HPCAV) was awarded $8250 through the United Way of Greater High Point Venture Grant Program on June 24, 2014. Thirty-four organizations applied and HPCAV was one of eight to receive funding. Jim Summey, Executive Director and Ed Kimsey, creator of the Life Construction Program accepted the award. The funding will be used in the Life Construction Program to assist with materials costs as well as pay participants a stipend for their work.
The Life Construction Program (LCP) teaches participants marketable construction-related skills while helping them develop a stronger work ethic, improve their decision making skills and provide on-going support as they work to change the direction of their lives. The Program has built and installed custom cabinetry for a number of customers and upfitted a local tattoo parlor, again providing custom built cabinetry in addition to electrical and painting work. The Carpentry Training Program (a part of LCP) also works with Community Development & Housing, City of High Point to provide home repairs to needy residents.
For more information about the Life Construction Program, contact HPCAV.
For more information about the Venture Grant Program, contact the United Way of Greater High Point.
Earlier this year, HPCAV was chosen by the High Point University (HPU) Communications 4415 class, under the leadership of Dr. Sojung Claire Kim, as the focus of their semester’s work. The result? Four outstanding marketing campaigns, designed by a team of students from this class, and presented to HPCAV representatives in early May.
The R.H.O.C.K. Advertising team campaign was selected as the winner, but each campaign had ideas and strategies that could be implemented. Included were changes to the HPCAV logo, new taglines, fundraising ideas and more and different use of social media.
What really captured HPCAV representatives’ attention was how well all the students understood the history and the goals of our organization. Their research — conversations with Executive Director, Jim Summey, reviewing the website, attending a call-in, conducting public surveys — informed their campaign creation. But their understanding of how communities and individuals want to be safe and the importance of building relationships drove their enthusiasm for their work.
Read more about this exciting project with High Point University and be on the lookout for changes to come!
High Point dedicated its first Victim’s Justice Center on Wednesday, April 2. The Center was opened specifically to streamline services for domestic violence victims. It is a one-stop site for victims, with police and a Legal Aid attorney on hand to guide them through the process of seeking a protective order and securing other services.
Major Ken Schultz
“We think that this is going to be an opportunity to break that cycle of violence,” said High Point police Major Ken Schultz.
The police department is partnering with other agencies to operate the center, including Legal Aid of North Carolina and Family Services of the Piedmont. The Center is located within the High Point Center for Children & Families, an initiative of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro that offers intervention programs for children and parents, coached parent-child Department of Social Services visitation, and parent education.
The Victim’s Justice Center is partially an outgrowth of the police department and High Point Community Against Violence’s Offender Focused Domestic Violence Initiative that began in April 2012. This Initiative works to prevent potential and known abusers from victimizing their intimate partner. In the two years since its inception, the Initiative has led to fewer assaults and fewer domestic disturbance calls. Recidivism rates among offenders are about nine (9) percent in High Point, compared to the national average of about 30 percent. High Point has also seen a reduction in the number of domestic homicides involving intimate partners. There were 17 killings in the city between 2004 and 2008. Since then, there has one been one.
Ms. Millis, Lt. Tim Ellenberger
The Center is being funded the first year through grants from the Millis family. In the future, additional grants will be sought and the Center may organize as a nonprofit, to enhance future fundraising efforts.
The Victim’s Justice Center and the High Point Center for Children & Families are located in the Southside Recreation Center at 401 Taylor Avenue in High Point.
Jim Summey, D. D., Executive Director of High Point Community Against Violence, Inc. has been named a Senior Fellow in the Justice Programs Office (JPO) of the School of Public Affairs at American University. Senior Fellows provide multi-disciplinary and multi-jurisdictional perspectives to help guide justice system initiatives. Summey was invited because of his work with the violence reduction efforts here in High Point.
“This is an exciting time to work in the justice field and your perspective and experience will greatly enrich our work,” wrote Caroline S. Cooper, Director of the Justice Programs Office at American University in the invitation.
