Beendigen Breaking Free from Violence program finds new home on Golf Links Road
By Rick Garrick
THUNDER BAY — Beendigen Anishinabe Women’s Crisis Home and Family Healing Agency recently moved its Breaking Free from Violence program to its new office on Golf Links Road in Thunder Bay.
Beendigen Anishinabe Women’s Crisis Home and Family Healing Agency provides free support and services to ensure women and children have a safe environment to live in free from violence. Beendigen Anishinabe Women’s Crisis Home and Family Healing Agency also have a Crisis Line at 807-346-HELP (4357) or toll free at 1-888-200-9997 for emergency assistance.
“The [Breaking Free from Violence] program used to be offered at our old site on Syndicate [Avenue], and we’ve recently moved that whole space into the new Golf Links location,” says Jessica Goodman, Program Manager at Beendigen Anishinabe Women’s Crisis Home and Family Healing Agency. “Yesterday was just like a drop-in to come see the office space [and] see where the programs are being held. Throughout the day, people just kind of dropped in to check out the space and see what we have offered.”
Goodman says the Breaking Free from Violence program is important for providing support for women and giving their voice back.
“Not being their voice but teaching them to advocate for themselves in order to get their voice back, because when you’re in trauma, you can’t think of what you have to do next, you’re thinking of your children and that’s it,” Goodman says. “So, they do a lot of advocacy, a lot of system navigation, a lot of education and parenting and promotion of healthy lifestyles, safety planning, [and] goal setting.”
Goodman says they also have a Parenting Across the Life Cycle program that is part of the Breaking Free from Violence program.
“They work closely together with those families, but one is really focused on the advocacy part and one is really focused on the parenting and the promotion of the healthy lifestyles,” Goodman says.
Goodman says their programs are robust and culturally grounded.
“Our programs are getting so popular because people are recognizing us as a safe space to find their identity and to continue on their healing journey,” Goodman says.
Goodman says they hold a range of programming throughout the month, including a Family Bakinaage that is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. on August 26.
“We do a monthly Bakinaage, it’s a family bingo — the last one, we had over 50 people attend,” Goodman says. “They learn different teachings about the Seven Grandfather Teachings and how it’s sort of linked to parenting and life. They get lots of food security from that program, so a lot of the things they win are big food bundles or super fun, like a little pool or different toys and stuff for the kids, so it’s really well attended.”
Goodman says they hold a Sisters of Grief group every Tuesday and a Drumming Group every Thursday.
“The Sisters of Grief program is a closed group where you talk about grief, you learn about the cycles of grief,” Goodman says. “It’s a safe space where you can come and just talk and learn about the things you are sort of going through when it comes to grief, and then we also have a traditional piece to it, so we will bring in an Elder so that they have an Elder to talk to, do a sharing circle, and keep it really grass roots.”
Goodman says the Drumming Group has “grown quite big.”
“One of the beautiful things I love about this Drumming Group is that the kids are coming with the parents,” Goodman says. “We’re starting to see young children and young youth interested in drumming already.”
Information about Beendigen Anishinabe Women’s Crisis Home and Family Healing Agency is posted online.