Dove, Inc.

For the last several weeks in one of our domestic violence support groups, we have been discussing the idea of loving ourselves better as a way of healing from domestic abuse as well as walking through life with healthier relationships.   Interestingly enough, this topic came about as a bi-product of other questions.   I, as an advocate, had been asked by several clients what a good man looked like or how you can tell whether a man is good or bad.   What I was hearing was a longing to know what we should be looking for in a good relationship.   So I initially set off to cover the topic of what a “Good Mate” looked like.   There was only one problem though.   I quickly realized I would be spinning my wheels if we didn’t first start with whether we loved ourselves well or not.   We could spend all the time in the world looking at what a good relationship or romantic partner might look like, but it wouldn’t do much good if our clients had a poor o...

10.  Get a flyer off the website, ( www.doveinc.org ) and go to Bob Evans on the 20th of  each month and dine.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, in-between for pie, it would all count to help the Homeward Bound Program and their work with individuals and families who were homeless. 9.  Get a group together who is looking for a project to help out at one of the facilities.  Look at the project page on the website for ideas and then work with staff on the specifics to match your groups' skills and resources to the needs of Dove.   www.doveinc.org 8.  Think about your fall schedule and see if the BABES program might be a good fit for you to volunteer.  You need to love children and be want to watch them grow by providing them valuable life skill lesson; be available during traditional school times, about a hour a week for a 6 week commitment.  Learn more about the BABES program from the website www.doveinc.or...

There is beauty in summer, the sun, the birds, the flowers, picnics and barbeques, and a bit of nostalgia for quieter days of childhood. Summer for a person in need, however, can be one of the scariest times. In summer, a parent who is struggling to support children has to find child care.   They have to take care of those babies reliably to allow him or her to get to work. One to two meals which used to be provided by school lunch programs 5 days a week, now have to be provided for from the same small budget that was barely getting them by. In summer, a child pulls out last year’s shorts and discovers they no longer fit, while mom looks at her bus fare and has to decide between clothing her child or getting to work. In summer, many children will languish inside for lack of safe or stimulating places to keep active.   And they will fall further behind higher-income peers who are engaged in summer learning opportunities.   In summer, an older adult in need looks at ...