‘We’re Here For You’ non-profit giving support

Group provides comfort kits, helps victims of sexual assault and intimate partner violence

By Jim Dumville – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Arecently created nonprofit has partnered with New Brunswick hospital emergency rooms to provide comfort and needed supplies to victims of sexual assault and family violence.

Founder Sarah Sherman’s chosen name for the fundraising organization, which has served Woodstock and the Upper River Valley for over a year, explains its focus.

“We’re Here For You,” the non-profit works with emergency rooms and Forensic Nurse Examiners to deliver comfort kits to victims of sexual assault and intimate-partner violence.

“We provide comfort kits,” explained Heather Neilson-Furrow, who joined Sherman as the group’s executive assistant. The kits include “toiletries and immediate personal care, new clothing, and gift cards for fuel, meals, food, etc., to those who see the Nurse Examiner.”

Sherman said she initiated the idea for the non-profit in December 2021 on a “Giving Tuesday.”

“I wanted to fundraise for a cause,” she explained. “I wanted to contribute to the community and help others. The kits do that.”

As a former victim herself several years ago in Nanaimo, B.C., Sherman said she fully under- stands the trauma, fear and devastation sexual assault and intimate-partner-violence victims face when they arrive at emergency rooms.

She remembers being lost psychologically and emotionally, not to mention the financial and social loss, when forced to leave everything behind to escape the abuse and pain.

“It took everything,” Sherman said. “I had nothing.”

She remembers staff searching around to finally find an ill-fitting bright pink velour outfit for her to wear and a few personal items. We’re Here For You — Comfort Kit Program is designed to alleviate at least some of these victims’ incredible burdens and embarrassment.

On Wednesday, April 5, Sherman and NeilsonFurrow visited Vitality Massage and Bodywork in downtown Woodstock to pick up a donation from owner Michele Arsenault.

Arsenault said her business, which offers therapeutic massage, TCM acupuncture, nutritional coaching, reflexology, Reiki, Bodytalk, NLP and alternative healing services, held an open house and fundraiser.

While the open house helped celebrate Vitality’s first anniversary and bring awareness to the health services she and her staff deliver, Arsenault also wanted to raise funds and bring awareness to a deserving non-profit.

She said Vitality’s wellness educator Kelly Haley brought the We’re Here For You — Comfort Kit Program to her attention, and she knew it was a cause that needed support.

Through donations from visitors to the open house and support from other downtown businesses, Vitality raised money for the non-profit.

Arsenault stressed the importance of giving credit to her many business neighbours who provided prizes and support. They included Mother Nature’s Market, RPM Innovations, Vie Boutique, Covey Basics, Looks Unlimited, East Coast Soaps, Whole Body Wellness, Cakes by the Lakes and Harlen Brews.

Neilson-Furrow said We’re Here For You has served Woodstock and the Upper River Valley for over a year and a half, and their support continues growing.

“We are grateful for any support from the community and have been supported by the Rotaract Club of Woodstock and River Valley Caring Communities,” she said. “This is a grant and donationbased program — there are no barriers involved to those who need help — the nurses have com- plete autonomy to help their patients with the kits we provide.”

Neilson-Furrow said the program’s service areas continue to expand, noting they now provide kits to the Upper River Valley Hospital, Dr. Edward Chalmers Hospital and Saint John Regional Hospital.

Sherman said other hospitals in New Brunswick, plus some in P.E.I. and Nova Scotia, are interested.

Because of the interest from outside the province, she said they’ve opted to apply to register the program as a federal non-profit, which is still pending.

Sherman said the program keeps emergency rooms stocked with the kits in the form of three different totes offering new clothing in various sizes, shoes, personal items, gift cards for gas, food and other items.

Neilson noted the kits also include items for children.

While the kits won’t eradicate the pain and suffering of victims, Sherman said they would at least relieve some of the victims’ worries and demonstrate someone is on their side.

She explained the Forensic Nurses and other hospital staff do what they can, but their resources and time are limited. She added many victims have no support network of friends or family.

Sherman said some victims might opt to travel to emergency rooms outside their area to escape the stigma in the home community.

In addition to the comfort kits, Sherman said the program works with groups, such as the provincial government’s “Love Shouldn’t Hurt” program to provide youth awareness about sexual and intimate partner violence.

“Hopefully,” said Neilson-Furrow, “we can teach them to watch for red flags.”

Neilson-Furrow and Sherman expressed appreciation for the support of Vitality, the other downtown business, and the many others who stepped forward in their first year.

“We are grateful for any support from the community and have been supported by the Rotaract Club of Woodstock and River Valley Caring Communities,” NeilsonFurrow said.

Sherman said anyone wishing to support the program could find a donate button and information on their website werehereforyou.ca and keep up-to-date on their Facebook site.