Service Learning Proposal for Animal Safehouse of Brevard
By: Sophia Graniela
September 21, 2010
Meredith Tweed
WST 3015
Community Partner Profile:
Community Partner: Animal Safehouse Program of Brevard
Goals of Organization: “Animal Safehouse of Brevard is a not-for-profit effort geared towards providing temporary safe placement of pets who, like their owners, need to flee from domestic violence situations.” (Animal Safehouse)
Leandra Preston, a University of Central Florida Women’s Studies professor, has worked closely with the Domestic Violence Task Force of Brevard, the Salvation Army domestic violence program, and Serene Harbor for several years. She created the Animal Safehouse of Brevard in the summer of 2008 in an effort to create a foster network for pets of women seeking shelter at domestic violence shelters in Brevard County. Animal Safehouse recently became a registered Florida non-profit agency, and relies heavily on donations and volunteers and are in need of assistance to help as many women and pets as possible. She is looking for attracting potential fosters, fundraising for cages, food, medicine, and other general help in order to continue with the mission of the organization.
The Proposal:
Memorandum
TO: Meredith L. Tweed
FROM: Sophia Graniela
DATE: September 21, 2010
RE: Proposal To Volunteer With The American Safehouse Program of Brevard
The following is a proposal to outline the needs, rationale and feasibility for a service learning project to benefit the Animal Safehouse Program of Brevard. The following proposal contains background on the need for and benefits of volunteering for the Animal Safehouse Program of Brevard, an outline of the work I plan to do, the rationale for its inclusion in WST 3015, and a scheduled timeline. This proposal may need to be revised after beginning the project and must be flexible to meet the needs of both the Service Learning project and the community partner.
Need for volunteers for the American Safehouse Program of Brevard
50% of women do not leave abusive situations for fear her pet will be injured or killed due to violence or neglect. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (www.ncadv.org), there were 113,123 reported cases of domestic violence and 180 homicides related to domestic violence in Florida in 2008. The Animal Safehouse Program of Brevard recognizes that these situations may have been avoided if women and children didn’t feel like they had to leave their pet(s) behind, and in turn leave them open to possible retaliation, neglect and abuse. “While there is housing for women and children, there are currently no facilities for their pets.” The organization addresses the need for housing of these pets while their owners are in transition. They provide homes for pets of these domestic-abuse survivors until they can be reunited in a safe living environment. The Animal Safehouse provides all of the food, supplies, vet care, and other necessities and even helps women reunite with their animals once they are ready to leave the shelter by assisting with pet deposits and transport (animalsafehousebrevard.org).
Plan Proposal:
Since, the Animal Safehouse Program of Brevard is a not-for-profit organization it relies very heavily on volunteers and donations. Throughout the remainder of the semester, they have set up a number of ways to get involved. They will be pulling together a group of volunteers who will provide transport for animals from various domestic violence and/or animal shelters to foster homes and vet visits. They are also in need of fosters to provide temporary housing for the dogs, cats and other animals. Fundraising is also hugely critical to the thriving of the organization.
I will part of the team transporting the animals from the shelters to foster homes and/or vet visits, and I will also be involved in setting up tables to help advocate and educate people about the cause and organization, and raise money to put towards it as well.
Rationale for Women’s Studies
There is no doubt that cruelty to animals and domestic violence is inextricably linked. Suffering at the hands of oppressors is not limited to animals that are incapable of defending themselves. Women have been oppressed for centuries at the hands of an oppressed system and its not weak women that are incapable of defending themselves, it is strong beautiful women, that are being suffocated by a patriarchal system in which they are deemed less valuable and are treated much like animals. Much like Allan G. Johnson states in his essay “Patriarchy, the System”, it isn’t men that are the problem it is this corrupt system which they are inherently governed by and we must think of creative ways to go against “the path of least resistance” (Johnson p.71) Thanks to organizations like the Animal Safehouse Program of Brevard, women can take the steps necessary to empower themselves and leave a bad situation. They can do so with full confidence that their beloved pets are in great care, and that’s just one less thing to worry about on the path to self healing.
Apart from that, the project also relates to the activism ideal, which is center to how feminists have accomplished as much as they have over the years. Being a volunteer helps people to get out there, and contribute their time to an organization that is making a difference and after all, making a difference is what feminism is all about.
Action:
I have already contacted Arielle Schwartz, the Program Coordinator/Lead Advocate/Orlando Volunteer Coordinator and she e-mailed me a list of upcoming activities for the month of October. My duties will involve thinking of creative ways to attract people to tables we will be setting up in front of stores, the university and public areas alike. I will also be responsible for helping to plan and set up the various events they will be coordinating. I will contact either her or Leandra Prestley daily ,regarding my participation in the upcoming events in order to find out what my specific tasks will be for each one.
Timeline:
I will deliver the completed project on approximately December 1st, 1010. Please note that this date may fluctuate according to additional activities that become available throughout the semester.
1. Sat, 10/2: All day, Paws for Peace
2. Sat, 10/23 10:30am-5pm, Progressive Fest
3. Sat, 10/30, 9am-2pm, Suntree Fall Festival
Works Cited
Margo Okawaza-Rey.Women’s Lives:Multicultural Perspectives 4th ed. New York:McGraw Hill, 2007
Animal Safehouse Program of Bervard. 2008
Word Count:1058
Excellent Work-- tighten your MLA but nice job here!
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