It's a wrap on 2025 (well, almost!)

Dear Friends and Advocates,

This past fiscal year has been a dynamic year filled with both challenges and renewed commitments.

As we enter a new year, DCADV remains grateful to our member agencies for their partnership in our shared commitment to ending and preventing domestic violence. We deeply appreciate all the individual donors, organizations, and funders for their generosity and support!

Priorities for the Coalition throughout the year include victim safety, promoting prevention strategies, collaborating with community partners, and enhancing resources. DCADV collaborates with member programs to advocate for state policies and sustainable funding that support protections and resources to domestic violence survivors.

DCADV continues to be a valued training resource for domestic violence advocates and community agencies. This past year, DCADV added to our online training library several modules, including Foundations of Domestic Violence, Foundations of Trauma-informed Care, and Foundations of Prevention. DCADV also developed a DV201 training series to delve deeper into topics that will enhance domestic violence advocacy.

As we engage in our work, DCADV is deeply appreciative of the courageous and dedicated women within the Women Empowered Against Violence in Every Relationship (WEAVER) task force and the Women of Color task force (WOCTF).

Thank you all for your support! Wishing everyone a joyful and peaceful holiday season!

Sue Ryan

To everyone who joined us for Purple Ribbon 2025, THANK YOU! It was a wonderful evening of food, friends, raffles, music, and award winners.

DCADV is excited to announce that our online training module “Foundations of Prevention” is now available in both English and Spanish!

Lesson 1: From Theory to Practice (9 minutes)

Lesson 2: Going Upstream (13 minutes)

Lesson 3: The Public Health Approach to Violence Prevention (11 minutes)

Lesson 4: Risk and Protective Factors (18 minutes)

Lesson 5: Prevention Strategies (14 minutes)

The course has been approved for 1.75 CEUs by the NASW-DE Chapter as well!

We hope that this will be a helpful resource to anyone looking to learn about how they can integrate prevention strategies into their work, no matter what they do. Please share with anyone who may be interested!

The Policy Team held its annual policy meeting kickoff in mid-November via Zoom. Representatives from member agencies met with DCADV staff to receive training from Bolder Advocacy on the IRS rules for nonprofit lobbying.

The group also discussed and strategized our policy goals for 2026, which center on victim safety. The Policy Committee confirmed our policy focus questions, which will guide our work, ensuring our dedication to responsive policies that address legal justice, financial security, and health access for victims of DV.

DV- Community Health Advocates are available to help here in Delaware. EVERYONE deserves a safe and healthy relationship. Please call if you or someone you know is in a dangerous or abusive relationship.

New Castle County: 302-757-2137

Kent/Sussex Counties: 302-422-8058

During the past fiscal year, the DV- Community Health Advocates supported 133 new survivors and 225 of their children, with an average monthly caseload of 50 participants. The program continues to thrive statewide, providing participants with services within their communities.

WOCTF Coordinator, Diane Postell, and DCADV’s DV & Community Health Program Manager, Ama Amponsah, led 3 undergrad classes at DSU’s request (600+ students) to address escalation in intimate partner violence on campus. Dating violence is a significant issue on college campuses, affecting approximately 1 in 3 college women and 1 in 10 college men. Kudos to DSU for sharing this important education!

Join us for DCADV's Women of Color Task Force fundraiser, a mocktail and music mixer featuring live testimonials from victorious survivors, DV community resources, food and retail vendors, raffles and prizes, a photo booth, and an evening of fun celebration.

*Food and mocktails will be available for purchase at the event.

The Weaver Task Force had an incredibly active and impactful fall, engaging with communities across Delaware and amplifying our mission of advocacy, awareness, and support.

Inspiring Testimony at Transformation AME Zion

On November 1st, member Dedra Handy delivered a powerful talk at Transformation AME Zion’s Missionary Mass Meeting. She shared her personal journey and her ongoing advocacy efforts with both Weaver and DCADV, offering encouragement, insight, and hope to all who attended.

Community Resource Fairs: Supporting & Connecting

Task Force members participated in multiple community events throughout the month, including:

Women Beyond Measure’s Thrive Together Resource Fairs in Dover and Milford
Members met with community members to provide domestic violence resources, answer questions, and help connect them to local services.

Delaware State University Resource Fair – November 13th
We were honored to join DSU students and staff, offering DV resources while supporting important advocacy around mental health awareness and suicide prevention. Our presence helped ensure students knew where to turn for safety, support, and healing.

Dear Friends,

With heavy hearts and deep sadness, YWCA Delaware mourns the passing of Sam Hudran, our beloved SARC Counseling Services Manager.

Many of you may have met Sam at our recent Celebration Breakfast. Sam was the living definition of “empowerment.” Having experienced unimaginable challenges, she found a way to become a powerful advocate for others in the field of victim services and coordinated community response.

At the Breakfast, Sam shared:

"I know what it's like and how it feels when you finally get to break free. It just takes someone to believe in you.

With SARC, as the counseling manager, I believe in every person that comes through the door, I know they can have a better life. They just need support to get there.

I share my story in the hopes that it will allow survivors to know that their future can be better, it can be positive, it can be glorious, and you can live free."

Her voice was soft and gentle, yet her determination to create a better world for herself and for others was stronger than steel. Her courage and compassion helped countless survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and sex trafficking find their own paths to healing.

In her three years with YWCA Delaware’s SARC program, Sam inspired all who had the privilege of working alongside her. We will forever honor her strength, compassion, and lasting contributions to our community and our state. She will be dearly missed by her SARC colleagues Jessica, Debbie, Angela, Andrew, Arlette, Traci, Selena, Lauren, Mollie, and Elizabeth.

Our hearts are with her beautiful family—her husband, William "Bill" Hudran III, and her children, William Hudran IV, Olexa "Lexi" Hudran, and Andrew "AJ" Hudran.

Sam, may your soul find the comfort you so freely shared with others. Your light will continue to guide us.

Have you renewed your membership or donated to DCADV? With the end of the year right around the corner, now is the time! We sure do appreciate the support and your commitment to Delaware.