Dove, Inc.

Results from the 2018 Point-in-Time survey were released at Thursdays' Community Breakfast.  It was great to see so many who made time in their schedules to be there and to be up to date on some of the homelessness statistics for Macon County.    Each January, the Macon County Continuum of Care conducts a 24-hour survey to seek the most up to date numbers on homelessness in Macon County.  The results of that survey  for 2018, were released at the 2018 Community Breakfast on March 22, 2018.  Please check our website for the complete results:  www.doveinc.org (And for the past 11 years reports.)   But a few highlights shared at that breakfast not showing up on the report: people from various agencies are already working to reach out to those who are homeless with an individualized effort of help never give up, you don't know which time someone is approached by a caring concerned staff that the person will be ready for a differe...

Spring is coming… time of rebirth in nature...flowers coming up, grass becoming green again, leaves sprouting on all our trees and bushes. It is a customary time to think of spring cleaning in our homes and offices. But how about some sprucing up for ourselves? If you, or someone you know, have unresolved issues regarding family abuse, this is a great time to "clean house" and find a new outlook on life. Issues we don’t deal with can become bigger and darker over the years. Our program here in Shelby County, as in all our counties, is free and completely confidential. We are here for both individual and group counseling for adults and for children. We would be happy to meet with you to talk about your issues and to develop a plan to make this your best spring and summer ever. Give us a call at 217.774.4888 or 217.774.3121 to make an appointment or to have your questions answered. -Susie Kensil, Shelby County Coordinator

WNCF is located in the MAX office for  Macon and DeWitt Counties Macon County Assistance eXchange, located inside of Decatur First United Methodist Church, 201 W. North, Decatur Open Monday - Thursday, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Below are the current Income Guidelines for Weatherization and Bill Payment Assistance. Families must show proof of income. A family's monthly gross income must fall between the ranges below, based upon family size, to qualify. Power must be on/ Bill must be current/no old bills No help from DMCOC/LiHeap/Pipp in the last twelve months Must meet income guidelines Must have proof of hardship and 60 days of paystubs Family Size 30-Day (Gross) Monthly Income Range Must be between: 1          $1,508 - $3,016 2          $2,030 - $4,060 3          $2,533 - $5,106 4  ...

Training is available for individuals interested in educating themselves on the issues surrounding domestic violence. The training will take place April 30 through May 16, Monday through Thursday afternoons from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., in Decatur, at Dove, 302 S. Union, Dean Simcox Conference Room. This 40-hour training is approved by ICADV, Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence. This training is being facilitated by two Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professionals, one of whom is also an Illinois Certified Partner Abuse Intervention Professional. There is a $150 fee for the training, with some scholarships available. To register, contact Barbara Blakey at 217.428.6616. A phone interview starts the process and needs to take place by Noon, Monday, April 23. Individuals interested in making a difference in the lives of victims and children served by Dove’s Domestic Violence Program are encouraged to participate in this training. Be an advocate for peace in...

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Here are a few signs to watch for: 　 A person who is in a violent relationship often is: afraid of her partner’s temper* afraid to break up because her partner has threatened to hurt himself or others constantly apologizing for or defending her partner’s behavior afraid to disagree with her partner isolated from family or friends embarrassed in front of others because of her partner’s words or actions intimidated by her partner and coerced into having sex * Pronoun choices reflect the fact that over 95% of the perpetrators of domestic violence are male. 　 A person who exhibits violent behavior in a relationship often: has an explosive temper is possessive or jealous of his partner’s time, friends, and/or family constantly criticizes his partner’s thoughts, feelings, or appearance pinches, slaps, grabs, shoves, or throws things at his partner coerces or intimidates his partner into having sex blames his partner for his own ...

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, which always makes me sad.     When I think of teens, I conjure up positive images of school, college applications, music and fashion, earning a driver’s license, crazy fun with friends, mood swings, that first crush, and steady growth into independence and adulthood - NOT violence and fear.   However, for many teens, dating violence is a terrifying reality.   The statistics are staggering.   According to Love Is Respect, the National Teen Dating Violence Helpline , 1.5 million high school students experience physical abuse from a dating partner every year.   One in three adolescents in the U. S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner.   Use of technology to coerce, stalk, and blackmail teen partners is increasingly common in abusive teen relationships.   Girls and young women between the ages of 16 and 24 experience the highest rates of intimate par...

Looking for ways to be involved with the programs of Dove, Inc.?  Here are some idea to get you thinking! giving time   pray for our clients attend our events read our email newsletter share our email newsletter with family and friends like our facebook page share our tweets read our news feed on the website www.doveinc.org read our blog memorize hot-line numbers to share with someone in need   giving talents   serve on advisory committees serve as Congregation’s Delegate volunteer for BABES, next training in Spring of 2018 volunteer for Domestic Violence Program, next training in Spring, April 30 - May 16, 2018 volunteer for RSVP, 80+ agencies and organizations to help and make a difference for the community volunteer for MAX, Macon County Assistance exchange program volunteer for the 2018 Point-In-Time count of area homeless individuals and families, January 25, 2018 volunteer for the Childr...