Fresh Start for Women, Inc.

Wine Tasting Fundraiser

2011-06-07T12:34:00.000-04:00

On May 28, 2011 Fresh Start for Women held a wine tasting fundraiser with the goal of raising funds for the Precious Jewel Summer Camp. The fundraiser was held at Wine Styles located on Cascade Road in Atlanta.

Attendees not only had the opportunity to taste different wines but it was also a great networking opportunity as well. Founder Janice Pettigrew and newest board member Denise Young were instrumental in putting the event together. All involved gave glowing reviews of the event while learning more about Fresh Start for Women and the Precious Jewel program for teen girls in particular.

Ms. Erica-Christina Little the current reigning Ms. Black Georgia who served as the evening's Mistress of Ceremonies. Mr. Wilbert Scott was on hand to deliver a wonderful rendition of the poem "Does Love Suppose to Hurt", written by co-founder Minister Oscar Pettigrew, Jr.

Fresh Start or Women wishes to thank Ms. Marie Antoinette Burrell of TOADD an organization dedicated to educating citizens about the perils of distracted driving for her generous support. In addition NuRevelations founder Ms. Darlene Sheardon and Publix helped to make the event a success with their monetary and/or food donations. Also Ms. Ara Key for her donation of a great 3 day vacation as a door prize.

Internet TV personalities Tamarah Jones and Cindy MoreEssence of For Real Thou taped their show at the event and interviewed the founder as well as some sponsors. Interviews will be broadcast at a later date.

Thanks to the event at least 3 girls will be able to receive full scholarships to the camp scheduled for July 11 - 22 at Mount Ephraim Baptist Church. With the goal of at least 20 camp participants donations are still welcome to help make it possible for others to attend. Visit the donations page at http://www.freshstartforwomen.org/ or send donations to P O Bo 370681, Decatur, GA 30037.

Fresh Start for Women is looking forward to hosting another wine tasting in the month of October. This will be in conjunction with other activities planned as part of October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Mother's Day Celebration

2011-05-14T12:56:00.010-04:00

For the third year Fresh Start for Women celebrated Mother's Day for mothers who may easily be forgotten. The last 2 years Fresh Start for Women and NuRevelations LLC collaborated on this event. For 2011 it was taken to a more personal level thanks in large part to the son and daughter-n-law of founder Janice Pettigrew.

The 2 opened their home and made the occasion on the actual date for Mother's Day one in which attendees were truly treated as queens. Mother's were welcomed at the door by their 11 year old son posing as one of the waiters for the evening and shown to their seats. A special table had been setup specifically for the mothers.

Next after taking drink orders ranging from Coke, fruit punch, water or lemonade appetizers were brought to the table, short ribs and 2 kinds of shrimp. During the course of enjoying the appetizers the cook a.k.a."Dion" came to the table to inquire on how each mother wanted her steak. It was't until the steaks were brought to the table some time later that the mothers were pleasantly surprised with thick, juicy and flavorful t-bones. Accompanying the steaks were salad, corn on the cob, baked potatoes (fully loaded) and let's not forget lobster tails! To say the food rivaled any served at a restaurant is an understatement. For dessert their eldest daughter, Ajah presented the moms with large juicy strawberries dipped in chocolate!

After dinner the mother's wactched a movie of their choice followed by live entertainment provided by the youngest daughter Nneka(age7), regaling the moms with her acrobatic prowess as a cheerleader, naturally she had to show off the trophy recently received at an awards dinner for her and her fellow cheerleading team menbers.

At the end of the evening one mother remarked, "I truly felt special and was honord to be included." Mother's day 2011 raised the bar for future Fresh Start for Women celebrations. So what will 2012 bring? Only time will tell.

Loving Me More Summit - March 12, 2011

2011-03-13T01:54:00.016-05:00

On Saturday March 12, 2011 Fresh Start for Women participated in the much anticipated "Loving Me More" Summit for girls 11 - 19. It was held at the Mary Hall Freedom House and was under the direction of Mrs. Nicholle Brock founder of the Family Dynamics Foundation.

The Summit began at 8am and wrapped up at 3:30pm. In between the girls were divided into age appropriate groups as a host of facilitators including Fresh Start for Women's founder Janice Pettigrew worked together to inspire, empower and encourage the young ladies in attendance.

Although this was the first event for Mrs. Brock, by the end of the exhausting but rewarding event Family Dynamics and Fresh Start for Women were already discussing future collaborative efforts.As evidenced by the more than 60 girls and many parents in attendance on Saturday the need was at times overwhelming.

As has always been the practice for Mrs. Pettigrew when speaking to 13 - 14 year old girls she shared her experiences as a victim of gang rape at the age of 13 and its ramifications in all aspects of future relationships. This candor allowed the door to be open for frank and honest discussion. With her charges' undivided attention, Mrs. Pettigrew shared with the young ladies the power they pocess to dictate what type of people they allow into their own inner circle.

Mrs. Pettigrew stressed the importance of letting people earn their position into the inner circle so that the girls may have more control over what influences take root with them. Kudos to Ms. Vincent for scheduling facilitators that complimented each other in the subject matter for their young charges. As was apparent when Mrs. Pettigrew followed Ms. Linda Reyes whose topic was Improving in which she imparted great suggestions to move forward in a positive manner including the use of vision boards as a visual reminder of goals and aspirations.

Wrapping up the session the girls participated in the Affirmation circle and used the girl to their right as their mirror to recite and own the affirmation pulled from the affirmation basket. Finally the girls were invited to join Mrs.Pettigrew in the circle and take a journey through the forest which ended with a huge group hug!

This event merely affirmed the importance of the upcoming "You Are a Precious Jewel" summer day camp scheduled for July 11- 22, 2011. Keep visiting the website for updates!

FSFW Delivers a Bit of Christmas Joy

2010-12-28T12:03:00.012-05:00

Fresh Start for Women's last activity for 2010 was to delivery a bit of Christmas joy to women and children in the community who needed to know they were not forgotten. Many of these families were just beginning their new journey apart from domestic violence so this Christmas meant a lot to them.

Thanks to our many sponsors, donors, and volunteers gifts were wrapped and addressed to more than 2 dozen children and their mothers. This was an opportunity for all involved to practice the love spoken of on a daily basis in a tangible way. It is the hope of FSFW to make this a permanent part of the FSFW program.

As we made our rounds to the various families the week leading up to Christmas we were priviledged to see the true meaning of Christmas through the eyes of the ones we served. One family in particular made it crystal clear.

When we pulled up to the house we were met by mom and her 2 daughters and urshered inside. Upon entry into the living room we saw a tree with no presnts and a chair. But the most beautiful thing we witnessed was the love that flowed throughout the home. As we began to pull gift after gift from our bag and place under the tree the light shining in their eyes was beautiful to see. As we were leaving the little boy came running towards his mother and wrapped his arms around her saying, " thank-you, thank-you and I thougt you said we weren't getting anything this year, you're the best mom!"

We drove away from our last delivery with smiles on our faces and the knowledge that we were witness to a special moment for a very special family. 2010 has ended for FSFW with love, hope and joy for a brighter 2011.

Please join us 2011 as we empower and renew the lives of women as they make their journey from victim to victor.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

2010-10-22T12:25:00.010-04:00

In honor of domestic violence awareness month Fresh Start for Women accompanied the Atlanta Collaborative Against Domestic Violence to a Marietta shelter where the women in residence were surprised with a pizza party, games and fellowship. The opportunity to give back in such a meaningful way has always been of paramount importance to the Fresh Start for Women organization.

Each year thousands of women and teen girls suffer the atrocities of domestic violence, abuse and sexual assault. It takes everyone doing just a little to collectively make a huge impact. Let's not let the light shine on this problem one month out of the year for it happens every 9 - 15 seconds every day.

Just remember, based on statistics, the next woman or girl affected could be your mother, daughter, sister, aunt, granmother or other female friend. Say NO MORE!! and Mean it!!

You Are a Precious Jewel Summer Camp

2010-07-26T21:01:00.008-04:00

After 2 weeks the camp is over! The girls were absolutely awesome. FSFW had the opportunity to affect in a positve way the girls that attended camp. The girls learned about setting boudaries, defining and categorizing friends as well as how to deal with peer ressure. We look forward to the camp for 2011 and will advertise it in ample time for many more girls to participate.

The girls created an original song for their graduation. We were so proud of how they were able to put into context many of the things they learned. Enjoy!!

Make Me Over Charity Event

2010-07-10T22:39:00.007-04:00

Fresh Start for Women would like to thank Crystal Griffin (La Flair) and Altreah Denard (Ladylace Marketing) for putting on the Make me Over benefit fshion event on June 26, 2010. The event was held at The London Bistro on Howell Mill Road. Funds raised were for the "You Are a Precious Jewel" summer camp for girls 13 - 17. The camp starts Monday July 12, 2010 at Mount Ephraim Baptist Church where Dr. R.L. White, Jr. is pastor. The camp ends July 23, 2010.

2nd Annual Keep da Change Luncheon

2010-05-02T22:43:00.003-04:00

On Sunday May 2, 2010 Fresh Start for Women and NuRevelations hosted the 2nd annual Mother's Day luncheon for women who have gone through their respective programs. This year thanks to Shiloh Seventh-Day Adventist Church the luncheon was held in the community center.

Once again Fresh Start for Women and NuRevelations received overwhelming support from a number of sponsors and donors including Windward Pioneers and many others. Members of the church prepared the food and served 30 women.

This year the program featured author Katie Arnette as well as Janice Pettigrew and Darlene Sheardon presenting to the ladies on topics from forgiveness, change and being God's divine diva. Two very talented young ladies performed musical selections and all the way from Newnan were the Pure Dancers. Door prizes and great food topped off the afternoon.

This event is very dear and special to both Fresh Start for Women and NuRevelations. It is the one time of the year where together they encourage the women who have cossed their paths to continue on their indivdual roads to healing and renewal. The day was all for them and evidenced by the smiling faces looking back it was a true success.

Check back often to view the slide show in the photo gallery.

Goal Setting 2010

2010-03-13T06:05:00.004-05:00

2010 began with the Fresh Start for Women goal setting seminar on March 10, 2010. As in past seminars for goal setting founder and CEO Janice Pettigrew used her own goals for 2010 as an example of how to prepare for 2010.

