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GIVING
40 · 2018 GG SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL
n Mission Statement
The mission of Freedom’s Rest Family Violence Center
is to provide shelter and advocacy to the survivors of
domestic and sexual violence and to promote education to
break the cycle of violence in the community.
n Service Area
To deliver on its mission, Freedom’s Rest operates a
full-service emergency domestic and sexual violence
shelter located in Ozark, serving hundreds of victims
each year from Christian, Barry, Dallas, Douglas, Greene,
Lawrence, Ozark, Polk, Stone, Taney, and Webster counties
in southwest Missouri. More than fifty percent of victims
served annually are from Springfield/Greene County.
n Funding
Freedom’s Rest is funded through the generosity of
individuals, businesses, and foundations who believe
that every person has the right to be safe, empowered,
and live a life free from domestic and sexual violence. In
addition, Freedom’s Rest also receives state and federal
funds designated to provide services directly related to the
emotional healing and recovery of crime victims.
n How People & Businesses Can Help
Make a Donation – Freedom’s Rest relies on the
generosity of community members and businesses to
support the work of the emergency shelter. Tax-deductible
donations can be made by calling the shelter office at (417)
582-0344 or by visiting the website at www.freedomsrest.
org. State tax credits are available for gifts of $100 or more.
Volunteer – Volunteers are the heartbeat of Freedom’s
Rest. To learn more about volunteer opportunities
for individuals or groups, contact the Freedom’s Rest
Volunteer Coordinator by calling the shelter office at (417)
582-0344 or by email at
Invite a Representative to Speak to Your Group – The
Freedom’s Rest team would love the opportunity to share
with any group. A variety of programs, designed to create
awareness and dialogue around issues related to domestic
and sexual violence, can be tailored to meet the needs of
any group or organization. Request a speaker by calling
the shelter office at (417) 582-0344 or by email at
Donate Items to Neat Repeats – Neat Repeats Thrift
Store relies solely on the generosity of in-kind donors to
stock the racks with quality items to sell. All proceeds from
the sales at Neat Repeats directly benefit Freedom’s Rest.
To learn more about making in-kind donations, call the
thrift store at (417) 485-4999 or visit the store Monday –
Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., at 1944 W Retail Lane in
Ozark.
n Testimonials
“Victims often come to us in an emotionally broken state,
covered in the bruises and scars that tell the story of their
abuse. They have nothing and nowhere to turn. Freedom’s
Rest is their only hope.” – Matthew Ennis, Executive
Director
Although it seems all hope may be lost, many of the
stories that begin at Freedom’s Rest end with joy. Ella is
one of the many success stories since Freedom’s Rest
opened its emergency shelter in 2003. Ella first came
to Freedom’s Rest with a black eye, choke marks on her
neck, and had been in a long-term abusive relationship.
She arrived at the shelter with three young children. One
child, a first grader, had been suspended from school as
a result of violent and suicidal behavior. Doctors told Ella
that she should keep her child out of school as a result of
the risks posed to other children. Eventually, the child was
diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder following
abuse that happened at a very young age. During their
time at Freedom’s Rest, they were given a safe place to
call their temporary home, and Victim Advocates were able
to refer the child for counseling and medical assistance,
while also helping to secure transitional housing and other
resources to provide a safe home environment for the
mom and her young children.
“This is just one of the thousands of the success stories
that have been possible through the services provided
by Freedom’s Rest over the past fifteen years,” says
Ennis. “Leaving an abusive relationship is often a high-
risk decision. For many victims of domestic and sexual
violence, leaving means that they may not be able to
immediately find safe housing or properly feed their
children and keep them emotionally and physically safe. In
fact, national statistics reflect that domestic violence is the
leading cause of homelessness for women and children.”
ADDRESS:
P.O. Box 1276
Ozark, MO 65721
PHONE: 417-582-0344
WEBSITE:
/freedomsrest
TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES (FTE):
11
ANNUAL REVENUES
(MOST RECENT FISCAL YEAR):
$599,902
TOP EXECUTIVE:
Matthew Ennis, Executive Director
BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRPERSON:
Dr. Denise Jameson, President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Angel Shortt, Vice President
Jennifer Cox, Secretary
Tammy Sprouse, Treasurer
Sharon Alexander, Past President
Janis Creek
Brian Mansker
Bethany Parsons, J.D.
Ashlee Radford
Rosemary Ravenscroft
Allison Robertson, MSW, MHA, CCM