Heather's Hope Foundation

Heather’s Hope is actively seeking a dynamic group, or collaboration of passionate individuals, to take the Board of Directors’ reins.

Our current Board has unfortunately struggled with personal illness over the past two years. This has taken us away from Heather’s Hope vision.

We are in search of a dedicated, self-motivated group to take over duties of this successful nonprofit 501c3 organization. If you are passionate about educating our youth and our community about domestic violence and teen dating abuse, please contact Veronica Kerst at 863-409-7221

Family and Friends,
In order to avoid our friends and family being exposed to any illnesses we have decided to CANCEL our 11th Annual Purple Ribbon Run. We are still as dedicated as ever to educate our community about Teen dating abuse awareness and Domestic Violence but your safety comes first.

Please accept our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience this may cause. We are looking forward to hosting you in 2021.

Participants who have already registered will be CONTACTED in the coming days. If you have any questions, please contact us at 863-409-7221.

Thank you for understanding during these difficult times. This was a very hard decision to make, we have prayed about it. We’d like to thank each and every one of you for supporting Heather’s Hope EVERY YEAR! Let’s continue to spread awareness!!

Sincerely,

Heather’s Hope Board of Directors

Please keep Heather's sister Amy and the rest of the family in your prayers.. Sometimes we don't know why God calls on good people. Is it to save them from this world and help God to create the peaceful world we will be reunited in?

Tribute for Zackery R. Lowe | Lakeland Funeral Home Share memories & support the family

Sadly this and su***de have risen since this pandemic...

Domestic violence victims share horrific photos as 14 killed since lockdown began BRAVE women have shared pictures of their horrendous injuries to raise awareness of domestic violence, as killings in the home DOUBLED during the first three weeks of lockdown in the UK. The four w…

We are so Proud of our own Dr. Carter...

Introducing our campaign's next Community Advisory Board member -Dr. Lisa Carter! Dr. Carter is Chair and Associate Professor of Criminology at Florida Southern College, and also teaches courses for the Women and Gender Studies program. Her research interests include female criminality, corrections, and reintegration, and she is an advocate for victims and survivors of domestic violence. She is a board member for Heather's Hope Foundation, an organization that supports programs to inform teens about the dangers of dating and domestic violence. Dr. Carter also holds a position on the executive board of Bicycling In Lakeland, an advocacy group for cycling safety, awareness, and community education. She is a phenomenal community leader in !

What can be done to lessen the acts of domestic violence in our community, and how does domestic violence affect families?
Lessening acts of domestic violence can be accomplished through preventive measures, starting with educating children. This doesn’t mean explaining domestic violence to kids, but rather teaching young children healthy coping skills to manage anger and frustration early on. These preemptive teachings emphasizing conflict resolution and nonviolence will prepare them to deal with issues later in life without resorting to violence. Additionally, young girls should not be taught that if a boy picks on them that he “likes” them. This leads to girls associating teasing and possible bullying with affection. As a teen or an adult, girls who are exposed to this language will continue to believe in that association and misconstrue malice as romantic interest. Instead, affirming that affection is when someone is nice, rather than mean, could help with young females’ understanding of healthy relationships. Displaying what positive, healthy relationships look like to children can also help. If children are to observe parents, another couple, or even friends mistreating one another, they are more likely to mimic that negative behavior by assuming all relationships are that way. Presenting positive familial, friendly, and romantic relationships to children as well as an understanding of how to cope with anger and frustration early on, can result in future generations participating in healthy relationships and being more aware of unhealthy behaviors, including early signs of abuse or domestic violence.
In addition to educating children, I believe domestic violence prevention should be targeted toward teenagers. Since teenagers are at the age where more serious romantic relationships develop, it is crucial that they understand domestic violence and what it looks like. As a teen myself, I think programs that educate on domestic violence, like The Yellow Dress, are necessary and beneficial when it comes to educating young adults in an attempt to lessen domestic violence in the community. By presenting scenarios or shows that offer relatable content for teens but also caution on the warning signs of domestic violence in their own relationships or others’, teens can learn what abuse looks like, in all its forms, and what they can do to prevent it or more importantly, stop it. Since knowledge of where to get help to address domestic violence is an important aspect of ending it, I think educating teens on who to turn to for help and what organizations can provide assistance is also a valuable means of prevention.
The presence of domestic violence in families can result in deteriorated mental health in victims as well as possible bystanders, like children. It can lead to injury and, in extreme cases, the loss of a loved one. The true horror of domestic violence is its cyclical nature. When children and young adults are not taught the proper ways to handle anger or conflict, they often showcase signs of unhealthy relationships. This often presents as aggressive and/or controlling behavior, which is then observed by younger generations who learn to mirror similar behavior, thus creating a cycle of abuse. Intercepting this cycle and teaching children and teens how to avoid violence, cope with issues, notice the signs of domestic violence, and how to respond and get help will have a positive and long-term impact by decreasing domestic violence in our community.