Using her job loss in May 2009 as an example Janice Pettigrew listed out some of her goals including getting a mentor to hold her accountable as she works to make Fresh Start for Women an important part of the community whenit comes to domestic violence, abuse and sexual assault against women. This personal approach allowed Janice Pettigrew to connect with the women by showing she's not only there to help them but that she understands many of the things they experience. From there it was on to the keys to setting and achieving goals including:

1. Write it Down
2. List Personal Benefits
3. Analyze Current Situation
4. Identify Obstacles and Risks
5. Identify Investments and Sacrifices
6. List Knowledge Requirements
7. Get a Support Team
8. Develop the Plan
9. Set a Deadline
10. Reward and Celebrate

and number 11 for this year go to the next one on the list. A follow-up meeting is planned in 90 days to see how everyone is progressing on their individual goals. As always the goal setting seminar sets the stage for 2010 activities.

Fresh Start Retreat - October 23 - 25, 2009

2009-10-26T22:11:00.016-04:00

Friday evening began with the ladies being welcomed to the Fresh Start Retreat. Dr. Pettigrew waved the traditional magic wand explaining it was available for anyone to use should they feel the need to banish negative energy. After the introductions and a brief outline of the weekend’s activities the ladies were escorted to a room which had been transformed into a tranquil oasis complete with soft music to set the mood. It was a place where each woman was pampered with hand massages and facials. It was in this room that the ladies received their gift bags filled with goodies as well as journals that they would use for the entire retreat. But the most important activity was performed personally by Dr. Pettigrew. Taking her cue from Jesus she humbly and lovingly washed their feet and gave them foot and leg massages. The evening ended with reminders to the ladies to arrive early for breakfast on Saturday morning and be prepared for the work ahead.

After breakfast on Saturday morning the Renew Thyself Session began with Dr. Pettigrew sharing a brief history of her own journey to a Fresh Start that culminated in the birth of Fresh Start for Women. Next Ms. Bettye Ferguson opened the lines of communication with her short skit between a woman and her abusive husband. The ladies were invited to share their earliest memories of hurt and pain and their reactions to them.

Throughout this session emphasis was placed on forgiveness and its importance to the healing process. In attendance was one woman who had just buried her 21 year old daughter 2 weeks prior. She was invited to the circle and everyone embraced her and prayed for her. It was truly a moving moment. The session ended with the women being given time to write in their journals.

Next Ms. Phyllis Taylor took the ladies through an exercise in which they were encouraged to paint as a form of healing therapy. Once the ladies got over the initial fear of being judged for their painting skills they jumped in and had a wonderful time. Many painted more than one piece each with a meaning that was important to them. After this activity the ladies were served lunch prepared by Dr. Pettigrew that included homemade vegetable soup and chicken salad sandwiches. Afterwards there was free time for reflection and journaling.

Dr. Pettigrew even surprised the ladies with volunteer Mr. Jerrell Riddles who provided them with massages.

The ladies were next invited to participate in the Envisioning You session. It was in this session that Dr. Pettigrew talked about mapping a plan for success. The ladies were encouraged to do the D’s:
• Decide what you want
• Determine to make it happen
• Diligently Do everything in your power to achieve it
• Detach yourself from the results

The ladies were encouraged to:
• Explore themselves by recognizing their “uniqueness”
• Discover, Define & Develop themselves by tapping into new talent and experiencing growth
• They were encouraged to honor themselves, mind, body and soul which meant “Love being You”
• Finally they were encouraged to change their environment by removing negative energy and surrounding themselves with people of equal or greater ability, aptitude and experience.

Next the ladies were invited to the Affirmation Circle, in which each woman pulled an affirmation from the circle and using the woman to their left as their mirror shared that affirmation with confidence and faith. Finally, the ladies were asked by Dr. Pettigrew to close their eyes and listen only to her voice as she took them on a journey through the forest. The ladies were then encouraged to create a visual of their hopes, dreams and desires by creating their own personally designed collage.

The ladies had a lot to digest during their free time before dinner would be served. While they finished up their projects or just relaxed or wrote in their journals, Dr. Pettigrew was downstairs preparing a spaghetti dinner. At dinner Ms. Pamela Burrell shared some final words of encouragement. Of course the day had been long and tiring but the ladies expressed a genuine appreciation for the work being done.

The only thing left to do was to wrap it all together and that was done on Sunday morning. After breakfast Dr. Pettigrew gave some final words of encouragement at the same time presenting the ladies with their own Fresh Start mirror as a reminder to continue to say their affirmations each day. Next the ladies were invited to share their experiences of the weekend as well as sharing their collages which to their surprise had been lovingly framed by Dr. Pettigrew that morning while all were asleep. Lastly, the ladies were asked to write down at least one thing they were ready to let go and let God. These were then placed inside balloons and together they all walked outside to release them amid heartfelt prayers. This brought to a close another successful Fresh Star Retreat.

Fresh Start for Women wishes to extend a special thanks to Ms. Sharon Prater, photographer for documenting the retreat through pictures and video.

FSFW and the Year Thus Far

2009-09-04T23:02:00.005-04:00

Fresh Start for Women has had a very busy year! Not only has the organization conducted several workshops; in May Fresh Start for Women conducted its first Mother’s Day Luncheon in honor of the many mothers who have gone through the program since 2004.

The last workshop to date was conducted on Saturday July 11, 2009, entitled “Understanding God’s Plan in Your Suffering”. It was presented at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in S Dekalb Mall and was open to the public. As in the first presentation done in November 2008 this workshop used the Book of Job as the backdrop for the discussions beginning with speakers Minister Willie Bell Pettigrew and Ms. Darlene Sheardon discussing” Self- Righteousness - What Did I do Wrong” and “Friend or Foe” respectively.These two discussions were the backdrop for Dr. Pettigrew as she brought it all together with “Your End is better than Your Beginning”.

It was in this session that Dr. Pettigrew made a correlation between life’s experiences and the different phases of pregnancy. Suffice it to say that her lively, heartfelt way of making it plain revealed wonderful truths and at the same time elicited nods of agreement in between bouts of laughter. In the end the workshop achieved its goal of encouraging all through whatever circumstance they may currently be experiencing. As is the tradition of every conference/seminar or workshop Dr. Pettigrew invited the attendees to participate in the Affirmation Circle and share testimony whenever led. Finally, Dr. Pettigrew took the attendees on a journey through the forest with its many surprises, bumps and bruises to the ultimate climax of meeting each other on a spiritual plane.

In August Dr. Pettigrew announced the release of her self-published audio book, “Journey to a Fresh Start – Releasing the Junk…Revealing the Jewels”. This labor of love is not only Dr. Pettigrew’s story of healing from abuse, rape and domestic violence; it is also the triumphant story of the birth of Fresh Start for Women as well as the You are a Precious Jewel program for teen girls.

Finally, Dr. Pettigrew and her staff of volunteers are currently planning the Fresh Start Retreat scheduled for October 23 – 25th at the Villa International Atlanta Hotel. This 3-day event begins with the Fresh Start Spa on Friday evening. On Saturday the women will begin the hard work of examining their lives with the first session being “Renew Thyself” in which forgiveness is the order of the day. This session requires open and honest personal self-evaluation. This is followed by the session “Envisioning You”. In this session participants begin to discover their goals and aspirations. It is also in this session that they will begin to see themselves the way God does. In so doing they will be able to set the stage for moving forward and reaching their highest potential.

Throughout Saturday the women will be given ample opportunity for quiet reflection as well as time to fellowship with each other. The day will climax with dinner and inspirational message delivered by a special guest. Finally on Sunday the women wrap it all together. It is during these final hours that the women can share their experiences from the weekend as well as their very own personally designed roadmap to success. The retreat closes out with the Balloon Release where Let Go and Let God is the goal.

Anyone interested in attending the retreat should contact Dr. Pettigrew at 404.543.1017 or janice@freshstartforwomen.org for more information.

All in all Fresh Start for Women is proud of the accomplishments made for 2009 and look forward to even greater strides in 2010.

Understanding God's Plan in Your Suffering

2009-07-31T11:58:00.002-04:00

On Saturday July 11, 2009 Fresh Start for Women once again presented the workshop Understanding God’s Plan in Your Suffering. It was presented at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in S Dekalb Mall and was open to the public. As in the first presentation the workshop used the Book of Job as the backdrop for the discussions beginning with speakers Willie Bell Pettigrew and Ms. Darlene Sheardon discussing Self= Righteousness and Friend or Foe respectively.

These two discussions were the backdrop for Dr. Pettigrew as she brought it all together with Your End is Better than Your Beginning. It was in this session that Dr. Pettigrew was able to make a correlation between life’s experiences and the different phases of pregnancy. Suffice it to say that her lively, heartfelt way of making it plain shared wonderful truths and at the same time elicited nods of agreement in between bouts of laughter. In the end the workshop achieved its goal of encouraging all through whatever circumstance they may be currently experiencing.

As is the tradition of every conference/seminar or workshop Dr. Pettigrew invited the attendees to participate in the Affirmation Circle and share testimony as led. Finally, Dr. Pettigrew took the attendees on a journey through the forest with its many surprises, bumps and bruises to the ultimate climax of meeting each other on a spiritual plain.

Keep da Change Mother's Day Luncheon

2009-05-25T13:47:00.008-04:00

On Saturday May 9, 2009 Fresh for Women with NuRevelations held its first annual Mother's Day Luncheon. The luncheon was dedicated to mothers who participated in the respective programs dedicated to rebuilding self-esteem for former victims of domestic violence. The day started with words of inspiration and encouragedment followed by songs of praise and worship by gospel artist Ms. Globee Pope.
The day could not have happened if it weren't for the many sponsors and donors such as A T & T Windward Pioneers, Ms. Faye Dimassimo, Mr. Robert Goodwin, Ms. Gwen , Mrs. Betty Gates and many many others.

The event was a huge success thanks to the assistance of our dedicated volunteers, Mrs. Betty Gates, Mrs. Ebani Lambert and photographer Ms. Sharon Prater. The mother's in attendance received a number of wonderful gifts including a Walmart gift card. "We wanted to encourage the women to continue on with the positive changes they've made in their lives, thus the title Keep da Change," said Dr. Pettigrew of Fresh Start for Women.

The luncheon was held at the Piccadilly Cafeteria in South Dekalb Mall. Thanks to the volunteers it was transformed into a special place just for our mothers. The mothers also had the opportunity to share their experiences and encourage each other. And as is always a part of every Fresh Start for Women program they participated in the Affirmation Circle. Finally to close out the event a special prayer and song was led by Ms. Darlene Sheardon of NuRevelations. Please visit the photo gallery soon to view pictures of this wonderous event.

Battered But Not Broken

2009-03-30T12:02:00.002-04:00

On Sunday March 29, 2009 Fresh Start for Women participated in the Battered But Not Broken Seminar held at Berean Adventist Church in Atlanta Ga. The seminar was hosted by Ms. Darlene Sheardon founder of NuRevelations LLC. Like Mrs. Pettigrew, Ms. Sheardon has a passion for the problem of domestic violence. The seminar focused on educating those in attendance on just what domestic violence is including warning signs and other helpful information.