Summey began working as a volunteer with HPCAV while he was the Minister at English Road Baptist Church in High Point. He became Executive Director in 2009.
For more information about the Justice Programs Office and Senior Fellow Program, visit the American University website.
There’s nothing like a FUN fundraising event! Mark Tuttle, DJ and owner of Boogie Nights, a mobile DJ service knows exactly how to do it.A very popular area DJ, Tuttle and some other volunteers secured donations for a silent auction, set up some refreshments, cleared out a space for the dance floor and invited everyone they knew to come shag and line dance the night away. When the music stopped and the dust settled, they had raised $1300 for HPCAV! All because they support the work being done to make High Point and the Triad area a safer place for everyone.
Tuttle is his own “special event”. In addition to providing music, he also teaches shag and line dancing. His company, Boogie Nights, has been using the HPCAV office to teach classes on Tuesday nights for several months. Tuttle, along with the students, have learned a lot about HPCAV and its work in the community. They liked what they saw and heard and decided to get involved. Every part of this event was handled by their group – a major gift in itself.
THANK YOU Mark Tuttle, friends and students!
Thanks to Pat Kimbrough with the High Point Enterprise for his well-written article on our Domestic Violence Initiative: Stopping the cycle of domestic abuse. This is a great way to learn what we are doing and how it is working, successfully, in High Point!
Our Domestic Violence Initiative is the focus of a great article by John Tucker, Staff Writer with the Independent Weekly. It was written as a two part series, but you can read it in its entirety on line.
Tucker chose to take a national approach to the story and did his research with professionals as well a victim and her family. It’s a well rounded look at domestic violence and what High Point is doing to make a difference.
High Point Community Against Violence (HPCAV) is pleased to announce a $3500 donation to our organization from the Heart of High Point Fund.
HPCAV has had an almost 30 percent increase in offender contact and expressed need for assistance with food, utilities, rent, medicine and transportation in just the past two months. In the past quarter, HPCAV provided just over $3000 in assistance to our focused deterrence offenders and their families. The continued tight employment market and the end of many short-term jobs has meant additional challenges for our clients. Providing this limited assistance has strained our budget as well.
Thankfully, the Heart of High Point Fund gave us and other local non-profit agencies the opportunity to apply for extra funds for the end of the calendar year. Our organization was awarded $3500 which will balances our budget and will help us meet the current pressing needs.
We are grateful for the continued community support as we work to make High Point a safe place for everyone!
What happens when you teach someone how to measure wood, use a power tool to cut it and then put the cut pieces together? You get a birdhouse, of course!
Birdhouses, cabinetry, shelving, a house…these are a few of the building projects that have been created by participants in the Life Construction Program of High Point Community Against Violence. Started in 2011 by local contractor Ed Kimsey, the Life Construction Program is teaching usable skills to individuals who have been through the notification process and who show a desire to change their lives and behavior.
Laying tile in a sunroom
Our builders are learning how to adhere to a time schedule, to let someone know if they are going to be late. Going to job sites to meet homeowners gives them “real life” practice in dressing and behaving appropriately, communicating with potential clients and understanding how to put together a cost estimate. They also learn the importance of leaving a job site cleaner then it was when you arrived.
Perhaps one of the greatest benefits is the sense of purpose and accomplishment that comes from seeing a job through, successfully, from start to finish.
The funds earned through these construction jobs goes back into the Program. Participants who do the work are paid, which helps them meet some of their financial obligations, in addition to learning how to manage their money.
The Life Construction Program is adding on! There are birdhouses now being sold at Ashley Interiors on South Elm Street in High Point. Another area retailer has asked for some shelving units that will be for sale in her store, frequented by college students. Also on the “jobs to do” list: repairing a rental house, upfitting a new tattoo parlor in Greensboro and completing additional cabinetry jobs for homes and garages.
If you are interested in any of our products or have an idea for a custom project, please contact Ed Kimsey at 336-382-5534.