Help make the holiday season extra special for our clients! Please see our Thanksgiving wish list below or click here to download a copy. See our holiday wish list below or click here to download a copy. If you wish to make a monetary donation or to see our year-long list of needs, please click here.
Please note that we cannot accept frozen food and that Thanksgiving donations must be dropped off by November 22.
How do we begin to say thank you to Cokie Roberts? She has been our friend, supporter, and guardian angel for so many years. She was our first Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award Honoree in 1995. The award was created to honor her visionary sister, Barbara Boggs Sigmund, and was presented to her by her mother, the Honorable Congresswoman Lindy Boggs. That night Cokie spoke of her commitment to keeping her sister’s legacy alive and strong. She has never backed away from that promise. To hear from her with some regularity, wanting to know how the events of the day were impacting our families was always special. Her journalist side wanted to know the facts, and her caring, compassionate side wanted to know how she could help. She showed up to our events when her schedule allowed and when it didn’t she would create videos for us to use in her absence, ensuring she was always a presence for us. It was amazing to hear from her about something she read in our newsletter, praising the efforts of staff and the work of the agency, and expressing her pride in being a part of Womanspace. No call to her went unanswered, no request was beyond the scope of what she could provide.
Cokie was a study in intelligence and grace. She was, as is often said about her, a National Treasure and the world of journalism, news, and politics benefited from her enormous talent. She was a consummate professional, a superstar. However, personal discussions with Cokie all came back to family, how she fiercely loved her family and always wanted to hear about your family. Her expansive definition of family was all-inclusive, and how fortunate for us to have had her as a very special member of our family. Womanspace will not quite be the same without her. We will miss her like crazy and we are thinking of, praying for and sending the warmest of condolences to her family. We thank them for sharing their fabulous Cokie with us for all these years.
– Womanspace Executive Director Pat Hart
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During the winter solstice in December, Communities of Light™ (COL) candles line the streets of central New Jersey – a powerful symbol of hope for men, women and children impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in our community. Communities of Light raises awareness of the services available to help those victims in Mercer County. The candles come from luminary kits which help spread our important message that Peace Begins at Home.
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Womanspace Administrative & Counseling Office
Lawrenceville lighting
TCNJ Lighting
Hopewell Lighting
Hopewell Borough Lighting
Hamilton Lighting Preparations
Hamilton Lighting with Executive Director Pat Hart
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Visit one of the following retail locations to purchase a luminary kit and support Womanspace! Please note, luminary kits will not be available until mid-October. Please check with individual retailers as to their availability.
Terhune Orchards (330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, NJ 08540)
McCaffrey’s Princeton (301 N. Harrison St., Princeton, NJ 08540)
Weidel Realtors (190 Nassau St., Princeton, NJ 08543)
Gratitude Yoga (44 Spring St., Princeton, NJ 08542)
McCaffrey’s West Windsor (335 Princeton-Hightstown Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550)
Princeton Center for Yoga and Health (88 Orchard Road, Princeton Area, Skillman, NJ 08558)
Pennington Quality Market (25 Route 31 South, Suite X, Pennginton, NJ 08534)
Investors Bank (160 Lawrenceville-Pennington Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648)
Diverse Style Salon (3371 US Hwy 1, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648)
ERA Central Realty (20 Main St., Robbinsville, NJ 08691)
Keller William Realty (2355 Route 33, Robbinsville, NJ 08691)
East Windsor Police Department (80 1 Mile Road, East Windsor, NJ 08520)
Wilhelmina (4 Church St., Allentown, NJ 08501)
Greater Eldridge Park Neighborhood Association (contact greatereldridgeprkneighbor@gmail.com)
Kits are also sold at the Womanspace Administrative Office (1530 Brunswick Ave., Lawrenceville, NJ 08648)
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We’re excited to announce that the members of the Mercer County Police Chiefs Association will serve as our 18th Annual Communities of Light™ Peace Begins At Home Honorary Chairs. Without our close association with them, we could not be able to assist and advocate for our clients as seamlessly. Our 2019 Honorary Chairs are: Chief Brian Caloiaro, Director Sheilah Coley, Chief Robert Garofalo, Chief James Geary, Chief Frank Gendron, Chief Timothy Grant, Sheriff John “Jack” Kemler, Chief Lance Maloney, Chief Tracey McKeown, Director William Meytrott, Chief Christopher Nitti, Executive Director Paul Ominsky, Prosecutor Angelo Onofri, Chief John Stemler III, Chief James Stevens, and Chief Nicholas Sutter.
The Communities of Light campaign occurs every October in recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness month. Beginning with our launch event on October 22, we encourage businesses, neighborhoods, and community organizations to purchase luminary kits, raise awareness of Womanspace’s services, and spread the message that “Peace Begins at Home.” The campaign concludes with a countywide luminary lighting on December 2, which serves as a powerful symbol of hope for those impacted by domestic and sexual violence in Mercer County.
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Womanspace launched our 2019 Communities of Light™ Peace Begins At Home campaign with an event reception on October 22 at 5:30pm at Terhune Orchards in Princeton, NJ. Approximately 125 supporters attended the launch, which included recognition of volunteers and our Honorary Chairs- the Members of the Mercer County Police Chiefs Association. Guests enjoyed delicious food and desserts from D’Angelo’s Italian Market, McCaffrey’s Food Market, Milk n’ Cookies, and Terhune Orchards, and music by local artist, David Brahinsky and the Two Friends.
Communities of Light Committee Chair Denise Taylor stated, “If just one candle could be life changing for one victim of sexual assault, domestic violence or human trafficking imagine the impact of thousands of candles lighting up within Mercer County.”