Ms. Sheardon believes that more needs to be done in the faith community to address this issue and has dedicated herself to doing all she can to bring attention to and resolution to the problem. Ms. Sheardon worked closely with Fresh Start for Women in 2008 on a number of workshops and seminars helping women to emerge stronger and wiser from the experience of domestic violence.

At Sunday's seminar Mrs. Pettigrew used the Affirmation Circle, which is an integral part of the Fresh Start for Women program to encourage and instill in the women positive thoughts thus negating the negative messages that have been a part of their lives for such a long time. Gathered in a circle the women pulled affirmations from the circle and using the woman to her left as her mirror recited the chosen affirmation. For some it was an emotional process but as Mrs. Pettigrew reminded them the more they make the positive a part of their daily lives the more they will begin to own and believe it. Armed with this knowledge the women began to let go and let God.

Fresh Start for Women in conjunction with NuRevelations is planning a special luncheon for the mothers who have gone through the Fresh Start for Women program in the past 5 years as well as mothers who have attended NuRevelations seminars.

Goal Setting 2009

2009-03-09T16:01:00.002-04:00

Once again Fresh Start for Women conducted its Goal Setting seminar. This year it was held at the Last Day Outreach Christian Center in Covington, GA.

The ladies in attendance were encouraged to examine 2008 and look for areas of improvement for 2009. The seminar was led by founder and CEO Dr. Janice G. Pettigrew. Dr. Pettigrew gave the ladies 10 steps to follow to achieve any goal. They were:

1. Write it Down
2. List Personal Benefits
3. Analyze Current Situations
4. Identify Obstacles and Risks
5. Identify Investment and Sacrifices
6. List Knowledge Requirements
7. Get a Support Team
8. Develop the Plan
9. Set a Deadline
10. Reward and Celebrate

Using her own goal of losing weight she walked the ladies through her plan and then the fun began as time was allotted for each to jot one goal down and following the above map out a plan for success. Everyone shared their goals and actually found a support team in the small group in attendance that day. It was agreed that Fresh Start would check back in 90 days to see how everyone was doing.

A special treat this year was Ms. Phyllis Taylor helping the ladies through creative expressions. This exercise is destined to become a staple at all seminars, workshops or conferences just like the Affirmation Circle.

The next seminar will be discussing Developing Healthy Relationships on March 28, 2009 back at Last Day Outreach Christian Center. Please call 404.543.1017 for more information.

Fresh Start for Women Goes to Camilla, GA

2009-02-06T10:26:00.002-05:00

On Saturday January 31st Fresh Start for Women founder Janice Pettigrew participated in the Brown Chapel Women's Conference entitled, "Who Hears You When You Cry". Invited by Bishop-elect Michael Davis, Mrs. Pettigrew used the opportunity to share her experiences of abuse and domestic violence with the women in attendance. She also used the opportunity to encourage the women to not be defined by their circumstances and to continue to trust in God and know without a doubt that there are better things ahead in their lives.

The conference used Proverbs 31 of the virtuous woman as the backdrop for this conference. Keeping with this theme Mrs. Pettigrew also invited the women to participate in the affirmation circle. A key component in all the Fresh Start for Women conferences, workshops and/or retreats.

Bishop-elect Davis assured the women that he would do all within his power to bring to them resources needed to deal with any and all issues they may be facing. Mrs. Pettigrew was invited to return at a later date to conduct any one of the Fresh Start for Women conferences that have been widely accepted at the Last Day Outreach Ministry in Covington, GA.

FSFW 2008 Christmas Program

2008-12-24T00:42:00.005-05:00

On Saturday December 20, 2008 Fresh Start for Women conducted its first annual Christmas program for many of the women served throughout the year as well as many FSFW met for the very first time. The program was held at the Last Day Outreach Christian Center where victims of domestic violence and single parents came together to get toys for their children. No there was not a Santa Claus!

And the women didn't just walk in pick out some toys and go their merry way. Before a single gift was given there was prayer, ministry through song and finally a message regarding the greatest love.

On hand for this event was Pastor Michael Davis, who opened the program with prayer. Next were beautiful renditions of classic Christian Christmas songs performed by Ms. Shalonda Moore (granddaughter of the famous singer Dave Prater) and the Gailor Boys, a trio of young brothers age 14-18.

It was evident that every song performed touched the soul in such a way that at times our founder and CEO Dr. Janice Pettigrew admitted she was nearly overwhelmed with emotions. The sincerity of the performers carried throughout the church as was evident on the faces of those in attendence. It was unmistakeable the glimmer of hope seen on their faces. This confirmed to all program participants that the decision to do more than just hand out a few toys was definitely the right thing to do.

It was important to encourage and inspire, and so it was that Dr. Pettigrew talked about the greatest love and implored the parents to think beyond the material and to focus on giving to their children that which can't be taken away. Love.....love like the kind God and His Son has for all of us. Dr. Pettigrew encouraged all to lead by example in showing that same kind of love to their children, family, friends and especially to those many may call an enemy. After all this is what Jesus taught us. Following Dr. Pettigrew's message the Gailor Boys closed out with another song. Then it was on to pairing each parent with a volunteer to assist in picking out a toy for each child.

A footnote to the day’s activities: There was a young lady that couldn't find her way to the church and when she finally did we of course were gone. She was so distraught but here's the thing, Dr. Pettigrew’s son, Dion and daughter-n-law Ebani went out and bought toys for this young lady's four children. They were delivered to her on that Monday. Said Dr. Pettigrew, “Yes, I'm a proud parent, it let me know that there were lessons taught and learned that are being passed on. I am so grateful that in the midst of buying for their 10 they were willing to add 4 more. No they're not rich by any means! He's a truck driver and she's a stay at home mom although she helps me with Fresh Start for Women whenever I need her.”

It's examples of selflessness exhibited by the Lamberts, Mr. & Mrs. Charles T. Allen, Ms. Charlette Clark, Mr. Scott Woods and family, Mrs. Grace Wood, Mr. Mark Robinson & family, Ms. Tammy Powell, Ms. Erica, MD & E Corporation and LH Nortey Non Profit Services just to name a few helped to bring this event to reality. Fresh Start for Women couldn’t have asked for a better way to close out the 2008 year.

Understanding God's Plan in Your Suffering

2008-11-30T10:28:00.000-05:00

On Saturday November 22, 2008 Fresh Start for Women again hosted and informative and encouraging conference at the Last Day Outreach Christian Center in Covington, GA. The speakers were Minister Willie Bell Pettigrew, leading the discusion on Self-Righteousness - What Did I Do Wrong, Ms. Darlene Sheardon leading the discussion on Friend or Foe and as always founder and CEO Dr. Janice G. Pettigrew with the subject - Your End is Better Than Your Beginning.

The conference used the Book of Job as the backdrop for the dicussions beginning with Minister Pettigrew. Minister Pettigrew left the attendess with some key points to ponder. They included: No matter what you're going through - don't count yourself as a victim but a victor and in the middle of your setback plan for your comeback.

Ms. Darlene Sheardon took the attendess on a closer examination of Job's friends and shared some of the positive qualities of a friend including: kind, loving, supportive, respectful, honest, dependable and encouraging just to name a few. Finally some very important tips for those with friends suffering with domestic violence. There were do's and don'ts that if followed could be the difference between safety and harm, life and death.

Artist Ms. Phyllis Taylor helped attendees to discover a new way of accepting self through art. Ms. Taylor led the attendees through an exercise in which she encourgaed them to put crayon to paper as they looked at their lives using their non-dominant hand. Ms. Taylor explained that by using the non-dominant hand attendees would overcome the usual obstacle of self-dobt and negative thinking as they explored their creative side. The experience for many was very eye opening.

Dr. Pettigrew brought it all together by using her own life experiences as examples of how the endcan be so much better than the beginning. Yet as she empahsized through out it's important to recognize and understand the lessons otherwise the better end will take a little longer than neccessary to appear. Letting go and reaching up to God are key elements she explained. Dr. Pettigrew explained that it is through our life experiences that we are equipped to do the mission and purpose of God. That life is full of peaks and valleys but that it's the valleys that give us trouble from which we derive much strength. We were encouraged to appreciate our valley experiences; learn, grow and live because of them; don't be ashamed of them and most importantly share our valley experiences with others.

Throughout the conference songstress Ms. Shalonda Moore ministered through inspired song. Since joining the conference team Ms. Moore has allowed God to work through her to help heal a broken spirit. Her beautiful voice rings with emotion and uplifting encouragement. Singing without music the pure love and joy of each note is felt throughout the room.

As always the conference was brough to a close with the Affirmation Circle. The next conference is December 20, 2008 and will be a special one in which Fresh Start for Women in conjunction with the Single Mom/Parent Foundation will give, toys, food and clothing to families in need.

Love Baskets Delivered to Safe Haven

2008-10-17T12:13:00.000-04:00

Six ladies from Victory North Church, in Kennesaw, Georgia, took the charge to reach out to their community and extend love to others as an effort to bring some sunshine into someone else's life. They have been meeting at a "host home" on a weekly basis since September and studying messages about serving God through serving others. The women's small group wanted to meet a need in the Atlanta community and when Ms. Charlette Clark told the group about the work Fresh Start for Women is doing for victims of domestic violence the vote was unanimous to so something in support of the organization.

The women, Stacey, Ina, Charlette, Regina, Winsome and Vijay decided to construct gift baskets with items donated from the women in the Bible Study Group. One of the ladies, Ina, owns a specialty shop (Palo's Shoe Gallery) in Smyrna, Georgia and generously donated bracelets with inspirational Bible verses inscribed on them. Stacey was especially excited about the idea because she used to create gift baskets for profit in the past and she now used this opportunity to provide basic items from her inventory. The women assembled the baskets as a way to give a little pampering to women who so often experience very little pampering as they make their way through the maze of rediscovering themselves after leaving abusive relationships.

Victory World Church has approximately 15 small groups and each small group has been given a challenge of identifying a need in their community and addressing the need. This offering of Love Baskets is just one of many selfless acts being performed by Victory North Church. Hopefully, as the small group passes on acts of kindness, kindness will replicate itself and be passed on forward to others.

The Love Baskets were presented to Mrs. Janice Pettigrew Wednesday October 15, 2008 during the Last Day Outreach Program heard every Wednesday from 7:15pm to 8:15pm on WYZE1480 Radio by Ms. Charlette Clark on behalf of the group. The following day, Thursday October 16, 2008, Mrs. Pettigrew delivered the Love Baskets to Safe Haven Transitional in Dekalb County, which were graciously accepted by Ms. Paula Bradley on behalf of the women.

God's Divine Divas!

