About Us

First Steps To Heal was founded in 2021 by a group of 3 women who wanted to be an advocate for change for domestic violence survivors in their county. So we created an organization laser focused on saving survivors while decreasing mental and emotional trauma to the children involved.

 

First Steps To Heal’s mission is to provide immediate assistance and emergency shelter via extended hotel stays to low-income survivors of intimate partner violence who are in fear of their life and need to escape a violent situation. Our organization's goal is to increase the amount of available shelter beds in Westchester County, NY for domestic violence survivors and their dependent children.

 

Through strategic partnerships survivors will have access to legal services, mental health counseling, economic empowerment programs, work readiness programs, and child care assistance.  Our vision is to save domestic violence survivors and to put an end to childhood trauma as a result of witnessing the abuse of a loved one.

 

We are committed to the following goals:

❤︎  To ensure that survivors of intimate partner violence have immediate access to emergency shelter 

❤︎  To ensure that every survivor we help has enough time to become independent from their abuser through an extended hotel stay

❤︎  To provide access to community resources that will further assist the survivor

To collaborate with other agencies and organizations to create a stronger network of free resources for the survivor and there dependent children

❤︎  To work with police agencies to inform them on the best practices to assist a domestic violence survivor in need of immediate assistance

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A Peaceful Nights Info Session

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Board of Directors

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Jaquetta Jenkins - President

Jo Ann Rossano - Vice President

Sarah m. Ryan - Secretary

Adam Kintish - Treasurer

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Advisory Board Members

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Catherine Lepone

Susana Castillo

Susan Eisenstein

Wendy Wollner

Ann Feder

Cheryl Greenstein

Michele Goldmeer

Marion Henson

Tamara Pena

Ayana Woods

Isabel Grossman

Althema Goodson

Guylaine Harrison

Gregory Jenkins

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