2024 is off to a cracking start and I hope like me you are looking forward to all the year has to offer. I find that the best times come from doing for others, by feeling appreciation and thanks for all the good in my life and sharing what I can with others. 2024 is all about that for me. Not looking inward to what more I need but looking outward to what I can do for someone else and having gratitude and abundance in my heart.
Everything is better when we lead with gratitude and abundance, so at My Giving Table we are continuing to focus our attention on fundraising for the upcoming Dancing CEOs in May. We ended 2023 with a series of Thanksgiving Parties raising over $7000 in one night for Womens Legal Service Qld, thanks to our wonderful hosts. Our plan is for April to be a month of My Giving Table events in support of the fabulous CEOs who are putting on their dance shoes and strutting their magic on stage, to help break the cycle of family violence and financial coercive control in our community.
It is easy to feel removed from this issue and think it is further away from us than it is. The frightening thing is family violence and particularly financial and coercive control is so prevalent that we often don't recognise it or call it out when it happens to us or loved ones, its uncomfortable to discuss and this leaves those suffering more isolated. The signs are often subtle, and it can show up in ways that we all should look out for. Particularly in relation to financial abuse, how does it look? Would we recognise it?
I was talking to my accountant Kylie who said she can often see the signs as a professional and recommends for all to look out for tell-tale signals and do our best to offer help and support. When one partner controls all the finances for example, denying access to the other partner, giving them perhaps a small allowance to feed the family and run the house, even when they are not short of money, its control and its belittling. When one partner uses the other partners name, including forging signatures to purchase or rent assets, leaving them with the debt and debt collectors chasing them. It is very hard for a woman (and correct it is not always the woman in this situation, it can also happen to men, but the statistics are weighted heavily to women) to start again in a safe way with no financial security and particularly when they have debts in their name for assets they do not have. Without control of one's own finances it becomes incredibly hard to leave a volatile situation because without financial means we are stuck in limbo where we are. How do you find a new safe place to live when you have no bond, no bank account and are being chased by debt collectors?
This is a monster of a topic and there is far too much to cover for one small blog but the critical thing is what small steps can we take to reach out and help someone who needs support to break a cycle of abuse?
So here is what we have in mind as an idea - we hope that you will host a gratitude party or a night of abundance and support our CEOs on their quest to raise funds for Womens Legal Service to continue to offer real and meaningful support to families who need to be released from situations of financial, coercive control and physical abuse. We are simply seeking good hearted people like you, to invite your friends to enjoy dinner together in your home, with the ticket price going to the fundraising campaign.
Check out all the smiles on the faces of the hosts and guests at our Thanksgiving Dinners and you will see how much kindness and gratitude brings out the best in people. And as you can see you can set the night however you want - cook your favourite recipe, get help from a caterer or keep it simple its up to you.
Register to become a host here by nominating a date and the CEO you wish to support. Remember we are here to help and talk it through so reach out if you have any questions.
You can find out more about Womens Legal Service here and particularly their focus this year for expanding their Financial Abuse Prevention Unit (FAPU) - Women’s Legal Service Queensland (wlsq.org.au) here.
You can also show support by purchasing a ticket in the amazing Jet Raffle and be in with a chance to win a weekend for 6 flying private charter to the Whitsundays and experience White on Whitehaven, named by the courier mail the most iconic lunch in Australia and staying at Coral Sea Marina Resort. Follow this link to get your tickets today.
Thanks for reading, stay kind and stay grateful and remember when you share the load of someone who is suffering you lessen their load, Kate