2008-10-01T17:11:00.000-04:00

On Saturday September 27th the women in attendance at the last Day Outreach Christian Center had the opportunity to hear from some dynamic speakers about a variety of subjects related to God's Divine Divas! Fresh Start for Women was also pleased to have in attendance young teens as well. The conference began with Minister Willie Bell Pettigrew discussing RESPECT (Dignity & Grace). The objective for this subject was to help women to better understand how each of the three characteristics play an important role in their interactions with others, especially with the opposite sex. Said Minister Pettigrew, "Wiithout love you can not posess respect, dignity or grace. Minister Pettigrew shared with the audience lessons learned from her own mother about the way a young lady should conduct herself. "Dignity and grace is nothing to take lightly", she said. "It's that special quality that commands attention when you walk into the room."

Following Minister Pettigrew was Pastor Marvalene Foster, founder and pastor of The Last Day Christian Outreach Center. Pastor Foster spoke on the six steps needed to have a rock solid spiritual foundation. The steps are: Confession, Acceptance, Study, Faith, Prayer and Fellowship. Said Pastor Foster, "Each step will bring you closer to a more meaningful and rewarding relationship with God". Pastor Foster explained, "The joy I have is all because of the relationship I have with my heavenly father; and it's nothing for me to talk to him when I'm troubled. I know He's got my back!" Said Pastor Foster, "It's also important to choose wisely the company you keep; fellowship with others of like spirit blesses your soul." Her message was clear even to our young in attendance as she was able to share her own growth from their age to the present. This ability to relate others regardless of current circumstances made for a very real session.

Mrs. Janice Pettigrew, founder of Fresh Start for Women and a recent recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Agape Bile College in Gastonia, NC., took the women and young teens on a journey to a better understanding of the virtuous woman as depicted in Proverbs 31. To begin Mrs. Pettigrew admonished all to not discard the word wife as has so often been done in the past. For many the belief has been that Proverbs 31 does not apply to single women; Mrs. Pettigrew explained that for single women they too are wives, with the greatest spiritual husband until they are blessed with the right one in the flesh!

A closer examination of the qualities of a virtuous woman ensued with some of the qualities discussed being noble character, trustworthy, asset to her husband, diligent, good business sense, hard working, generous, a woman of wisdom and may others. Said Mrs. Pettigrew, "The most important one of all is that she is a God-fearing, godly woman! This dissecting of the virtuous woman led to a very lively and interactive conversation with all in attendance.

After a short break Mrs. Pettigrew's second subject - "Be Careful What You Answer To" was brought to the table. It was here that Mrs. Pettigrew used her ability to engage her audience by creating an avenue for more lively conversation came into play. Many of the negative names and descriptions being tossed about in society were explored. "It's time to stomp out this apparently accepted behavior and demand the respect we deserve", she said. This pronouncement was well received not only from the older women but the young teens in attendance as well. Asked how to do this, she responded, "Respect Yourself First!"

The conference closed with the Fresh Start for Women Affirmation Circle as well as a special treat for the women when Mrs. Pettigrew invited all to close their eyes and join her as she took them on a journey. With the soothing sounds of her voice as the backdrop the woman were transported to a time and place where they were challenged to join others to make a difference.

The next conference is scheduled for November 22, 2008 and will be titled "Understanding God's Plan in Your Suffering". All are invited to attend. Please call 404.543.1017 for more information.

Celebrating a Healthier You! Mind...Body...& Spirit

2008-08-31T23:18:00.000-04:00

Once again Fresh Start for Women was in Covington, GA at the Last Day Outreach Christian Center where the leader is Pastor Marvalene Foster. The focus for this month was health in three areas, mind, body and spirit. Mrs. Pettigrew brought together a diverse group of women to share information to the women in attendance. The conference opened as usual with prayer by Pastor Foster and a lively get to know each other game to break the ice. Ms. Sholonda Moore ministered to all in attendance with song. her beautiful voice needed no music to uplift and move the spirits of everyone.

Presenter Ms. Darlene Sheardon shared the importance of a N.E.W. S.T.A.R.T. acronymns for nutrition, exercise, water, sunshine, temperance, air, rest and trust. Ms. Sheardon shared important insights regarding the health benefits God saw fit to make readily available to all.

Ms. Angela Jones an independent product consultant for Tahitian Noni shared the benefits of the famous Noni juice and Pastor Foster shared with the women in attendance own testimonial regarding the Noni Juice. The Noni Juice is the only juice listed in the PDR - physicians' desk reference with medical research to back up its medicinal claims.

Mrs. Betty Gates brought her excercise ball and demonstrated simple excercises anyone could do to jumpstart their hear and start moving. As Mrs Gates explained, " the ball doesn't care what size you are." Letting us all know that anyone could use the ball. At the end of the conference many wanted to take her ball home and get started! Keeping with the theme lunch was a salad with chicken and strawberries with cream cheese fruit dip and water to drink!

After lunch the Ms. Sheardon walked the women through the process of recognizing exactly what their personalitiy types were and how to use that information to find the right,job, career or just to better understand what makes them whom they are.

Mrs. Pettigrew took the lectern and took the women on a journey to a healthier mind and spirit. Mrs. Pettigrew explained that it is important for a healthy mind to be unclouded, focused and open to positive information. To stress this point the women were invited to participate in the Positive affirmation Circle, where each women reached into the circle and pulled an affirmation that was spoken aloud looking into the eyes of their mirror. In this case the mirror was the women standing to her left. of course anyone not saying their affitmation with confidence was encouraged to repeat it. Naturally for some it was emotional but Mrs. pettigrew assured them it was okay and encouraged them to take their affirmations home and begin to practice them each and every day. Said Mrs. Pettigrew later, " I believe the Affirmation Circle needs to be a part of each conference."

Moving on to a healthy spirit Mrs. Pettigrew shared that a healthy spirit was one that was in tune with a higher power and as a result helps us to heal physically and emotionally. She encouraged all to read the Word daily, surround themselves with positive spirit filled people and to lay to rest old wounds, hurts and feelings of shame and guilt. She took the time to share some of her own experiences and admitted that had she known in her earlier years what she knows now she wouldn't change a thing. "had I made a change then I couldn't be the person I am standing before you today. My life is my testimony and it's meant for someone as a beacon of hope and faith." Closing out this portion of the program verses that have comforted her and which she hoped could comfort others were shared as spiritual food.

Recognizing how emotionally draining this final session would be Ms. Shalonda Moore again ministered through song and then Ms. Patricia Jardann took the floor to show women how to pamper themselves using Mary Kay products as the source great skin care. One lucky woman also received a free makeover. The results were astonishing and made a beautiful woman even more beautiful. Said Ms. Jardann, women have to learn to take time to take care of themselves including pampering themselves.

Pastor Foster declared this another successful conference and Minister Willie Bell Pettigrew, sister -n-law of mrs. Pettigrew gave the closing prayer. Look for the next conference in September. We hope to see you there.

Battered But Not Broken Seminar

2008-08-31T23:07:00.000-04:00

On Sunday August 24, 2008 Janice Pettigrew and Fresh Start for Women teamed with Darlene Sheardon and NuRevelations to conduct a seminar for victims of domestice violence entitled, "Battered But Not Broken." This was a powerful seminar, in which the women in attendance truly bared their souls as they worked their way to healing. An intergal part of that healing is forgiveness and Janice Pettigrew led the session discussing why forgiveness is important. As has been the case in times past victims readily forgive their abusers but forgiving themselves takes a little more time. After the seminar participants were willing to put in the extra effort required to actively forgive and move forward. Mrs. Pettigrew admitted that the process is not an easy one but that the benefits are just too important not to give it your all.

Fresh Start for Women and NuRevelations make a dynamic team and plans are in the works to jointly conduct more informative seminars for women in need.

Last Day Outreach Ministry Women's Conference

2008-07-18T12:01:00.000-04:00

On Saturday July 11, 2008 Fresh Start for Women held its first women's conference at the Last Day Outreach Ministry Church in Covington, GA where Pastor Marvalene Foster presides. The success of the conference prompted Pastor Foster to announce on her weekly Wed. night radio program that each month Fresh Start for Women will be hosting a conference where the needs of women in the community spiritually, physically and emotionally will be met.

This first conference titled, "A New Beginning - Dumping the Trash and Polishing the Treasure", offered women insights into their personality as well encouraged them t let go of those things that do not add positive value in their lives. Presenters at the conference included Founder and Executive Director Mrs. Janice Pettigrew and long time Fresh Start for Women volunteer Ms. Bettye Ferguson. New board member Ms. Darlene Sheardon as well as the co-host & producer of the Last Day Outreach radio program Ms. Priscilla McCallop.

A key component of this first conference was presented by Ms. Bettye Ferguson in which she examined the purpose and importance of forgiveness. Using scriptural references the women in attendance were able to take away nuggets of truth to aid them in their journey to a New Beginning.

This conference not only allowed women to fellowship with other women looking to make a change in their circumstances but small/independent business owners were able to showcase their goods and services. Plans are already in the works for the next conference scheduled for Saturday August 30, 2008. The cost of the conference will be $25 and includes lunch.

News Updates February - June 2008

2008-06-22T15:45:00.000-04:00

February - Fresh Start for Women is proud to announce the graduation of its first group of women for the 2008 year. The graduation took place on Thursday February 21, 2008. Founder Janice Pettigrew presented the women with certificates of completion and a watch. She encouraged the women to continue their journey to a "Fresh Start" and promised to check back to see how they were doing.

March - An informational session was held at the Gresham Road Library for persons interested in volunteering and potential board members.

April - Fresh Start for Women held a FUNdraiser at Max & Erma's located at 1155 Mount Vernon Highway in Atlanta. Max & Erma's has a long history of giving back to the community. One way they give back is by allowing nonprofit organizations to have a day in which patrons presenting a special flyer upon paying for their meal net 20% the meal cost to the organization. Said Mrs. Pettigrew, "This was the first time for Fresh Start for Women to participate and we look forward to doing so again".

May - Janice Pettigrew became a member of the Last Day Oureach Dream Team broadcast heard on WYZE 1480am every Wenesday from 7:15pm to 8:15pm. Said Mrs. Pettigrew, "The opportunity to be a part of a program that lets people know what's happening in their community has been a very positive connection. Through my participation I have had the opportunity to network with many others serving the community."

June - Janice Pettigrew and board member Tracy Kemp appeared as guests on the jfjlivetalkradio internet radio show. Host TC later informed the pair of the positive feedback he received regarding their appearance. Fresh Start for Women will have its own internet radio show expected to debut in August.

Fresh Start for Women announces a women's conference "New Beginnings" to be held on Saturday July 12, 2008 from 10am to 3pm at :

Last Day Outreach
10278 Dinah Circle
Covington, GA
Pastor Marvalene Foster

Please call 404.543.1017 for registration information. Tables will also be available for those interested showcasing their products and/or services.

