Family of Woodstock program offers domestic violence intervention
Editor’s note: This is one of a series of articles profiling area agencies that help the needy.
KINGSTON, N.Y. » Family of Woodstock’s Evolve Program has helped with domestic violence intervention for the past 40 years.
It is just one of more than a dozen forms of assistance the non-profit agency offers. They include shelters like the Washbourne House, emergency services via hotlines and walk-in centers, adult case management, employment, health and mental health services, and health home services. Other forms of assistance include homelessness prevention as well as children and family services like child care, family support services and parenting resources.
The non-profit also hosts a number of services for youngsters and adolescents including health and mental health services, prevention services in the community, restorative and juvenile justice services, services in school, temporary and permanent shelters, the textmeback.org text line and youth case management.
Family will also be collaborating with Kingson-based non-profit affordable housing provider RUPCO and Catholic Charities on a project that will see the former Quality Inn hotel on state Route 28 in the town of Ulster converted into 82 apartments for formerly homeless individuals and families with on-site supportive services for residents.
Andrea Rodriguez, the program’s director, said Evolve has groups for both women and men and works with the judicial system. She’s in her first year at the helm of the program after working at Family as a case manager for eight years.
The participants meet for 90-minute weekly meetings offered both in-person and virtually throughout the county, she said, adding that she estimates it serves well over 100 people throughout the county. Sessions in Ellenville are currently online only, Rodriguez said.
“We’re hoping to be back in person in Ellenville soon,” she said.
She estimated it served well over 100 people throughout the county.
The program offers psycho-educational prevention and education to par
ticipants, helping them to have healthy relationships and helping to prevent their children from having to go into foster care.
The people the program has helped include Alberto, a Kingston resident who is now helping others in the program after graduating from it himself a second time a month ago. He lives with his daughter.
Speaking through an interpreter, he said he came to the program through his probation officer after spending time in jail after being convicted of driving while intoxicated in 2019. He said the program, which offered him a chance to process and write down things that were burdening him in a confidential environment, helped to make him feel great. The program also assisted him with other things like filling out documents.
“I don’t have to drink anymore,” he said. “I can’t conquer the issues with alcohol.”
Alberto noted he used to be a heavy drinker. As for why he decided to do the 33-week program again after graduating the first time, he said he felt a need to do it again and he was welcomed back.
“The first time knew I wasn’t mature enough,” he said. “I didn’t speak much.”
Alberto added that by the second time he graduated about a month ago he felt much more confident, confident enough that he decided to stick around helping other participants express their issues or problems by sharing his story.
“I really believe this is a good program and I want to help other people through the same situation,” he said. “I want to help them evolve and grow like I have matured.” As for Family’s biggest need as it heads into 2023, Michael Berg, the non-profit executive director, said it’s finding people who want to volunteer.
“We need people that can do bookkeeping, who can be counselors, who can step up to meet their community’s needs,” Berg said.
For more information about the Evolve program, call (845) 331-7080 and ask for Andrea.
Those interested in volunteering with Family should email volunteers@familyofwoodstockinc.org or call (845) 331-7080.