Meet Aspen! Certified Therapy Dog.

Thank you all for your unwavering support of Aspen, our agency Therapy Dog. 

Having Aspen at the office to provide support to victims/survivors of violence and their familes along the journey of healing has been such an amazing experience.  We know how much she helps our clients feel loved, safe and supported. However, when a crisis hit home in April, we had the opportunity to experience that support for ourselves. 

On April 10, 2024, our Fair Haven family experienced the devasting and unexpected loss of our beloved staff member, Kyle Matthews.  Kyle began his journey with Fair Haven on November 29, 2021 as a victim advocate and was promoted to Crisis Response Coordinator on August 5, 2023.  He allowed our clients a safe and kind presence which assisted many along their journey of recovery. He and Aspen were great friends!

On that day, we had an entire crisis center in crisis.  To care for our hurting staff, we did what we felt was in the best interest of all- we canceled all appointments and closed the office- that day- and for the next two days.  We leaned hard on our volunteer team of advocates and other trained community partners to assist us with keeping the 24/hr crisis line & response operational. Thank you to all who stepped up and stepped in to fill the gap!

On Friday, April 12, we all gathered back together at the office for a time of honoring Kyle, supporting one another and participated in a Critical Incident Debriefing. We held two groups- one for staff and one for clients. Aspen was present and hugged on some, layed at on top of feet to provide grounding for others and gave snuggles to everyone over all.  Her calm presence was priceless.  She would stare into the eyes of the person and just soak up their pain.  

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratituded to our many community partners who brought us food, tissues, snuggle blankets and sent us flowers, well wishes, prayers and hugs.  This work takes a community and we can not do this alone!  We are grareful for each of you. We would also like to extend our deepest condolences to Kyle's family.  We are praying for you.

As we begin to pull ourselves forward, we ask you keep us in your thoughts and prayers.  Grief does ot have a timeline and it comes in waves.  Aspen and our staff are back at work and striving each day to fulfill our Purpose and Mission.  

Again, thank you for your support of Aspen.  Her services are 100% supported through community donations.  We would not have her services available without your continued support. 

January starts off with a bang as HumanTrafficking Awareness Month.  Human Trafficking is built on the economic principles of supply and demand.  Byers who are willing to pay for commercial sex acts make the market profitable.  Traffickers will seek to capitalize on this market by manipulating and luring victims into trafficking to meet the demand of the byers.  Commonly traffickers will build a relationship with a victim in efforts to understand their desires and vulnerabilities and foster emotional attachment.  The trafficker may use these desires and vulnerabilities to manipulate the victim, isolate them from friends and family and use force, violence, threats, or intimidation to control the victim.  Historically, because victims faced negative public stigma and often risked criminalization for the crime committed against them, assistance escaping the life seemed unattainable, further marginalizing them and committing them to a life of abuse and exploitation.

Fair Haven RCC's team of dedicated and committed advocates strive to "interrupt" this process by attacking the problem from all sides.  First, Prevention/Education, who in 2023, provided front line education to 22,592 students! Fair Haven provides primary prevention/education programming in schools FREE of Charge. We have age appropriate curricular for grades K-12 that educates on LURES and fosters problem solving. 

Second, we are here to walk side by side with survivors along the entire journey.  Our Direct Services team, in 2022, served 498 victims/survivors and 37 of those were identified survivors of trafficking and provided 7.911 services to those survivors. From disclosure, through the judicial system and through out the recovery process. 

Even Aspen has attended Federal Court to support a survivor during trail.  She loves leaning against a survivor to support them through the difficult times.  Third, we advocate against trafficking by speaking up and speaking out about the facts/myths of trafficking here in Indiana and throughout our nation. 

Thank you for your continued suport of Aspen as she loves and supports our survivors and our staff.  Without your unwavering support, we could not offer this program.  

• 2023 Impact Letter (PDF)