| Dear Community Member:
This fall has been a complicated one for survivors and advocates alike. Though the federal shutdown has ended, families and organizations across Massachusetts are working to rebound from the impact of SNAP delays and other shutdown effects. Jane Doe Inc. and our member programs rallied at the Massachusetts state house on October 23 to advocate for the restoration of $7 million in funding, cut from the Department of Public Health’s Sexual and Domestic Violence Services budget. While we were dismayed by the legislature’s failure to restore funding in a vote later that day, our advocacy continues. Through it all, I remain grateful for the tenacity, compassion, creativity (and humor) our staff and our coalition partners bring to their work and their advocacy. I am reminded again and again that we are stronger together. In this spirit, I wanted to offer a few ways you can invest in our community and uplift survivors this season of giving: · Share holiday abundance. Find your local sexual assault or domestic violence agency and support their holiday giving drive. Consider offering gift cards as it can be empowering for a survivor–as it is for all of us–to make their own decisions about what toys and winter coats to pick out for their children this season. · Volunteer in your community. Look for organizations working on the ground with communities positioned to be the most impacted by changes in federal and state policy. Sign up for alerts from local organizations like MIRA Coalition and the Massachusetts Trans Political Coalition to stay tuned about ways you can share your time, talent, and treasure. · Strengthen JDI’s foundation. Mark your calendar for December 2 for Giving Tuesday 2025 and consider making a year-end gift to JDI. Gifts from individuals sustain JDI’s critical policy and systems advocacy here in Massachusetts and beyond, and strengthen our foundation in the face of public funding uncertainty. · Join JDI in the community! Read on for more about a variety of events that support JDI’s programming and advocacy. We can’t wait to see you in real life! Thank you for supporting survivors. I am proud to do this work with you! Hema Sarang-Sieminski |