What can be done to lessen the acts of domestic violence in our community, and how does domestic violence affect families?
Lessening acts of domestic violence can be accomplished through preventive measures, starting with educating children. This doesn’t mean explaining domestic violence to kids, but rather teaching young children healthy coping skills to manage anger and frustration early on. These preemptive teachings emphasizing conflict resolution and nonviolence will prepare them to deal with issues later in life without resorting to violence. Additionally, young girls should not be taught that if a boy picks on them that he “likes” them. This leads to girls associating teasing and possible bullying with affection. As a teen or an adult, girls who are exposed to this language will continue to believe in that association and misconstrue malice as romantic interest. Instead, affirming that affection is when someone is nice, rather than mean, could help with young females’ understanding of healthy relationships. Displaying what positive, healthy relationships look like to children can also help. If children are to observe parents, another couple, or even friends mistreating one another, they are more likely to mimic that negative behavior by assuming all relationships are that way. Presenting positive familial, friendly, and romantic relationships to children as well as an understanding of how to cope with anger and frustration early on, can result in future generations participating in healthy relationships and being more aware of unhealthy behaviors, including early signs of abuse or domestic violence.
In addition to educating children, I believe domestic violence prevention should be targeted toward teenagers. Since teenagers are at the age where more serious romantic relationships develop, it is crucial that they understand domestic violence and what it looks like. As a teen myself, I think programs that educate on domestic violence, like The Yellow Dress, are necessary and beneficial when it comes to educating young adults in an attempt to lessen domestic violence in the community. By presenting scenarios or shows that offer relatable content for teens but also caution on the warning signs of domestic violence in their own relationships or others’, teens can learn what abuse looks like, in all its forms, and what they can do to prevent it or more importantly, stop it. Since knowledge of where to get help to address domestic violence is an important aspect of ending it, I think educating teens on who to turn to for help and what organizations can provide assistance is also a valuable means of prevention.
The presence of domestic violence in families can result in deteriorated mental health in victims as well as possible bystanders, like children. It can lead to injury and, in extreme cases, the loss of a loved one. The true horror of domestic violence is its cyclical nature. When children and young adults are not taught the proper ways to handle anger or conflict, they often showcase signs of unhealthy relationships. This often presents as aggressive and/or controlling behavior, which is then observed by younger generations who learn to mirror similar behavior, thus creating a cycle of abuse. Intercepting this cycle and teaching children and teens how to avoid violence, cope with issues, notice the signs of domestic violence, and how to respond and get help will have a positive and long-term impact by decreasing domestic violence in our community.

Congratulations to our 2020 Scholarship winner!!!
AUBREY GRAYDON from Harrison School for the Arts

What can be done to lessen the acts of domestic violence in our community, and how does domestic violence affect families?
Lessening acts of domestic violence can be accomplished through preventive measures, starting with educating children. This doesn’t mean explaining domestic violence to kids, but rather teaching young children healthy coping skills to manage anger and frustration early on. These preemptive teachings emphasizing conflict resolution and nonviolence will prepare them to deal with issues later in life without resorting to violence. Additionally, young girls should not be taught that if a boy picks on them that he “likes” them. This leads to girls associating teasing and possible bullying with affection. As a teen or an adult, girls who are exposed to this language will continue to believe in that association and misconstrue malice as romantic interest. Instead, affirming that affection is when someone is nice, rather than mean, could help with young females’ understanding of healthy relationships. Displaying what positive, healthy relationships look like to children can also help. If children are to observe parents, another couple, or even friends mistreating one another, they are more likely to mimic that negative behavior by assuming all relationships are that way. Presenting positive familial, friendly, and romantic relationships to children as well as an understanding of how to cope with anger and frustration early on, can result in future generations participating in healthy relationships and being more aware of unhealthy behaviors, including early signs of abuse or domestic violence.
In addition to educating children, I believe domestic violence prevention should be targeted toward teenagers. Since teenagers are at the age where more serious romantic relationships develop, it is crucial that they understand domestic violence and what it looks like. As a teen myself, I think programs that educate on domestic violence, like The Yellow Dress, are necessary and beneficial when it comes to educating young adults in an attempt to lessen domestic violence in the community. By presenting scenarios or shows that offer relatable content for teens but also caution on the warning signs of domestic violence in their own relationships or others’, teens can learn what abuse looks like, in all its forms, and what they can do to prevent it or more importantly, stop it. Since knowledge of where to get help to address domestic violence is an important aspect of ending it, I think educating teens on who to turn to for help and what organizations can provide assistance is also a valuable means of prevention.
The presence of domestic violence in families can result in deteriorated mental health in victims as well as possible bystanders, like children. It can lead to injury and, in extreme cases, the loss of a loved one. The true horror of domestic violence is its cyclical nature. When children and young adults are not taught the proper ways to handle anger or conflict, they often showcase signs of unhealthy relationships. This often presents as aggressive and/or controlling behavior, which is then observed by younger generations who learn to mirror similar behavior, thus creating a cycle of abuse. Intercepting this cycle and teaching children and teens how to avoid violence, cope with issues, notice the signs of domestic violence, and how to respond and get help will have a positive and long-term impact by decreasing domestic violence in our community.