Forgiveness and Rediscovering Self

2008-01-31T23:19:00.000-05:00

Once again Ms. Bettye Ferguson used her unique talents to bring home a very touchy subject...Forgiveness. But before this subject was tackled Ms. Ferguson encouraged the ladies to participate by sharing of themselves. Said Ms. Ferguson later, "It was plain to see the pain that was still a part of their lives." Recognizing the importance of forgiveness in the healing process Ms. Ferguson has agreed to conduct this session again at a later date.

FSFW realizes that many times women must take baby steps on the road to healing. For this reason the program was originally designed for those women that had been out of an abusive situation for 90 days or more. In 2007 FSFW began working with Safe Haven Transitional thus bringing the program to women in varying stages of healing.

It's important for women to actively participate in order to reap the maximum benefits of the various volunteers and facilitators sharing their knowledge, encouragement and support. Kudos to all for moving beyond where they are to reach further than they've ever reached before.
Ms. Ferguson shared with those in attendance that trust can be earned again and that they were in an environment that was safe and ripe for their healing to begin.

For homework all were assigned the task of writing 3 major things each needed to work on in the area of forgiveness, starting with self. It is only then will the women be able to rediscover their true selves.

Budgeting & Understanding Credit

2008-01-31T23:09:00.000-05:00

On January 17th the women of Safe Haven were introduced to the importance of budgeting and credit management. Janice Pettigrew shared with the women her own version of a budget and provided tips that have worked for her.

Mrs. Pettigrew explained that regardless of the amount of money the women earned it was important for them to begin to pay themselves first. During the hour and a half session the women had an opportunity to begin to develop their own personal budget plan. This planning went hand in hand with the previous session in which goal setting was discussed.

Before the evening was over a number of the ladies had realistic goals and how to achieve them. FSFW will continue to follow-up on this area of the program and provide encoragement and advice as needed.

Making a Fresh Start!!

2008-01-04T09:37:00.000-05:00

Today I make a Fresh Start in life

Today is a new day of promise. I accept it, give thanks for it, and act on the God-given opportunities I am offered. Yesterday is gone, and with it all that challenged me has receded into nothingness. My trust in God takes wings as I explore a day that is filled with wonder. I am confident that whatever I decide to do will bless me and bless others through me.

God is giving me a Fresh Start! Another chance to start anew on a goal, a job, a relationship of longstanding or one that is just beginning to take shape. Thanks to God, this day offers me even more love, life and understanding than I have ever before known.
…….Author Unknown

Setting New Year Goals!!

What a perfect start to a new year of promise and new beginnings! Once again Janice Pettigrew and LaQuita Heard-Nortey helped the women at Safe Haven Transitional jumpstart the new year. " We are so excited to be a part of your growth and are encouraged by your determination to not be defined by your current ciscumstances", said Mrs. Pettigrew to all in attendance.

FSFW is excited about the opportunity to once again partner with Safe Haven to enhance their services to the women in need. Domestic violence doesn't take a holiday so it's important to continue to offer services, encouragement and support to the victims and their families. FSFW is proud of the opportunity to do its part to inspire and empower others.

Jump Starting 2008!!

2007-12-26T08:09:00.000-05:00

Fresh Start for Women, Inc., is proud to announce it's upcoming schedule for 2008. There are some exciting events in the works so continue to check the calaendar as well as the news and events section throughout the coming year!

We will get started right away by again partnering with Safe Haven Trasitional to offer women 6 weeks of workshops & seminars. They are:

Setting & Achieving Goals
Money Management & Budgeting
Money Management & Credit
Forgiveness & Rediscovering Self
Developing Healthy Relationships
Creating a Roadmap to the Future

This will culminate in week seven with a graduation and presentation ceremony.

Fresh Start for Women has expanded its "You are a Precious Jewel" program. In 2008 it will be a 12-week program and will be conducted at the Neighborhood Gallery located at 2960 Alston Drive, Atlanta, Georgia. Please be on the lookout for registration requrements and applications.

In 2006 the “You are a Precious Jewel” program was initiated to address the needs and concerns of our teen girls. It was presented as an all day workshop in a safe and supportive environment to discuss issues such as peer pressure, abstinence and the importance of education and goal setting. Recent events involving teen girls in violent and abusive relationships (some which have resulted in death) prompted FSFW to revamp and extend this workshop. The disturbing trend of teen violence emphasizes the importance of reaching our young women before it’s too late.

Our objective will be to provide a supportive environment in which teens feel comfortable in discussing the issue of domestic violence, abuse and its affects on teens. Through this program teens will develop their own newsletter targeting their peers which will provide a venue for others to have their voices heard as well as provide useful information about support services. FSFW will teach teens how to use the arts (drama, poetry, dance and music) as a means of expressing their concerns in a positive manner. This exciting and improved program will begin on Saturday February 23, 2008.

Persons interested in volunteering their time please contact Janice Pettigrew at 404..543.1017 or email at volunteer@freshstartforwomen.org.

Graduation Day

2007-07-27T14:50:00.000-04:00

The day had finally arrived! After 6 months of classes and seminars the participants of the Fresh Start program received their certificates of completion. This was the first time that the program was delivered to the same group of women over a 6 month period. Many thanks to the staff of Safe Haven for allowing Fresh Start for Women to provide services to their clients.

June 23, 2007 brought to a close a program in which the staff and volunteers of Fresh Start for Women offered the following:

January: Goal Setting
February & March: Money Management/Credit Bylaws – Parts 1 & 2
April: Developing Healthy Relationships
May: Self-Examination (Renew Thyself – Forgiveness)
June: Positive Affirmations (Empowerment)

The day was filled with tears of joy and yet a bit of sadness as a bond that had been developed was coming to an end. As the women were awarded their certificates each was invited to share the most important lessons learned during their time with FSFW. There were a number of responses the most poignant one coming from a young lady exclaiming, “I’ve learned that I’m important that women are important.”

Final words of encouragement were delivered by Mrs. Pettigrew in which she encouraged each to continue on their road to healing. Said Mrs. Pettigrew, “remember you are not defined by the incidents of the past, use them instead to spring forward to a brighter future.” In celebration the women were treated to lunch at a local restaurant.

Fresh Start for Women will do a follow-up visit in late August or early September to measure the progress of the women from the program. In the interim FSFW will evaluate the effectiveness of the program and make changes as recommended for the next offering.

FSFW Conducts Abstinence Workshop at Destiny Family Summer Youth Academy

2007-07-27T09:59:00.000-04:00

On Thursday June 21, 2007 FSFW conducted a very informative workshop for young girls ages 12 through 15. The purpose was to discuss the aspect of relationships in a faith-based manner by exploring and taking a look at abstinence. Family Destiny Services founder and director Ms. Kathryn Jones recruited Mrs. Pettigrew to expand upon the FSFW Precious Jewel Workshop to help advocate, “No Sex Before Marriage”, for the youth academy.

Mrs. Pettigrew facilitated an open forum in which the young ladies were put in teams and given the assignment to come up with their idea of the consequences of sex before marriage. The first team drew a thought provoking picture of a young lady telling a young man she’s pregnant and showing the young man running away from the situation. Very poignantly in the corner was a picture of a little baby with the caption, “who’s going to take care of me?” The second team put their creativity to work by producing an original poem about the pitfalls of sex before marriage.

Mrs. Pettigrew congratulated each team on a job well done. From this a very lively discussion ensued using biblical principals when appropriate to help each teen make a decision for themselves regarding the issue of sex before marriage. Some expressed a belief that it was okay citing instances of family history or friends/acquaintances that had children early. Others used these same examples as reasons not to engage in sex before marriage. It was just this type of discussion hoped for in an atmosphere that was positive and encouraging.

In a rap session joined by the young men of the academy Mrs. Pettigrew shared a painful experience of gang-rape during her early high school years. This experience Mrs. Pettigrew explained had a profound affect on many of her future choices and decisions and she hoped that by her sharing it would instill in both groups of teens the importance of just how valuable they are, mind, body and spirit. The day was a long one in which the young men and ladies were challenged to rethink their assumptions and decisions.

Ms. Jones closed out the day's activities with a team building exercise in which all had to learn to listen and trust one another. FSFW was honored to be a part of Destiny Family Summer Youth Academy and look forward to future participation.

Rick DellaRatta & Jazz for Peace

2007-06-22T12:40:00.000-04:00

On June 16, 2007 Rick DellaRatta & Jazz for Peace performed a benefit concert for FSFW at Cafe 290. This was the first of what will be an annual event to raise funds so that FSFW can continue its work in the community. Rick DellaRatta is an international jazz pianist, vocalist & composer who has won numerous awards. Over the past year Jazz for Peace has played over 400 benefit concerts for numerous nonprofit organizations!

In March 2007 Rick DellaRatta was recognized by The Foundation Center as one of the top musician philanthropists of our time along with Bono (U20, Elton John, Peter Gabriel and Sting.
Rick DellaRatta is now considered by many to be one of the finest Singer/Pianists performing today and one of only a handful of Jazz Artists who can make a successful musical presentation to a large audience without having to abandon the true art form of Jazz. Through his life long endeavor to help advance people to their highest potential through the understanding of Jazz as well as spreading peace worldwide through his "Jazz for Peace World Tour", Rick DellaRatta is considered to be an innovator and a visionary.

Those in attendance truly enjoyed the evening as Rick DellaRatta gave the audience a fantastic show!!

"Jazz for Peace", his CD released in April 2004 includes selections from the very first Jazz for Peace Concert on 10/4/2001 which featured Rick along with Jazz Greats - Bassist Eddie Gomez, Drummer Lenny White & Cuban Saxophonist/ Clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera. Live selections from Rick DellaRatta's Recent Sold Out weekend at Birdland in NYC!
Rick's Symphonic Composition "Permutata" recorded by The London Symphony Orchestra at the famed Abbey Road Studios in London, England. Studio recording of Rick's signature composition "Jazz for Peace".

Janice Pettigrew, founder and executive director poses with Rick after the show with her husband and co-founder Minister Oscar Pettigrew, Jr.

Fresh Start for Women was honored to have been chosen to have a concert performed for them and look forward to a bigger and better one next year. Watch our calendar of events so that you can be a part of a wonderful cause.

Future Planning with Gusto!!

2007-06-22T12:19:00.000-04:00

On June 9, 2007 the women at Safe Haven Transitional currently going through the Fresh Start for Women program were introduced to the second session of a 4-part series dedicated to helping them move from the past & present and into the future. This seminar led by board member Donna Shaw had a little of everything to the delight of the women in attendance. Not only did Ms. Shaw help each to discover new insights about themselves but she also provided useful information on how to re-program their thinking process.

