YWCA Dayton is honored to mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month this by naming Legal Aid of Western Ohio was as this year's Marsha Froelich Survivor Award winner.The honor was presented at Voices Against Violence, YW's annual event that recognizes the strength and resilience of domestic violence survivors and raises funds to support YW’s domestic violence shelters and crisis services, including its 24-hour hotline.Each October at Voices Against Violence, YWCA Dayton presents the Marsha Froelich Survivor Award to someone who embodies Froelich's spirit of survivorship, resilience, and generosity. Prior to her death in 2011, she served as vice president of development at YWCA Dayton from 2000-2006.As committed partners of YWCA Dayton, Legal Aid of Western Ohio, Inc., has provided countless hours of service and support to the intimate-partner survivors YW serves every day."The attorneys at Legal Aid have cared, have shared, and have shown up time and time again. They have assisted YW case managers, hotline staff, and the whole team helping clients navigate untenable situations," said the late Marsha Froelich's husband, Jeffrey Froelich, when presenting the award.As part of the event held at the Dayton Arcade, attendees heard from guest of honor Remy, a survivor who was formerly a YWCA client and shared her story."We are here because of YWCA," Remy said.Just this month she took her oath of citizenship, thanks to the Legal Aid support she received.The keynote was presented by rapid rehousing specialist Keely Watkins, who works every day to connect domestic violence survivors with housing that feels like home. You can read her full remarks here on the transformative power of safe housing."Each day that I come to work, I realize that the goal of housing is not just to provide a roof, but it is to help restore the dignity, self-respect, and the quality of life for women whose lives have been interrupted by violence," Watkins said.This event was made possible by Empowerment Sponsors CareSource and Wright-Patt Credit Union, as well as Advocate Sponsor Riegel Financial.

Still time to help

Even if you weren’t in attendance at Voices Against Violence, it is not too late to get involved this Domestic Violence Awareness Month and support YWCA Dayton’s housing department and all our related services. You can donate online any time and any amount helps.

• $1,000 ($83/month): Provides empowering clinical care to break the cycle of abuse.
• $600 ($50/month): Provides three weeks of child care for a mother in shelter
• $240 ($20/month): Provides two days of shelter
• $120 ($10/month): Provides one month of fresh, nutritious meals
• $60 ($5/month): Provides two hours of 24/7 crisis hotline operations