October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month! Purple is the color for #DVAwareness
Community Block Party for DV Awareness will take place from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm on Saturday, October 5th on Union Street in Troy, NY. Union Street is adjacent to the Unity House DV Services office at 504 Broadway in downtown Troy. There will food vendors, games, and activities to bring the community together. There will also be resources available for victims.
We are thrilled to honor Cynthia Urbach of Families in Need of Assistance with the Outstanding Volunteer Award for service, advocacy, and action and the Boys & Girls Club of the Capital Area with the Outstanding Community Partner Award for youth empowerment.
About our Honorees
Cynthia Urbach is a champion of survivors of domestic violence. As someone who understands the needs of survivors and the challenges of establishing safety, Ms. Urbach’s advocacy and action have been key in not only helping people directly, but in creating greater awareness among institutional partners about the issue of DV and how to best meet the needs of survivors. In establishing Families in Need of Assistance (FINA), where she serves as Executive Director, she helped develop the first Zero Tolerance Policy for Domestic Violence in the Albany Police Department and created domestic violence training for judges in the NY State Office of Court Administration. The work of FINA often provides services that are not available elsewhere. In this way, FINA plays a vital role in addressing unique needs. Unity House is proud to honor Cynthia Urbach with the 2019 Outstanding Volunteer Award for service, advocacy, and action.
The Boys & Girls Club is a key collaborator with Unity House and others. The club provides services and programs to help young people make positive life choices. Staff work closely with Unity House’s Domestic Violence Services program to teach youth about healthy relationships, where to get help, and steps we can all take to work toward a culture without abuse. The club’s focus on empowering youth to develop self-confidence and self-esteem has tremendous impact. In addition to their work on the issue of Teen DV, the Club, along with their Albany counterpart, is at the heart of many community partnerships that benefit children. Unity House is proud to honor the Boys & Girls Club of the Capital Area with the Outstanding Community Partner award. Accepting the award on behalf of the group is Mr. Patrick Doyle, Director of the club located in downtown Troy, NY.