An intregal part of that process was learning to replace negative messages with more positive ones. And yes, there was plenty of opportunities to practice these new words of empowerment before the session was over. Each woman walked away with new found confidence and determination to banish the negative and welcome the positive while putting together a plan for a better and brighter future.

Renew Thyself

2007-05-24T09:45:00.000-04:00

Saturday May 19, 2007 had Ms. Bettye Ferguson a long time dedicated volunteer with Fresh Start for Women facilitating the session entitled ‘Renew Thyself’. It was in this session that the heart of the program really took off. After Mrs. Pettigrew for the first time shared her experiences with domestic violence and abuse Ms. Ferguson used a short skit to start off the discussion.

The skit aptly subtitled ‘The Face in the Mirror’ provided the vehicle for Ms. Ferguson to address some of the issues faced by victims of domestic violence such as low self-esteem, dependency and trust. Said Ms. Ferguson, “it’s important to examine and dissect how we get to the point of our being”. She added, “You have to know where you’re coming from in order to chart a course of where you’re going.” As part of the exploration Ms. Ferguson asked each participant to think of their earliest memory of a traumatic experience. From this she was able to help them to see how that event defined other circumstances in their lives.

Finally, Ms. Ferguson used the word FORGIVENESS, to bring home its importance and the role it plays in our every day lives. Each letter represented an important aspect and was backed up with biblical references as well as other useful sources for the participants refer back to.

To sum it up Ms. Ferguson said, "'Renew Thyself' is all about forgiving your past, embracing the present and positioning yourself for the future."

Developing Healthy Relationships

2007-04-29T19:59:00.000-04:00

On April 21, 2007 Fresh Start continued its work with the women of Safe Haven Transitional with the ‘Developing Healthy Relationships’ seminar. Once again this powerful seminar was facilitated by Ms. Cathy Williams. This time however more emphasis was placed on the importance of defining the process needed to attain a healthy relationship.

Some of the women in attendance expressed the fear and mistrust they're still dealing with and were reassured by Ms. Williams that those feelings were perfectly natural. In fact the women were told they were not obligated to stay in any relationship that demeans, undermines or causes them fear. “Love yourself, and know its okay to be scared and have doubts", said Ms. Williams .

It was important in this session to encourage the women in attendance that their lives were not ended but just beginning. They were reminded that each step would take courage and there would be moments of doubt and fear. "The good news", said Ms. Williams, "hold onto your faith that a life free from violence is a right and it will continue to propel you forward!" The session closed with Ms. Williams leading them in a chant of: You are powerful, unstoppable, amazing and talented! Each word was repeated several times by the women until their voices resounded with strong conviction and belief.

Graduation day for this group will be June 23, 2007 at which time Fresh Start for Women will be looking for the next group of women to take on a fresh start journey.

You Are a Precious Jewel Workshop

2007-03-19T22:44:00.000-04:00

On March 17th Fresh Start for Women was honored to have Mrs. Camille Peay from Columbia, S.C. and author of ‘Brittani Acts of Trust and Betrayal’ as a presenter at this year’s first teen workshop. Mrs. Peay used chapter 5 of the book as the backdrop from which a lively discussion ensued. Chapter 5 deals with a teen that discovers she’s pregnant and later learns that one of her friends is also pregnant by the same guy. Talk a bout drama! The group of girls had a lot to say on the subject both regarding the girls and the young man in the story.

This encouraged the girls to be very open and honest about such teen issues as trust and friendship as well as the need to fit in. Mrs. Peay offered sound advice and words of wisdom about the character of an individual and how to maintain integrity while maneuvering through the maze of adolescence and teen pressures. When asked how do they go about choosing friends, one young lady responded, “I decide based on whether we have things in common and if I’m comfortable trusting a person.’ It was obvious that the issues faced by teens today are much more complex than 20 years ago.

Even so as Mrs. Peay and Mrs. Pettigrew reminded the teens that they are precious jewels and deserve to be loved and respected but that it must first start with them. A frank discussion regarding pre-marital sex and its consequences brought the point home by reminding the girls the importance of getting an education and being all that they can be. Mixed in was an issue that has been in the news a lot when it comes to teen girls… violence. Mrs. Peay played a video of some very graphic instances of violence and asked for comments as to why it happens. The answers ranged from anger to peer pressure to low self-esteem. Mrs. Peay promised a more in-depth discussion on this subject for the September workshop.

After a short break Mrs. Pettigrew shared with the teens her experiences upon first entering high school. This included being brutally honest about an incident in which she found herself at the home of girl she wanted to consider a friend and found herself being gang-raped by the girl’s brother and his friends. Said Mrs. Pettigrew, “I carried that horrible secret with me for many years, as a matter of fact it wasn’t until I was 42 years old that I told my mother.” She went on to explain that the violent introduction to what was suppose to one day be something beautiful colored her relationships with both males and females. “I didn’t trust females and so deprived myself of developing close friendships with other women and I became wary of males”. She told the girls, “I don’t want you to have to suffer needlessly so please choose your friends carefully and love yourself above all else. Being a part of the in-crowd is not necessarily a good thing.” After the session there were questions by individual girls that Mrs. Pettigrew was happy to answer.

Closing out the workshop Mrs. Pettigrew invited the girls to join her in a circle as they discussed positive affirmations. What is it and what does it mean for each of the girls. Even Mrs. Peay and a couple of parents in attendance joined in and discovered some wonderful truths about themselves. Thanking the girls for their attendance and honesty Mrs. Pettigrew and Mrs. Peay invited the girls to return in September. Together Mrs. Pettigrew and Mrs. Peay made a dynamic team both with the ultimate goal of seeing girls reach their highest potential with their self-esteem in tack.

Money Management and Credit Bylaws

2007-02-18T22:44:00.000-05:00

Newest board member Star Shealey and first time volunteer Nara Monkam worked well together as they shared a wealth of knowledge about budgeting, setting financial goals and understanding credit to women of Safe Haven.

The money management seminar on February 17 was the second in a series of seminars and workshops to be conducted for Safe Haven clients. Nara Monkam took the floor first by explaining exactly what a budget is and why it’s important. There were many heads nodding as she talked about the importance of making sure ‘you manage your money instead of money your managing you’. For the next 30 days each woman committed to keeping a financial journal in which every single purchase would be tracked as well as how it was paid for. Said Nara, you’ll be surprised about the spending patterns that are revealed”. The next step she said would be to then analyze the information and make adjustments. Interestingly many of the women couldn’t wait to give it a try. This session was very interactive as many had questions and asked for advice on how to deal with individual issues.

After a 10 minute break Star Shealey took the floor and discussed the importance of credit and how credit scores or FICO is determined. Many were shocked to learn that it’s possible to own a home even if their income was a mere $8.00 and hour. Ms. Shealey also shared the many programs available to aide in obtaining the goal of home ownership. Ms. Shealey shared that even if there are blemishes in their credit it’ll take work and dedication but owning a home is still a real possibility y. Between developing a budget plan and working it and getting any credit issues under control it became obvious a follow up to the money management seminar was required. Plans are in the works to follow-up within the next 3 weeks.

As has become an integral part of each seminar founder and executive director Janice Pettigrew invited the women to take a stroll with her on a journey as she soothingly spoke into them words of encouragement and anticipation for the futures awaiting them.

Starting the Year in High Gear!

2007-01-31T09:15:00.000-05:00

On January 27, 2007 Fresh Start for Women kicked off the 2007 year with its goal setting seminar. Appropriately titled, “Out with the Old/In with the New – Goal Setting 2007”. Mrs. Janice Pettigrew and Mrs. Laquita Heard-Nortey facilitated this lively and informative seminar.

The seminar was held at the Flat Shoals Public Library in Dekalb County from 10:30am until 12:30pm. Topics discussed included, Think Outside the Box, Getting to Know Self,and 10 Tips to Achieve any Goal just to name a few. Mrs. Pettigrew began by making the distinction between New Year’s resolutions and setting goals. Understanding the difference she explained would be tremendously beneficial as each person began to review the past year and set goals for 2007.

Mrs. Heard-Nortey pointed everyone in the right direction by providing helpful tools as well as a fun yet informative test to help each person know self. “Understanding who you are and what drives you will lead you to discover your passion”, said Mrs. Heard-Nortey. Next, Mrs. Pettigrew took attendees through the 10 steps that would enable each one to achieve any goal. Some of those tips included: Writing the goal down, analyzing current position, identify investments and sacrifices, identify obstacles and risks as well as setting a deadline and having a support team. Throughout the seminar both Mrs. Heard-Nortey and Mrs. Pettigrew used personal experiences to support the information provided.

The final step for the day was one in which Mrs. Pettigrew invited all to stand, close their eyes and listen to the sound of her voice. For the next four minutes she took them on a journey in which she encouraged then to feel the sun beating down through the trees, to smell the flowers and other exotic plants along the way. Slowly she carried them through the thick brush while the chirping of birds could be heard overhead; mixed into the surroundings were the faint sounds of a gorgeous waterfall and the joyous laughter of children at play. Before reaching their final destination there were slips, a few falls and stumbles but the soothing sound of her voice encouraged the listener to keep going. Finally!! Just ahead were huge branches blocking the view ant it was at that time that Mrs. Pettigrew prompted the listeners to reach out their hands, brush the branches aside, step forward and open their eyes, with passion in her voice she exclaimed, “welcome to your future!”

This was truly the way to jump start a new year of empowering women as they renew their lives. The next seminar is scheduled for February 17, 2007 and will take on the topic of money mangement and budgeting. Please visit the events calendar for more details.

Developing Healthy Relationships

2006-12-28T21:44:00.000-05:00

Fresh Start for Women closed out the 2006 year with its final seminar “Developing Healthy Relationships”. The seminar was held December 9th at the Collins Hill Library in Lawrenceville, GA and was facilitated by Ms. Cathy Williams.

The seminar was focused on providing information and tips on how to not only develop a healthy relationship but also how to improve an existing one. Ms. Williams began the seminar by giving all in attendance a short quiz that could be used to measure the type of relationship participants were currently in. It also provided useful tips for identifying areas of a relationship that might require improvement.

Ms. Williams explained that relationships are constantly changing and therefore requires attention and work to evolve as the relationship evolves. She stressed the importance of open and honest communication. Interestingly this communication requires heavy doses of listening as well as talking.

Because Fresh Start for Women works closely with former victims of domestic violence a great portion of the seminar was dedicated to providing participants with key elements that could serve as warning signs of an unhealthy or potentially dangerous relationship. The response to the seminar was so positive that it will be repeated again in the first quarter of 2007. Please visit the FSFW Calendar of Events for date and time.

