Hi All! I'm running the LA Marathon on March 24th, 2019, and this year, as I'm training, I will be raising money and running on behalf of an amazing organization named Stuart House, located in Santa Monica, CA.
Stuart House is a program under UCLA Medical Center's, The Rape Foundation, and their mission is to support sexually abused children, from ages 18 and under, and their families, by providing the services and tools that allow children to heal and recover, and show them that this event does not have to define the rest of their life. Their facilities include services of 24-hour emergency medical care, expert forensic examinations, advocacy, crisis intervention, and long-term therapy services that child victims need to recover from the traumatic effects of sexual abuse. The organization also has a separate facility that provides therapy and recovering solutions for those over the age of 18.
Every 98 seconds an American is being assaulted, and every 8 minutes that is a child. Furthermore, 1 in 4 women, and 1 in 6 men will be assaulted in their lifetime. These statistics are extremely disturbing, but it is something that affects many of those around us and/or their loved ones. Now, more so than ever, sexual violence has recently become a major topic in mainstream media, causing a lot of political differences and negativity to be associated with this issue, often making victims fearful of coming forward and sharing their stories. Organizations like Stuart House shed a positive light on the issue by providing a safe environment for victims and focus on supporting those who are brave enough to come forward, to show them that this event does not define who they are as a person.
Over the next 6 months I will be raising money and personally volunteering with Stuart House. I've set a goal of raising $1,000 so donations are accepted and greatly appreciated! More importantly, please continue to spread word about Stuart House, or similar organizations in your area, as it gives you the opportunity to immensely impact someone's life just by showing them that there are places like this to support them. For safety and security reasons there is not a ton of information online, but please reach out to me directly if you would like to learn more about the cause or similar organizations in your area, or if you would like become involved with Stuart House directly.
Thanks so much for your time everyone!