This annual event marks National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October). The campaign will culminate in the Communities of Light Luminary Lighting Event on December 2, 2019, which includes hundreds of individual participants and community groups throughout the 12 municipalities in Mercer County.
Womanspace would like to thank our 2019 Communities of Light sponsors, which include Mercer County Police Chiefs Association, Brian Zack & Ginger August, Mason Griffin & Pierson, Danielle Coppola, Biofarma, Princeton Orthopaedic Associates, Windsor Castle Associates, Pam & Ed Schmierer, Sheilagh Mescal Gunstensen, Alliant, Princeton Center for Yoga, Grit & Polish, Premier Title, Finance of America, Hopewell Township Superior Officers’ Association, the Mercer County Sheriff, Ewing PBA, Palmer Square, Frank’s Italian Ices, and Personal Paperwork Solutions.
Communities of Light Honorary Chairs- the Members of the Mercer County Police Chiefs Association.
Police flags and generously donated buffet dinner.
Terhune Orchards owner and 2018 COL Honorary Chair Pam Mount, with BBS Committee Member Ansie Monaghan, and 2017 COL Honorary Chair Kristin Appelget.
Guest Andre Veloux, Board Member Dana Fraytak Troiano, and guests.
Board President Danielle Coppola, Chief Lance Maloney, and COL Committee Chair/ Board Member Denise Taylor.
Guests and COL Committee Chair Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello.
Womanspace HR Director Nathalie Nelson and Counseling Director Susan Victor.
Honorary Chairs.
Trenton Police Director Sheilah Coley.
Guest Sheri Kurdakul and Womanspace Fiscal Manager Nicole Reaves.
Womanspace Executive Director Pat Hart with Chief Lance Maloney.
Guest Rony Nazarian with Womanspace Development Director Lauren Nazarian and and Board President Danielle Coppola.
Womanspace cake, donated by McCaffrey’s.
Womanspace luminary kit table.
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Join us on October 10 or 17 at Hamilton Tap & Grill, and a portion of your bill will be donated to Womanspace in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month! See the flyer below for more information.
National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. This year’s National Night Out will be held on August 6 at various locations throughout the county (see below). Click here for an article about the event from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center! Interested in Volunteering? Call our office at 609-394-0136.
Confirmed:
East Windsor
PAL Complex
30 Airport Rd.
6:00 – 9:00
Ewing
Ewing Senior Center
Lower Ferry Rd.
6:00 – 8:00
Robbinsville
Municipal Complex
6:00 – 9:00
Hightstown
Association Park
Grant Ave.
6:00 – 8:30
Zipporah Chapter No. 11 Order of the Eastern Star
81 Bellevue Ave.
5:30 – 8:00
Lawrence
Municipal Complex
5:30 – 8:00
Princeton
Community Park Pool
5:00 – 8:00
Hamilton
Veterans Park (South Side off Kuser Road)
5:00 – 8:00
West Windsor
Community Park
6:00 – 10:00
Womanspace had always been an organization I admired, for its mission and for the link to Barbara Boggs Sigmund whose accomplishments, energy and presence really made an impact over the years. The idea of working with an organization that had a mission founded on the belief that women deserved to feel safe in their homes, and that bringing women’s equality into that discussion was an important part of finding solutions, was very appealing to me.
In my first two years building the first government funded partnership between a domestic violence and Latino organization, I learned how much I don’t know and how much there always is to learn. I also knew that Deaf survivors weren’t coming to us…so I learned from my Deaf partners how to fix the problem and went on to forge a very successful partnership to assist Deaf survivors. I learned I love my job, my work and everyone I work with. I learned that if you are committed to this work, that commitment doesn’t end when you walk out the door at night-it becomes a part of who you are.
The mission of Womanspace is as important now as it was 41 years ago. It has shifted and grown to include work beyond safety, such as longer-term counseling, prevention, community education and awareness building. The work of Womanspace and victim services organizations everywhere has changed laws and created a paradigm shift in how people view domestic and sexual violence. Our first annual fundraising attempt was so difficult, because people didn’t talk about domestic violence, and certainly men didn’t. Now we invite men to join us in our fight against domestic and sexual violence and they are signing on. It is a wonderful thing to experience.
Womanspace had two archaic unused computers when I started…we now have a computer on every desk. Maybe not significant in and of itself, but this demonstrates how the work of the agency has had to move forward to keep up with the rest of the world. Technology can be a huge help and in this field technology can sometimes exacerbate and already volatile situation. We’ve had so many other good changes…partnerships with law enforcement and with child protective services. Partnerships with the courts, Latino organizations and homelessness organizations. Invitations to speak and train other professionals. The recognition that domestic violence is an critical health care issue with screening happening in doctor’s offices, hospitals, mental health agencies.
In my 25 years I have learned that attitudes can change, that partnerships can happen between the least likely of organizations, that no one organization can do it all and we need each other to effect change…competition is not the answer, cooperation is the answer. And I’ve learned that the resilience of the human spirit is immeasurable.
-Pat Hart
Please join us for our Annual Meeting on Tuesday, October 15 from 12-2 PM at the NRG Energy Inc. corporate building (804 Carnegie Center, Princeton, NJ 08540). The Annual Meeting is your opportunity to exercise your membership rights. The meeting includes the annual report on the state of the agency, and recognition of Womanspace staff. Advance registration is required and the cost is $35 per person. Please call 609-394-0136 to RSVP or register below.
Please join us on Sunday, April 28 from 9:30 to 11 AM at PEAC Health and Fitness (TURF FIELD) 1440 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing, New Jersey 08618. Please click here or see flyer below for more information.
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP, CALL OUR TOLL-FREE 24-HOUR HOTLINE:
609-394-9000
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