Founder is Keynote Speaker

2006-11-12T10:16:00.000-05:00

On October 19, 2006, founder Janice Pettigrew was the keynote speaker at the Concerted Services and Magnolia House 5th Annual Volunteer and Service Award Banquet in Waycross, Georgia. Magnolia House under the umbrella of Concerted Services Inc. is a shelter for victims of domestic violence serving a five county area.

Arriving early for the event Janice Pettigrew accompanied by her husband Oscar Pettigrew, Jr. had the opportunity to visit the Magnolia House, escorted by legal advocate Jill Nagel. Mrs. Nagel explained that the house is equipped to house up to 14 women and children with an average stay of six weeks.

“The things I was most impressed about were location, security and the warmth of the house” remarked Mrs. Pettigrew. Hidden in plain site is the best description and the safety precautions in place can only serve to assure women that the shelter is a safe haven for them during their time of need. The house itself is full of warmth and light that when you enter the main area it feels as if you’ve entered someone’s private home.

After the visit to the shelter it was on to the evening’s event held at a local church. There the Pettigrews met the acting shelter director Michele Girtman and other members of the staff as well as several volunteers prior to commencement of the activities.

Mrs. Pettigrew began her speech to the audience by first sharing a little about her own ordeals as a victim of domestic violence and how in later years it prompted her to start Fresh Start for Women. She proceeded to thank the volunteers and shelter staff for their generosity of time, money, resources and genuine support. Her speech provided insights into the thought processes a victim may go through and the important role volunteers and workers play in the healing process. She also reminded those in attendance that as long as women and their children are not safe the need for Magnolia House would remain and that ordinary citizens, law enforcement and the legal system to continue to be involved is crucial.

Though the speech was one of a serious nature Mrs. Pettigrew’s natural ability to weave a story to capture her audience’s attention brought smiles, laughter and a few amens as she encouraged all to continue to do the good they do. As she said many times throughout the speech, “Thank you is such a small thing to say, but it means so much more.”

After the banquet Mrs. Pettigrew, Jill Nagel and Michelle Girtman spoke about bringing the Fresh Start program to Magnolia House in April 2007.

United Way V. I. P.

2006-10-26T08:49:00.000-04:00

Founder & Executive Director Janice Pettigrew and President Donna Shaw participated in the United Way V. I. P. (Volunteer Initiative Program) event held October 12, 2006. The event took place at United Way’s downtown headquarters. Fresh Start for Women and many other nonprofit organizations were available to share information about their organization, goals and strengths to potential board members and volunteers.

Noted Ms. Shaw, “We are looking to strengthen our board with members who can bring skills to the table that will allow us to grow and expand. The need for grant writers, legal expertise, counseling as well as experience or interest in marketing and public relations are tops on our list.”

Organizations in attendence also had an opportunity to discuss common interests and learn how through collaboration to better serve their communities. Persons interested in becoming a board member or volunteer for Fresh Start for Women should email contact@freshstartforwomen.org.

You are a Precious Jewel

2006-09-13T09:43:00.000-04:00

"You are a Precious Jewel" was the brainchild of board president Donna R. Shaw, who had expressed a desire to have a positive impact on the lives of young girls in today’s fast paced society. With that thought in mind the FSFW program was redesigned with our young charges in mind. The goal being to provide an environment in which we could offer meaningful and constructive dialogue on how to avoid the pitfalls that could lead to domestic violence or other destructive elements.

The day long workshop was held Saturday September 9, 2006 at the Flat Shoals library in Dekalb County where the young ladies in attendance had an opportunity to openly discuss such issues as peer pressure, self-worth, self-esteem and goal setting.

The positive feedback received from the young ladies in attendance as well as many of the parents have encouraged us to make the “You are a Precious Jewel” a permanent part of our community involvement. Please continue to check the FSFW calendar for the next offering. Plans are in the works to turn the all day workshop into a full weekend event.

Career vs Job Seminar

2006-08-23T14:27:00.000-04:00

On Saturday August 19, 2006 Fresh Start for Women hosted an informative seminar entitled ‘Career verses Job’. The seminar led by board president Donna R. Shaw helped to distinguish the difference between having a career and having a job. Interestingly the first item on the agenda regardless of whether you have a job or a career is to be on time. This was highly emphasized as the scheduled start time of the seminar was 1:30pm.

When attendees were asked to give their definition of a job there were many responses several caused everyone to pause and reflect. One young woman offered ‘journey of the broke’, to which many heads nodded in agreement. Ms. Shaw then shared the dictionary definition: A paid position of employment and service one has to do, a responsibility.For the next few minutes a lively discussion ensued regarding various jobs currently being held and the perception of what a career really is. The definition provided for a career was: An occupation, making a living, especially with opportunities for advancement or promotion, and progressive life.

Career verses Job truly brought home some facts many had not considered before. Once the comparison was made attendees received tips and information on how to change their attitude and thus make a change in circumstances. This seminar served as a beginning for those individuals looking to get and give more out of life. Ms. Shaw also recommended to the women several useful books to read and make part of their growing library among them: A is for Attitude by Patricia Russell McCloud a native of Atlanta.

Fresh Start for Women sponsors monthly seminars throughout the year with our goal being to continue to empower women from all walks of life; especially women who have suffered from the effects of domestic violence. Please check our calendar and make plans to attend one of the remining seminars for the 2006 year.

Yard Sale! Yard Sale! Yard Sale!

2006-07-26T08:23:00.000-04:00

On Saturday July 22, 2006 Fresh Start for Women held its first ever
yard sale for charity. This was the brainchild of its newest board member Ms. Cathy Williams and with the help of Ms. Nikkeah Tibbs and founder Janice Pettigrew a fantastic time was had by all.

There were many great items to choose from including, toys, electronics, lamps and other household goods. Ms. Nikkeah Tibbs stayed busy serving up hot-dogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks as bargain hunters browsed for that special something.

Held in Lawrenceville thanks to the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Copeland. Beth Copeland is the founder of another great ministry helping the community God’s People Ministry. Mrs. Copeland remarked, “I was delighted to be able to help a worthy organization earn funds for their program.”

With the yard sale being such a huge success plans are now in the works to hold a much larger joint event in October with Fresh Start for Women and God’s People Ministry. Be on the lookout for details in the coming months!!

Self-Defense: Being Aware of Your Surroundings

2006-07-20T10:43:00.000-04:00

On July 15, 2006 at the Flat Shoals Library in Decatur Mr. Johnathon Jefferson conducted a free class in which women in the community learned ways to protect themselves as they go about their daily routines. “Many of the tips I learned I had never thought about”, said Ms. Laurinda Williams who brought her 10 year old daughter to the class as well.

Mr. Jefferson a Shaolin Disciple at the Liu Institute in Alpharetta, GA was invited to conduct the class by Fresh Start for Women board member Ms. Keisha Bassett. Mr. Jefferson expressed to the women the importance practice and the understanding that what he was sharing with them was to help empower them and to give them an opportunity to escape danger should they be confronted.

The women also received handouts with useful tips such as:

Vary your travel route

If suspicious of being followed go to a well populated and lit area and call for help

Check your car before entering, especially the back seat

Many wanted to know when Fresh Start would hold another class to which founder and Executive Director Janice Pettigrew responded, “We hold different seminars each month but with the overwhelming response to this class we’ll definitely have to see about offering it again.”

At the end of the class a drawing was held to give away some donated safety items including a home security system, a car imobiliser as well as a personal safety device for bike riders.

Ms. Keisha Bassett presented Mr. Jefferson with a certificate of appreciation for his time and effort in providing a needful class.

Shelters More Than a Safe Haven

2006-07-06T13:46:00.000-04:00

She has a beautiful smile, but only if you look closer will you notice that the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. How many times did you pass her as you went about your daily routine and not see? She walks tall with long strides purposely looking you in the eye determined not to look down or shy away. She’s no longer in a dangerous situation however she needs help rebuilding her self-esteem so that she can reclaim her identity, hopes and dreams. From the outside things may seem normal but she’s carrying a secret; her new residence is at an undisclosed location. Her home is now a shelter. Shelters are more than just a safe haven. Shelters offer women leaving abusive relationships counseling and other support services to help them regain their self-esteem, learn new skills, and develop healthy relationships. As a result they are able to make better decisions and choices for their lives, which, encourages them to lead a life free from domestic violence.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics Uniform Crime Report (2005) domestic violence is an epidemic that occurs in the United States “every 15 seconds” and that “90% of men who abuse and women who stay in abusive situations learned the behavior in childhood.” It also indicates that one third of women will suffer abuse at the hands of their husband or boyfriend in their lifetime. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation reported 107 people died as a result of domestic violence in 2004. It is the leading cause of injuries for girls and women between the ages of 15 and 44. In Georgia domestic violence shelters received 70, 557 crisis calls in 2003. In 2004, shelters in Georgia served 4,814 women, and 4, 427 children.

DeKalb County with a population of 675,725 of which 51.5 % are female had the second highest violent crime rate in metro Atlanta. It experienced 23 deaths as a direct result of domestic violence in 2004 and averages 16,000 reports of domestic violence per year, but because the crime is severely under reported the likelihood of that number being double is extremely high. These numbers dictate that shelters do more to serve the women that come to them. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005)

Women like Pam who blamed herself. She thought that if she did her best to make her boyfriend happy things would get better. Even the baby’s cries caused her boyfriend to lash out. Trying to placate him only resulted in a short halt in the abuse but eventually it escalated from verbal and mental abuse to physical abuse. Psychologists labeled Pam’s reaction as the “It’s My Fault” stage the first of four stages that have been determined women may go through. The other three are “It’s Your Fault But I’ll Help You”, “It’s Your Fault and I Hope You’ll Change” and finally “Despair”. Stage one is characterized by feelings that the abuse is a result of their failings or shortcomings. (Carlson, 1997)

In Pam’s case she had the added stress of being concerned about her child.
Domestic violence is a major contributor of injury and death in children. In the last 10 years there has been a 117% increase of injury to children as a result of domestic violence. (McConnell, 2000)

To break free from the “It’s My Fault” mentality Pam will be encouraged by the shelter to participate in individual as well as group counseling. Counseling will aid her in recognizing and accepting that she cannot take the responsibilities for another’s actions. This will be hard at first because even though the abuse slowly escalated from verbal to physical love is an emotion that cannot be automatically shut off. Recognizing this fact is important as the shelter strives to move her forward to a more positive state of being.

A model for this type of shelter is The Genesis facility in New York. There a “stage approach to healing, referred to as SAGE: Safety, Affect modulation, Grieving, and Emancipation” was implemented. (Madsen, Blitz, McCorkle & Panzer, 2003, p166)

The model does have an expectation of progress for its residents but it is still based on individual progress and not an expectation for all to progress at the same rate. This approach helps to give women a sense of encouragement and a desire to succeed.

