View the full Women of Action inaugural issue

Sunday brunch and armfuls of tulips are traditional ways to honor women on Mother’s Day. But what if mom is one of more than 25,000 women nationwide who will spend the holiday in a battered women’s shelter?

Now in its 10^th year, JWI’s Mother’s Day Flower Project galvanizes the Jewish community in a show of solidarity, support and caring for victims of domestic violence by partnering with faith-based, community and student groups. This year, the coalition has grown to its largest number of participants yet, listing 120 partners, including congregations, organizations, shelters, Hillels, Sigma Delta Tau (SDT) chapters and local JWI networks.

JWI’s Mother’s Day Flower Project offers the opportunity to do a mitzvah in time for Mother’s Day by raising awareness and funds for victims of domestic violence. The project sends bouquets to 150 battered women’s shelters across the United States and funds critical JWI programs for at-risk women and children, including those that help battered women navigate the legal system, train women and girls to value and protect themselves, and create children’s libraries in shelters across the country.

“This project reveals the breadth and depth of what the Jewish community can achieve when we join together on behalf of abused women and children,” says JWI Executive Director Lori Weinstein. “We are so proud that this year our project is serving shelters in all 50 states with the help of our wonderful and committed partners—from New York to Missouri to California.”

For each donation of $25 or more, JWI sends a beautiful Mother’s Day card to a designated recipient, letting her know a contribution has been made in her name. This year’s special anniversary edition features the vibrant impressionistic floral landscape, “Long Life,” by Israeli artist Betty Rubinstein.

Plus JWI’s Mother’s Day Flower Project is a way to be a mensch this Mother’s Day—and isn’t that what all Jewish mothers really want from their kids? To make a donation to JWI’s Mother’s Day Flower Project, visit our www.jwi.org/fp.

Know the Statistics: Stopping Domestic Violence Matters

• Six out of 10 Americans feel violence against women is worse today than 10 years ago.*
• Violence against women is a key election issue: 97% of women feel that domestic violence against women and girls will impact their vote.*
• 53,000 victims of domestic violence are served by shelters and non-residential programs in one day.**
• Domestic violence hotlines answer more than 14 calls for help every minute.**
• In one 24-hr period nearly 8,000 requests for help went unmet due to lack of funds.**

*According to a 2006 Women’s Pulse Poll, conducted by Lifetime Television

**According to the 2007 National Census of Domestic Violence Services, conducted by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)