News & Events

UPCOMING EVENTS

Go to survivor stories to hear Amy's moving story Dear Porchlight Friends, On Sept. 7, 2011, a Porchlight client, Amy, bravely shared her story in an interview with WGN-TV. You can now see that story on this website, by clicking the tab called survivor stories. Amy was assaulted after being drugged by someone she knew at her college - an all-too-familiar story. Amy moved us all with the incredible courage and grace she demonstrated throughout the telling of her story. The WGN producer asked Amy if she had a message for other survivors. Amy said: "There’s help for you. I understand why you have not said anything. But you have every right in the world to say something. And your voice needs to be heard. Because what happened to you should never have happened. And your power should never have been taken away. You deserve to have every strength within you built back up because your power can be undeniable." If you would like to share your story or words of encouragement with Amy, you can do so at: info@porchlightcounseling.org. Diana Newton Executive Director "Havana Nights" raises enough to provide 350 hours of counseling A big thanks to everyone who supported our "Havana Nights" benefit April 9. We raised enough to provide 350 hours of counseling to survivors of college sexual assault. Counseling is provided at no charge to our student survivors, thanks to the generosity of the individuals, student groups, businesses, civic groups and foundations that support us. You can always support the mission and work of Porchlight by clicking on the Donate button above and making a secure donation through PayPal. A special thanks to Harris myCFO for sponsoring our event! Check out our photo album at our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Porchlight-Counseling-Services/333360810144 VNA Foundation Awards $35,000 Grant! Porchlight will be able to provide crucial help to 40 survivors of college sexual assault thanks to the generosity of The Visiting Nurse Association of Chicago Foundation! The VNA Foundation Board of Directors has awarded a grant of $35,000 to Porchlight. This is the largest foundation grant Porchlight has received in our six-year history. VNA is a well-respected funder in Chicago, with a rigorous application process. That makes this grant a huge milestone and a validation of our organization and of our work with survivors. From 1890 to 1995, the Visiting Nurse Association of Chicago employed its own nurses and other health professionals to provide health care to the underprivileged. Now, the VNA Foundation operates exclusively as a grantmaking foundation, giving financial support to nonprofit organizations offering home- and community-based care to the underserved. Survivors of sexual assault on a college campus are an underserved population, which fits with the mission of the VNA Foundation. Survivors often encounter waiting lists on campus when they seek counseling, and they do not have the money to pay for private counseling. VNA truly understands the need for a free and community-based program of high-quality counseling for college sexual assault survivors. At Porchlight, we have skilled therapists located throughout Chicagoland so that help is available in the student's own community. We also address the financial barriers student survivors face by providing a free program of counseling. Our counseling program helps survivors stay in school and return to good mental health. Thank you, thank you, thank you, VNA Foundation, and thank you to all of our wonderful supporters! Peet's Coffee raises over $2,000 for PCS! The wonderful customers of Peet's Coffee & Tea in Evanston really came through for us in December! Peet's is donating more than $2,000 to Porchlight through a charity drive they hosted on our behalf Dec. 17-24. The money was raised through donations from customers and a company match of $1,000. Peet's also invited Porchlight to meet with customers Dec. 24, and we received such terrific support and encouragement that day. Many people donated or offered their help. Evanston is a great community! The money raised at Peet's will provide 57 free sessions of high-quality mental-health counseling to college sexual assault survivors! Porchlight relies on community support to provide counseling free of charge to survivors. It takes just minutes to make a donation online through our secure system. Just click on the Donate tab on the top of this page. Thank you to all of our wonderful supporters. We could not do this work without you! Here is what one survivor recently wrote about the help she received because of you: “My therapist made sure I always felt supported, and I looked forward to my time with her each week. I have learned to be much more assertive and stand up for what I need, want, and deserve. I struggled with feeling ashamed, and Porchlight definitely helped me overcome it. The fact that I could receive free counseling was very helpful since I am a college student with limited disposable income. I probably would not have gotten therapy without Porchlight. Thank you for making this service available. It was invaluable in my healing process." Porchlight Youth Leaders Support Survivors at Event The new Porchlight Youth Leadership Council hosted a terrific back-to-school Speak Out Sept. 23 at The Celtic Knot in Evanston to support survivors and raise awareness about the epidemic of sexual assault on campus. From left are Council members Cameron Custard and Ann Terrell, Loyola; Sarah Crocker, Northwestern; and Aubrey Aden-Buie, who graduated from Penn State and who was an awesome athlete there. Pasinee Bhavilai, University of Illinois at Chicago student and Youth Leadership Council member. Northwestern was well represented at our Speak Out! Laura Stuart isn't pictured here, but she did a fantastic job speaking! Laura is Northwestern's coordinator of sexual health education and violence prevention. Thank you, Laura! And thank you SHAPE members for attending. SHAPE stands for Sexual Health and Assault Peer Educators. Debbie Evans, left, an owner of The Celtic Knot in Evanston, was a wonderful hostess for our event. Thank you, Debbie, and the terrific crew at Celtic Knot! Debbie is joined by Maureen Broom, center, a Porchlight Board member, and Kelly Frey Siddiqui, extraordinary Porchlight volunteer. Participants at the Porchlight back-to-school Speak Out braided bands to attach to a backpack or purse or wear in your hair to show support for ending sexual assault on college campuses. Thanks to the generous Evanston community, we had some nice raffle prizes, including gift certificates for the fabulous Pete Miller's and Celtic Knot restaurants in Evanston. Be sure to stop in for a great meal and tell them thank you for supporting Porchlight! The Porchlight Quarterly June 2011 Newsletter Sign-up to receive Porchlight Counseling Services' newsletter electronically Stay connected to Porchlight!! Become a fan of Porchlight Counseling Services on Facebook Follow Porchlight Counseling Services on Twitter

::Interview with Jaclyn Friedman of 'Yes Means Yes' discussing campus rape::
Archived in 'Health Styles' from Friday, 3/19
Writer, activist, and survivor, Jaclyn Friedman, responds to the reports from the Center for Public Integrity and NPR, discusses how campuses fail student survivors of sexual assault, and recommends where to go from here.

In March, 2010, Porchlight Counseling Services held a training for the members of their first Youth Leadership Council. Through campus and community outreach and fundraising, the council will work to establish an allegiance of colleges across the greater Chicagoland area that promotes sexual assault awareness, facilitates dialogue about how campuses respond to sexual assaults, and creates an inclusive network of resources for sexual assault survivors.

Meet Porchlight's Youth Leadership Council!

::NPR News Investigations and the Center for Public Integrity teamed up to examine the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses::
Recently, the Center for Public Integrity and NPR conducted an investigation into campus sexual assault and how schools are failing students.
Read the Center for Public Integrity's Findings Here

Listen to NPR's Series of Reports Here

::Celebrating MLK Day::

Volunteers gathered at Porchlight's office on MLK Day to make
(k)no(w)more bracelets which promote awareness and non-violence
while raising funds for counseling.