Author: Kaitlynn Ely

April 6th, 2022 – In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in April, the Womanspace Education and Community Outreach Committee is planning a “Turn the Town Teal Scavenger Hunt” to spread awareness throughout the county. With the support of local businesses, five municipalities within Mercer County – Hightstown, Lawrence, Trenton, Ewing, Hamilton, and Rider University are participating in this campaign.

Danielle Scollins, Coordinator of Prevention and Community Education, said: “This year for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we will be starting our first scavenger hunt to raise awareness. Our goal is to involve the community to learn more about sexual assault in an accessible and engaging way. We are hoping this event will continue to grow each year!”

The committee members will be placing teal ribbons attached to posters with QR codes in small businesses, restaurants, and local parks. These QR codes will link to fact-based content on how we as a community can support and believe survivors. Participants will scan the QR code on their smartphone to learn how to support survivors, talk about consent, and facts on the reality of sexual assault.

Teal ribbons attached to flyers will be located at the following locations within each municipality in the order listed below:

• Hightstown: Little Key Coffee, 4Seasons Deli & Café, Hightstown Public Library, Association Park
• Lawrence: Starbucks, The Gingered Peach, Purple Cow, Weeden Park
• Trenton: Mercer County Board of Social Services (MCBOSS), Cooper’s Riverview, The Big Easy, Serenity Garden
• Ewing: Pizza City, Timeless Hair Gallery, Wawa, Planet Fitness
• Hamilton: Gifted Boutique, Jersey Girl Café, Rt 33 Starbucks, Robbinsville Lake Dr. Gazebo
• Rider University: Saxby’s, Daly’s, Starbucks, Cranberries

The scavenger hunt will officially begin on Friday, April 8^th and continue throughout the month of April. Participants who complete the scavenger hunt will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win door prizes, including Beats by Dre, an Amazon Echo Dot, and Ulta & Lowe’s Home Improvement gift cards. The raffle will be drawn the first week of May and winners will be contacted by a Womanspace staff member.

The Womanspace Coordinator of the Domestic Violence Victim Response Team is excited to launch this new community engagement initiative: “In order to envision a world without violence, the importance of community education and community response must always be at the forefront of our minds; by engaging in tough and uncomfortable conversations, we are able to better understand what is needed to turn an idea into our reality.”

March 31st 2022 – On March 30th, CEO & President Nathalie Nelson joined Aileen Kornblatt from Dress for Success Central New Jersey, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, and Amazon Representatives for a Women’s History Month press conference at Trenton City Hall. Trenton City Hall staff and Erin Hall on behalf of Amazon thanked Womanspace for our lifesaving work in the community.

“We’re here to celebrate Amazon’s partnership, not only with the city but with Womanspace and Dress for Success,” said Mayor Gusciora. “It was amazing to see two trucks pull up that fulfilled two organization’s wish lists so they can continue in their operations and continue to provide the programming that the women of Trenton and surrounding areas deserve.”

“Not only do [Womanspace] house women who go through domestic violence situations but they continue to help women on their path afterwards”, said Amazon Rep Erin Hall.

Nathalie Nelson expressed her gratitude for Womanspace’s partnership with Amazon: “We are so grateful for Amazon. They’ve helped us in so many ways. Like Erin said, even when our clients leave we are so fortunate to be able to give them cell phones, food, and even appliances provided by Amazon.”

The event was highlighted on ABC 6 News. You can watch the segment here: TVEyes Media Monitoring Suite – [Transcript]

Feb 14, 2022

Lawrenceville, NJ- Womanspace’s Board of Directors has appointed Nathalie Nelson, former Director of HR & Operations as the new CEO & President of Womanspace.   Nelson has been with Womanspace nine years and has been transitioning into this role since November 2021.  The staff and board are thrilled with this change and Nathalie has seamlessly moved into this position with grace, ease and an abundance of experience.  She has made herself readily available to the board, staff and donors of Womanspace. In Nathalie’s previous position, she worked closely with Pat Hart and therefore has been preparing for this promotion for years.

Patricia Hart, former Executive Director of 28 years has made the decision to retire. Pat said, “I have been grateful every day for the opportunity to work with the most talented and committed staff and to intersect with families whose incredible strength inspired me every day.  With each new project, I marveled at the good fortune of a strong partnership with Womanspace board and the talent of the staff, I would ask that you consider a donation to Womanspace in recognition of my contributions over the last 28 years.”

Nelson is pleased about the promotion and has adjusted to her new position with a very little learning curve.  Nelson said; “As the first CEO of Womanspace, I’m excited to be working with such a dedicated staff, volunteers, donors, and Board of Directors. Together we will enhance Womanspace’s capabilities to help empower survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence. I am excited for what the future holds for us.”

The board has formed a new leadership team to assist Nelson with her role of CEO and the daily running of Womanspace.  Lauren Nazarian, Director of Development will be promoted to Chief Development Officer.  Susan Victor, Director of Counseling will be promoted to Chief Operations Officer of Client & Community Services.  Cassius Lawson, Director of Finance will be promoted to Vice President of Finance and Reyna Carothers, Director of Emergency Services will be promoted to Vice President of Emergency Services.  The leadership team is fully integrated with each of Womanspace’s programs and will therefore will address all of the needs of each program to it’s fullest.

Michelle Bajwa, President of the board of directors at Womanspace is elated with the future of Womanspace and said; “The Womanspace Board of Directors expresses great appreciation for the 28 years of significant work and commitment of Patricia Hart. Womanspace has emerged as an innovator of service for our community thanks to Ms. Hart’s contribution. We wish her much happiness and success as she enters into retirement. As we acknowledge Ms. Hart’s tenure, we are honored and proud to announce Nathalie Nelson as Womanspace’s CEO.  A visionary rooted in Womanspace’s mission to support and protect victims and families affected by domestic and sexual violence, Ms. Nelson’s leadership shines with an ideal alchemy of compassion, inclusion, resolve, strength and resourcefulness. I have every confidence Womanspace’s ability to help victims and families recover and heal from domestic & sexual violence will further be cultivated and strengthened under Ms. Nelson’s leadership.”

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