Volunteers of America Oregon CEO Maree Wacker, MPP and Home Free Program Director Christina McGovney were featured in an article recently published in the Portland Business Journal, making the case for Portland-area employers to increase their support for survivors of domestic violence in the workplace:
Domestic abuse costs U.S. employers at least $3 billion every year in healthcare expenses, absenteeism, and lost productivity. Employees facing domestic violence lose workdays and often income. A myriad of workplace problems may confound the employee's ability to be successful at work. Additionally, abusers can harass victims at work, creating direct safety risks. Domestic violence is too often dismissed as a private matter to resolve behind closed doors. But the truth is that violence in the home ripples outward.
Home Free Program Director Christina McGovney expertly brought the issues into perspective in terms of survivor and community impacts:
At Volunteers of America Oregon, our Home Free program provides crucial and life-saving services at no cost to the survivor,” said program director Christina McGovney. “Last year, we were unable to meet the needs of 117 households requesting emergency shelter through motel stays. With pending funding cuts and reductions at the federal, state, and local levels, we fear that even more survivors will go unserved at a time when our community cannot afford the loss of vital safety net services.”
And our CEO Maree Wacker brought it home with both a call to action and pledge of support for Portland-area businesses:
Businesses do not exist apart from their communities. Portland’s reputation for creativity, sustainability, and progressive values depends on the well-being of its people. Failing to address violence erodes trust, raises public costs, and undermines the sense of safety valued by employees, customers, and investors alike.
Addressing this issue doesn’t mean businesses must act alone. Strong partnerships with nonprofits like Volunteers of America Oregon, supportive resources like employee assistance programs, well-trained managers to respond effectively, and flexible leave policies can go a long way toward supporting survivors of domestic violence in the workplace. It can also mean using business influence to advocate for stronger investment for local and state prevention and survivor advocacy programs.
Read the full story on the Portland Business Journal website.
Founded in 1896, Volunteers of America Oregon is a Portland-based human services nonprofit organization specializing in family safety, substance use, behavioral health, and reentry from the criminal justice system. Our work touches the mind, body, heart – and ultimately the spirit – of those we serve, integrating our deep compassion with evidence-based programs and services.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, support is available. Volunteers of America Oregon – Home Free can be reached at (503) 771-5503, and Call to Safety’s 24-hour crisis hotline can be reached at (888) 235-5333.
Critical funding for programs that support domestic violence survivors — including Volunteers of America Oregon – Home Free has been eliminated. Business partnerships and individual donors are more important than ever to keep these life-saving services operating. DONATE TODAY: https://www.voaor.org/get-involved/donate/