By Andrea Gorzell Hickey | Manager of Institutional Giving
“I feel I’m dealing with my stress in a very different way. I feel so calm after meditation, it is very hard for me to get into confrontations with anyone [as I] do to all the things that I have to do on a daily basis with courts, and therapists, and caseworkers, and all the madness of that domestic violence... I feel hopeful, I can see that I’m happier, and to be honest with you, it’s like life that has been grey for so long became back to colors. I can see colors in my life right now.”
-- Andrea, a victim of domestic violence who learned TM at the Brooklyn Family Justice Center
Thank you for your support of the David Lynch Foundation’s outreach at the Brooklyn Family Justice Center.
Through your generous support, the David Lynch Foundation has taught 57 domestic abuse surviors and staff members at the Brooklyn Family Justice Center (BFJC) Transcendental Meditation – a cost-effective, non-religious technique for reducing stress and enhancing intelligence and creativity.
While we are only five months into our partnership with BFJC, we already have a waiting list for eager participants. The first TM course at BFJC was held in April for 21 clients and staff members, who we have invited to learn not only for their own wellbeing, but so they can refer clients who they believe will benefit from TM. In June, we held a second course for 22 women, and most recently a third course for 14 Spanish-speaking clients. These initial instructions have been overwhelmingly positive. So much so, that at the request of the Family Justice Center and New York City Commissioner Yolanda Jimenez, we will be expanding programming in the upcoming months with new courses for clients and staff at the Bronx Family Justice Center.
In other exciting news, DLF’s was recently awarded a $58,000 Grant from the Avon Foundation for Women to support our new partnership with the New York City Family Justice Center. Avon’s generous support will allow for an additional 50 domestic abuse survivors and 20 staff members at the Brooklyn Family Justice Center to learn TM over the next six months.
Instructions are going extremely well and both staff and clients are noticing immediate results. One client reported that, when meditating, she felt like she was “floating in a cushion of peace” and that the peacefulness was a protection for her against all the negativity around her. One of the staff members said that she was “sleeping the whole night through,” something she hadn't been able to do in years; she deeply appreciated the opportunity to do something to care for herself.
Again, THANK YOU. These domestic abuse survivors were able learn Transcendental Meditation, a proven stress-reducing modality, because of the generosity of people like you.
If you would like more information on these or our other programs, please feel free to contact:
Andrea Gorzell Hickey
Manager of Institutional Giving for
The David Lynch Foundation
(212) 644-9880 ext. 209 or andrea@davidlynchfoundation.org
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