When this issue of Ms. was published, the phrases "battered woman" and "domestic violence" were just entering the language, and the women's movement was organizing the first shelters, and pressing for the first police responses and laws. Now, the frontier is realizing that domestic violence is the most reliable indicator of all violence -- in the street or military violence against another country -- because it normalizes the idea that violence is an inevitable or an acceptable way of solving conflict. Violence begins in the home, and it must end there. For instance, right now in this global pandemic, domestic violence is increasing in every country that reports it. Why is that? Because hierarchy, the idea that one group has a right to dominate another, begins in the home. This is a dramatic illustration of the need to uproot hierarchy everyday. Child or adult, male or female, whatever our so-called race or class, we are each a unique part of a circle.

Join me for a tonight at 8PM ET. Hosted by The Meteor and Refinery29.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdF48ZO_KKg&feature=youtu.be

So sad!!

END OF WATCH 🙏| Indiana officer Breann Leath died after being shot while investigating a domestic violence call. The 24-year-old mother served in the National Guard and grew up in a law enforcement family wanting to be an officer her whole life. 8.wfla.com/34qYhL0

Our past speaker! Freddie Stevenson...

An amazingly inspiring story! (I do not own the rights to this music) Freddie Stevenson details a story from his childhood that motivated him and built the foundation for his unbelievable journey. This is just one of many of hi...

Resources for domestic violence survivors in Polk County 💕 As we all know, love can be pretty tough, and it can be even tougher to understand it from an outside perspective – especially when abuse is suspected.

Spending the morning educating the students at Florida Southern College

This Moving Company Helps Women Leave Abusive Homes At No Cost A California moving company has been donating its time and labor to help victims of domestic violence move safely and quickly.

Ignoring The Red Flags ​5 Signs That You Are In A "Gaslighting" Relationship

Freddie Stevenson thank you for continuing to mentor!!!

Fuoco: Bartow's Stevenson relates his own trials and triumphs in new book “The biggest thing I want readers to take away from this book is that you may fail at the goals you set for yourself, but you still can find a

$20K Awarded To Help Build Pet-Friendly Domestic Violence Shelter Long Island's first pet-friendly domestic violence shelter is set to be completed in 2020.

A new helpline for male victims of domestic abuse has been launched today Domestic abuse can be physical, emotional or financial.

Ok Supporters!! There is a survivor who is in safe housing.. Now she need some items... 863-409-7221 call me and I will get them to her...

Heather’s Hope Photos from the 10th Annual 5k

Peace River Center Domestic Violence Shelter | Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence Click ESCAPE to quickly leave this site at any time. For immediate assistance, please call the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-500-1119 or TDD (800) 621-4202

View more photo's at http://www.facebook.com/amdvadvocate

Hello all!! I am receiving messages in reference to the keychain in your runner bag. “What is this keychain?” I am posting a video on how to use your all in one keychain, phone stand & phone cleaner.
I’m sure if we asked our kids they would know. 🤣 Share the video so all us older then 15 know what it’s for!

Custom Orbit Phone Stand Cleaner Combo Key Tag – Promotional Tech Accessories by 4imprint Welcome to 4imprint’s online videos. My name is Cat, and today we’re talking about the Orbit Phone Stand Cleaner Combo Key Tag. Get your logo seen with a cus...

Want to be apart of the Red Tent Women's Initiative? Join us at our informational session on October 30th from 6-7pm or November 5th from 2-3pm!

Thank you CitrusConnection!!

Thank you CitrusConnection We love seeing your group every year!!! We are making your first picture our cover photo!!

Taking this time to say thank you for everyone who has purchased your early bird Tickets to Momma’s Hurtful Christmas! You can purchase them here 👇🏽MHchristmas.eventbrite.com

I’m so excited to see this!!

Momma’s Hurtful Christmas In Jerod Taylor’s newest stage play Momma’s Hurtful Christmas you will see a family being held together by the power of a mother’s love.