Good morning, I'm Gail Pascus and I have been a member of Kenilworth Union for more than 30 years. I am the co-liaison of WINGS an agency Kenilworth Union has supported for the past eight years. As the largest domestic violence service provider in the state of Illinois the WINGS Program provides housing and integrated services to adults and children escaping abuse. Their goal is to provide the tools and support necessary to ensure that victims can escape their abusers and begin building new violence-free lives.

Every 9 seconds in the United States a woman is assaulted or beaten. The city of Chicago with a population of 2.7 million receives over 500 domestic violence calls a day. I know it's shocking to think of think of those who don't even make the call.

Since 1985 WINGS has provided over 1.2 million nights of shelter and safe housing. In 2024 99% of the clients served at WINGS Safe Houses were low income according to the federal HUD income guidelines and 100% were experiencing homelessness. Children comprise 64% of those served at WINGS Safe Houses.

WINGS operates two safe houses: one in Chicago and one in the suburbs to provide abused victims emergency housing. The suburban safe house is the only domestic violence shelter in Northwest Cook County, an area whose population exceeds 1 million. In addition to the two emergency safe houses WINGS operates no cost shared living homes and WINGS apartments where renters pay 30% of their adjusted gross income towards rent.

The goal is to end the cycle of violence and to provide support as people exit homelessness and return to permanent housing.

I urge you to help further the mission of WINGS and end domestic violence by:

1. attending the outreach benefit on Friday April 25th by donating to the outreach benefit that not only benefits WINGS but over 30 agencies

2. By volunteering at WINGS I will be in the Culbertson Room after worship. Please come pick up a fly or talk to me

3. Donating items to one of the three WINGS Resale stores that operate in the area. Items that you previously would have donated to Rummage you can donate to one of the resale stores There's one that's located not too far from here on Golf Road.

Please help WINGS continue their mission to help victims begin a journey away from violence and towards safety security and independence. Thank you very much.