Fri Apr 29 2016, 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
“My boyfriend beat me up a lot. Learning about these warning signs and talking to you all really helped me. I’m glad I got out of that relationship before it was too late”
These are three simple, yet daunting sentences written on a program evaluation for the Relationship Education: A Choice for Hope (REACH) Program by a 9th grade student. They convey the importance of violence prevention and early intervention programs like those provided by Between Friends. Through the REACH program, we have educated more than 100,000 young people, like this 9th grader, and their adult supporters on the essential skills necessary to build healthy relationships.
For 30 years, Between Friends has been working to break the cycle of domestic violence and build a community free of abuse by supporting children, youth and adults through its crisis intervention and prevention education programs. The REACH program is grounded in best practices and has been evaluated to be effective in improving healthy relationship skills, increasing knowledge of warning signs and dynamics of abusive relationships, and enabling teens to take real action in their lives and communities to end abuse. The key to our success is simple: we provide education and information and then partner with young people to lead the change.
One of those youth-led activities is an art show conceived entirely by our Youth Leaders. The Art of Relationship: Sparking Conversations will feature artwork created by young people to reflect their own views on relationships.
The preview event and fundraiser will take place from 7 – 10 PM on Friday, April 29th at the Jackson Junge Gallery in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. The event will afford guests the opportunity to view this unique artwork and interact with some of the young artists. The evening will include food & drinks, a brief program, and interactive entertainment including a silent auction. This is truly an opportunity for guests and sponsors to invest in the voices of Chicago’s young people as they spark a conversation about healthy relationships and help us build a community where equality, safety, and justice exists in all relationships.
To purchase tickets for this event: www.betweenfriendschicago.org
Location
Jackson Junge Gallery
1389 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60622