Boston's Cares Supports Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention Efforts In Anoka County

Boston's Cares kicks off January 9th where we begin fundraising for Teen Dating Violence Awareness & Prevention in Anoka County on behalf of The Domestic Violence Council of Anoka County, action team of The Alliance for a Violence Free Anoka County. 

How can you help?

Delivering Awareness

Feb. 6th-10th

10% of sale donated when you order take-out or delivery and mention Boston's Cares

Heart-Shaped Pizzas

Feb. 11th-14th

$1 donated for each purchase of a heart-shaped pizza, Gluten Free Brownie a la Mode or Red Velvet Cheesecake.

Dine 2 Donate

Feb. 21st 4pm-9pm

10% of restaurant sales donated

"LIKE" to Make a Difference?

Entire Month of February

$1 donated for each new fan at Facebook.com/BostonsCoonRapids up to 100 new "LIKES"

Local Anoka County Schools

Students, Take the pledge against Teen Dating Violence

To obtain an official Boston's Cares pledge form for your classroom, instructors please send your name, school name, address and phone number or email address to: bostons.coonrapids@blackshirtsinc.com or fax your request to:

 Attn: Cassandra Martin

Subject: Boston's Cares 

Fax#: 763-421-4300

                    

 _______________________________________

Take the Dating Pledge

Take the pledge and promise to have healthy, safe relationships free from violence and free from fear. Then, share it with your partners, friends and family because everyone has the right to a healthy relationship! 

I, (____________________), promise myself, future and current partners to maintain relationships that are based on respect, equality, trust and honest communication. I will value my partner’s boundaries online and behind closed doors. I will never engage in any type of abuse -- physical, emotional, sexual, financial or digital.

If one of my friends experiences abuse, I pledge to help them by saying something, modeling healthy communication and connecting them to resources.

 I pledge to remember, demonstrate and promote the fact that love is respect.

_________________________________________________

Mission of the Domestic Violence Council of Anoka County: "Our mission is to create a community-wide collaboration that will work toward eliminating domestic violence in Anoka County."

Facts & Statistics (American Psychological Association):

• 1 in 3 Teens will be involved in an abusive relationship
• 80% will stay with their abuser
• 40% of teenage girls, ages 14 to 17, have known someone their own age who has been hit or beaten by their partner
• Where there is physical abuse, there is also emotional abuse. All abuse has severe psychological consequences for the victim.

Thank you for your support during Boston's Cares Jan. 9th-Feb. 26th!

Visit Boston's National Facebook page for a brief overview of Boston's Cares:  http://www.facebook.com/BostonsNational?sk=app_185154574915208
For more information on our charity partner, The Domestic Violence Council of Anoka County, visit: www.violencefreeanokacounty.org

Boston's: 12794 Riverdale Blvd NW Coon Rapids, MN 55448  763-421-2100

Violence Prevention in Anoka County

Community work for Boston's Coon Rapids is not something new, but up until now we didn't realize it might be worth discussing.  Our causes are worthy and our effort has been great and this is indeed worth writing about.  One organization that stands out to us with the tremendous effort they have put toward our fundraising partnerships is the Alliance for a Violence Free Anoka County.  This is their mission: "to provide the opportunity for all people of Anoka County to work, play, live and grow in a safe, respectful environment free from violence."  The organization is broken up into action teams to tackle specific issues, and they are as follows:

Child Maltreatment: Anoka County Child Abuse Prevention Council

Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence: Anoka County Domestic Violence Council

Elder Abuse: Elder/Vulnerable Adult Action Team

Family Violence Prevention and the Faith Community Role: Partners for Faith in Peace

Sexual Violence: Sexual Assault Action Team of Anoka County

http://www.violencefreeanokacounty.org/

Working with the Violence Prevention Council of Anoka County has been an honor and it has also been eye opening.  The issues that affect the county we live in are surely the responsibility and concern of local residents and businesses alike.  We are proud to have worked with them this year and we will continue to work with them during our Boston's Cares fundraiser February of 2012 promoting awareness about Dating Violence for young women.  Education is key to prevention in the matters the Alliance for a Violence Free Anoka County stands for and we are just trying to do our part for the community, honestly.  Our community is why our business is still open in a tough economy so what better way to thank you than to take community issues and work to help support the programs that serve you.

Last spring we partnered with the Violence Prevention Council for the first time in order to organize Child Abuse Awareness month, a cause that is passionate to our manager Tisha Beseke and now to our entire team.  We saw great results raising over $2,000 for the organization.  The pinwheel is the symbol for Child Abuse Awarness.  Boston's sold pinwheels and planted a pinwheel garden in the front of the store to raise awareness and funds to support the efforts of this action team.  The council provided educational materials for our guests and managed it in such a way that it was not in-your-face about the issue, but presented it with sensitivity and respect to our guests.  This was very effective and I give kudos to the organization for their approach. 

The money raised was donated on behalf of Tisha Beseke's little brother Rylan. Rylan is a 3 year old boy who was a victim of child abuse when he was just 7 months old. He now suffers from many disabilities because of the effects of the abuse. He was placed in Tisha's parents home for foster care and soon after they adopted him.  I have to say I am proud to work for a locally-owned company who cares to involve themselves in the lives of their employees and community.  

Most recently we organized a fundraiser for the Domestic Violence Council, a branch of Violence Free Anoka County.  In the months prior to the fundraiser we worked to spread awareness of the Coaching Boys into Men program by mailing out a "Playbook" to local coaches and a letter inviting them to our fundraiser.  Coaches were offered the opportunity to share the Playbook's information with their student athletes and allow them to sign a pledge dedicating themselves to healthy relationships without violence.  We received signed pledges from the following two teams: Coach Denny Green's Coon Rapids High School Boys Cross Country Team and Coach Jeff Schlieff's Spring Lake Park High School Football Team.  The turn out for Monday night's fundraiser was decent, but we hope to get more of a response next year! It's a tough subject for coaches to bring up to their student athletes, but we are proud for the pledges we received from both of these coaches.  Both coaches were honored on a plaque which can be viewed in the entrance way of Boston's Coon Rapids.  Below is a link to learn more about the program Coaching Boys Into Men. 
http://www.violencefreeanokacounty.org/dvc/projects/coaching-boys-into-men/

Boston's would like to thank the Violence Prevention Council and all who work with us to organize these fundraiser and attended them, making them a success.  We believe in the work you do!  Special thanks to Donna McDonald Alliance for a Violence-free Anoka County, Amy Highness co-chair Domestic Violence Council and Goody Vokovan of Connexus Energy.  You are hard working women our community can be proud of!