In the Safety portion of the SAGE model families seeking shelter have access to one of 15 apartments in an undisclosed location with 24-hour protection. While at the shelter women are given help with filing protection orders, access to medical care as well as counseling. Genesis provides shelter for 90 days but it can be extended under certain circumstances such as unavailability of low cost housing. (Madsen, Blitz, McCorkle, and Panzer, 2006)

An example of this includes Shelly, who over the years Shelly visited the emergency room numerous times and her calls to the police were met with indifference. Family and friends tried to understand the daily fear Shelly lived with, many of whom offered her a place of safety. But Shelly feared being on her own and she depended on her husband for support for her and their children. One night after an evening of drinking her husband came home and began to beat her un-mercilessly in front of their 3 small children. This time during her visit to the hospital for treatment a nurse asked her a simple question. This question was the opening Shelly needed to finally make the break. When Shelly made the decision to leave she was put in contact with a local domestic violence hotline where she was able to move into a shelter right away. Once Shelly was safe and her medical needs taken care of Shelly was able to begin to take advantage of the numerous services offered there.

Susan Hadley, founder of WomanKind in Minneapolis said, “A woman may not acknowledge that she is living in an abusive situation. But she will always remember that she was asked. Knowing that the health setting is a safe place to return when she is ready may be the most valuable assistance that health professionals can provide.” WomanKind was founded in response to the high number of women coming through the emergency room at Fairview Hospital. Ms. Hadley’s program offers “training and education on domestic violence to healthcare providers as well as support, and referrals to battered women.” (Mycek, 2005, p 14)

The WomanKind program served as a model that was duplicated throughout the Fairview hospital system. It was eventually grafted into social services at the hospital but one important fact was clear women sought and received needed help.

Shelters aid in developing positive social skills, self-confidence, promotes self-esteem and character development. Shelters also provide access to life skills training such as job training and skills assessment as well as budgeting and money management. These services are sometimes provided through other volunteer organizations. In 2004 a non-profit organization called Fresh Start for Women, Inc. was founded to answer the growing domestic violence problem in DeKalb County, Georgia. The program provides a safe and supportive environment where women are able to share, learn and heal.

The program works within the shelter environment and the community at large to help rebuild self-esteem in women spiritually, physically and emotionally. Women are required to have been out of harms way for at least 90 days with a genuine desire to make a change in order to participate. The program is designed to offer several seminars including, Goal Setting, Developing Healthy Relationships, and Healthy Living as well as an intense quarterly retreat where women are taken out of the shelter environment to experience a weekend of renewal and empowerment.

Fresh Start for Women encourages women to reach higher than their present circumstances by accepting their past, realizing their present and focusing on their future. Workshops during the retreat help women to discover and use positive affirmations and develop roadmaps for future success. The Cycle of Violence Wheel developed by the Domestic Violence Project: Duluth, Minnesota is used by the organization as an important tool to aid women in recognizing the signs of violence; thus empowering them to take appropriate action to maintain their safety and sense of control.

Fresh Start for Women works toward giving their lives new meaning. Its purpose is to serve as role models to women of the endless possibilities regardless of current circumstances. Upon completion participants are invited to return as volunteers at future programs. Giving back in this manner continues the healing process and encourages new participants that it’s not too late; that there’s a lot more to life than that one chapter of their lives.

Is the program working? Since its inception Fresh Start for Women has witnessed women start new healthy relationships, some have remarried or married for the first time. Others have discovered hidden talents that they’ve been able to turn into economic self-sufficiency.

“Thanks to the Fresh Start program I've learned to stop beating myself up with a hammer but to use a feather instead”… Jackie

“Fresh Start helped me to forgive and set a new direction for my life”…Ynestra

Fresh Start for Women, Inc. works with shelters to aid in the healing process through physical, emotional, and spiritual means. They understand that today’s shelters have become a multi-layered service community environment for women seeking respite from danger. Shelters serve as a transitional place in which women are able to learn new skills, develop healthy habits and learn a more balanced way of life. It has become a place of transition where women are empowered and lives renewed free from harm. Fresh Start for Women helps re-enforce the steps needed to empower women. This allows them to have confidence in living a harm-free life and enjoying the benefits of making their own choices.

For those women that come to the shelter but return to the situation; the shelter stands as a beacon of light ready to help when the final decision to leave has been made. Yes, shelters are more than just a safe haven… they are HOPE because when women decide to return, it’s important for them to know a safe place and new life is waiting for them.

References

Carlson, B. E., (1997), A stress and coping approach to intervention with abused women. Family Relations, Retrieved January 5, 2006, from EBSCOhost

Krishnan S.A., Hilbert, J.C., McNeil, K. and Newman, I. (June 2004)
From respite to transition: Women’s use of domestic violence shelters in rural new
mexico. Journal of Family Violence. Vol. 19, No. 3,
Retrieved March 15, 2006 EBSCOhost database

Madsen, L.H., Blitz, L.V., McCorkle, D. and Panzer, P.G. (Summer 2003)
Sanctuary in a domestic violence shelter: A team approach to healing.
Psychiatric Quarterly, Vol. 74, No. 2
Retrieved March 15, 2006 from EBSCOhost database

McConnell, E.A. (2000), Myths & facts …About domestic violence, Nursing.
Retrieved January 5, 2006, from EBSCOhost database

Mycek, S. (2005) Domestic violence: The silent killer, Fairview hospital
and health system, Minneapolis: Trustee. Retrieved January 5, 2006, from EBSCOhost
database

Bureau of Justice Statistics, (2005), Uniform crime report. Retrieved January 5, 2006, from www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/ Web site

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, (2005). Georgia Coalition Information,
Retrieved April 5, 2006 from www.ncadv.org Web site

Fundraising at Turner Field

2006-05-16T11:14:00.000-04:00

Fresh Start for Women had an opportunity to work its first game at Turner Field on Saturday May 13, 2006. While fans enjoyed a game that had a little bit of everything board members and volunteers served ice cream at concession stand #105. The stand was manned by founder and Executuve Director Janice Pettigrew and board member Cathy Williams (pictured above).ARAMARK and Turner Field have a history of providing a unique way for non profit organizations to raise funds for their organizations. Said Janice Pettigrew, "with this being our first year we are getting a feel for how it all works and will determine just how beneficial this endeavor can be to our fundraising efforts. It's a great opportunity to have fun and make money at the same time." Fresh Start for Women will work 6 more games for this season and are excited about the prospects. Monies raised will go towards materials and supplies needed for the quarterly retreats as well as monthly workshops.

Founders Celebrate Volunteers

2006-05-03T10:57:00.000-04:00

Fresh Start for Women, Inc. held its first annual Volunteer Appreciation Barbecue on Sunday April 30, 2006. It was hosted by the founders of the organization, Mrs. Janice G. Pettigrew and her husband Mr. Oscar Pettigrew, Jr., in their Ellenwood home. More than a dozen volunteers and their families were invited to a gathering of delicious food prepared and served by the founders. Not only were the volunteers able to enjoy some great food and renew acquaintances, they were also treated to massages provided by Mr. Jerill Riddles, a Georgia Medical Institute graduate in massage therapy.

In its 2-year existence Fresh Start for Women, Inc. has been able to affect the lives of more than 40 women, thanks in large part to the dedication and hard work of its volunteers. Volunteers have provided services such as manicures, pedicures, facials, printing services, graphics, cooking, photography and session facilitators, just to name a few. “Their willingness to serve makes my job easier,” said Mrs. Pettigrew, “It allows me to concentrate on helping women to become empowered and renewed as they transition from victim to victor. Women that attend the Fresh Start retreats are given the tools needed to begin the process of healing by accepting the past, realizing their present and focusing on their future. It is our desire that women learn not to be defined by the events of the past but to use them as a springboard to move forward to a brighter tomorrow.”

It is with that purpose in mind that Mr. Oscar Pettigrew, Jr., an ordained minister and counselor, serves on the advisory board of the organization and also provides his services for after care to the women who go through the Fresh Start program. Mr. Pettigrew has a unique prospective when it comes to domestic violence since he grew up the only male child with seven sisters. His first hand knowledge of the trauma that domestic violence can make on a woman’s life places him in a rare category, a man who really cares. “Having come from a broken home due to domestic violence, the exposure taught me to be sensitive to this particular epidemic and its affects on women, children and the community”, explained Mr. Pettigrew. In her own road to healing, Mrs. Pettigrew acknowledges just how instrumental his support was during the process. Together they are a team striving to instill a sense of peace and hope in the lives of the women that come to them.

Many of the volunteers honored on Sunday have gone through the Fresh Start program and afterwards wanted to do their part to help other women. Thus Fresh Start has developed a core group of volunteers to call upon. Volunteering is just another way of continuing the healing process. As long as domestic violence remains the problem that it is in our society, organizations like Fresh Start for Women, Inc. are needed and where else to find willing volunteers than from the ranks of those that have benefited. “Saying thank you to them in this way is the least we could do,” said Mrs. Pettigrew.

Terri Carroll & Fresh Start for Women, Inc

2006-04-07T15:20:00.000-04:00

Gospel singer Terri Carroll announced her newest partnership March 26, 2006 with Fresh Start for Women, Inc., a 501c3 organization that works to rebuild the self-esteem of women that have been victims of domestic violence. Said Terri, “I had the opportunity to minister to women last June at one of Fresh Start’s retreats and saw first hand the positive impact Fresh Start is making in women’s lives. I wanted to do something more than just share my own story and minister through song so I have pledged that a portion of the sales from my latest CD, ‘Holding Out 4 God’ will go to this worthwhile organization.”

Janice G. Pettigrew, Founder and Executive Director of Fresh Start for Women applauded Terri’s commitment to the organization’s mission and vision.

Fresh Start for Women, Inc. is a ministry of healing and renewal which provides a safe and supportive environment in which women are free to share and learn on the road to healing.
Fresh Start for Women, Inc. encourages women to reach higher than their present circumstances by accepting their past, realizing their present and focusing on their future. Said Janice, “We want women to understand and believe that one chapter of their lives does not define who they are. We can then re-direct them towards a more positive and brighter future. Our retreats and seminars are all focused on this goal.”

Terri’s debut album on CGI Records entitled “Terri Carroll” earned her two nominations at the 14th Annual Stellar Awards, no small feat for an artist coming right out the gate. Unfortunately CGI suffered bankruptcy but that has not stopped Terri. You can purchase Terri’s newest CD ‘Holding Out 4 God’ online at http://www.cdbaby.com/ or visit Terri’s website at http://www.terricarroll.com/.