By Sunny Lim
Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence (BTSADV) is a national organization — our volunteers are located all across the United States, and we support all survivors. BTSADV offers a variety of programs and opportunities for survivors and allies.
There are many ways to get involved with our organization. You can bring BTSADV to your local community by sharing about our services or participating in our programs directly.
Social media
Giving us a like, comment, or a share on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube channel helps us spread more information about our programs, survivors’ stories, and education about domestic violence to more people.
Tell your story
If you or other people in your community are survivors and feel comfortable with sharing your story, we want to hear your raw truth about domestic violence. You can share your story here or email socialmedia@breakthesilencedv.org.
Donate
You can make a one-time donation or a recurring one here. Your donation will help survivors and family members affected by domestic violence. A little goes a long way.
Educate
Learning about the signs of domestic violence and safety planning is helpful to know for yourself and others. BTSADV’s “The Survivor Source” has insightful articles ranging from stories about survivors to PTSD treatment and other topics related to domestic violence. We also have domestic violence awareness videos as well. Feel free to share these resources within your community — your neighbors, students, and schools.
Holidays of Hope
During the holiday season, we adopt angel babies — children who have lost their parents to domestic violence. We give them gifts from their wish lists and spread holiday cheer. You can join us by signing up for the Holidays of Hope program.
Angel Scholarships
BTSADV offers annual scholarships in memory of our angels who have lost their lives to domestic violence. Each scholarship is named after our angels to honor their memory. For scholarship eligibility, applicants must have a minimum 2.0 GPA and have been affected by domestic violence as a survivor or as a family member. In your community, you can involve BTSADV by sharing information about our Angel Scholarships with your local high schools, universities, and trade schools.
Volunteer
At BTSADV, our volunteers form the backbone of our organization. Get involved with us by volunteering or sharing these opportunities with people in your community. Fill out our volunteering application, and email Daphne at Daphne@breakthesilencedv.org.
Here are some of our current volunteering opportunities:
- Survivor helpline: answer phone calls during your scheduled date,
- Ambassador: represent BTSADV in your community through tabling at events, sharing our resources with local organizations, and posting on social media about our programs,
- Volunteer advocate: welcome new clients at our Colorado office, respond to messages on our social media accounts, promote our services, and track client intake,
- Regional social media champion: post and engage with members of our private Facebook pages,
- Social media admin (Twitter and Instagram): manage our Twitter/Instagram page, share content about domestic violence, interact with followers.
Retreats
We offer two annual retreats — our Survivor Sister Retreat and Legacy Families Retreat.
Our Survivor Sister Retreat is offered to women affected by domestic violence. The retreat offers workshops and group activities to empower and connect survivor sisters. The retreat encourages survivors’ healing, personal development, and awareness of mental health. For applying, survivors must fill out the retreat application, pay the registration fee, and cover their travel expenses.
Our Legacy Families Retreat offers a place of healing to families who lost their loved ones to domestic violence. Family members are encouraged to share memories, learn healthy ways to cope with grief and connect with other families at the retreat. Families must also fill out an application for the retreat.
Please share information about our retreats with members of your community and local domestic violence agencies, so more survivors are aware.
Fundraising
You can reach out to us here for the fundraising guidelines, or you can organize a community event such as a walk-a-thon to raise donations on the behalf of BTSADV.
We are thankful to everyone who supports BTSADV and our mission whether it’s through donations, time, or sharing about us in your community.
If you’re interested in volunteering with Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence, visit: https://breakthesilencedv.org/volunteer/.
