Latest News & Events

VIBS Plans Fifteenth Annual Golf Outing
On Thursday, September 30th, we be honoring Eliatt DiLieto, Partner, Cerini & Associates, LLP at our Fifteenth Annual Golf Outing. This year's outing will take place once again at the beautiful Hunting Crescent Club.

Click here for the Golf Outing flyer

 

 

 

VIBS Hosts Seventh Annual Book Luncheon
On June 9th, VIBS held its Seventh Annual Book Luncheon at The Harbor Club at Tee T's Landing in Huntington. This year, we were pleased to feature talented author, Jennifer Egan. Her novel, A Visit From The Goon Squad, circles the lives of Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the passionate, troubled young woman he employs. Although Bennie and Sasha never discover each other's pasts, the reader does, in intimate detail, along with the secret lives of a host of other characters whose paths intersect with theirs, over many years, in locales as varied as New York, San Francisco, Naples, and Africa.

Jennifer Egan book signing

(Pamela Johnston (left) and Jennifer Egan)

 

Guests with their signed books

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIBS Celebrates 2010 Annual Spring Benefit

This year's Spring Benefit was held on Thursday, April 8th at the Venetian Yacht Club in Babylon. We were pleased to  honor Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., M.D., President, Stony Brook University and Doug Manditch, Chairman & CEO, Empire National Bank. The recipient of the Community Service Award was Captain Dympna Vernon, Suffolk County Sheriff's Department. Thank you to our Spring Benefit Committee, VIBS Board Members and the evening's honorees for helping to make this a successful event.

(l-r) Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., M.D., Captain Dympna Vernon, Doug Manditch

Thank you to the evening's sponsors:
Benefit Sponsor
Empire National Bank
Printing Sponsor
Jamie Winkler Real Estate
Floral Sponsor
Juiced Technologies
Photography Sponsors
Stifel Nicolaus, Aileen Eppig
Alure Home Improvements
The School of Professional Development at Stony Brook University
Favor Sponsor
Henry & Carla Jennings
Platinum Sponsors
Tilis Law Group
Stony Brook University
Gold Sponsor
Annabel Caner
Silver Sponsors
Amelio M. Sanchez & Family
Elena Fortune Jones & Lynda Perdomo Ayala
Building & Construction Trades Council of Nassau & Suffolk
Clinical Management Practice Plan
Bank of America, Michael Giardino
Ogden's Design & Plantings
Stony Brook University Medical Center
Enright Court Reporting, Inc.

 

 

 

VIBS Hosts 14th Annual Golf Outing
Golfers enjoyed a spectacular day of golf at this year's outing on October 22nd at the Huntington Crescent Club. We were pleased to have Cheryl A. Felice, President of the Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees and Janice M. Taraskas, CPA of Rizzi, Schwarz & Taraskas LLP as the honorary co-chairs.

A special thanks to our golf outing sponsors:
Tournament Sponsor: Island Outreach Foundation
Dinner Sponsor: Dockbuilders Local Union 1456
Cocktail Sponsor: Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield

 

 

 

SANE Center established at Stony Brook University Medical Center
A SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) Center has been established at Stony Brook University Medical Center. The SANE Center at Stony Brook is a collaboration among VIBS, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook University Medical Center the Suffolk County Police Department, and the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. It is the fourth SANE Center to be established with VIBS in Suffolk County since 1999, joining Good Samaritan Hospital, Mather Hospital, and Peconic Bay Medical Center.
"It is a pleasure and honor to participate in this celebration of the opening of Stony Brook University's SANE center." "Establishing a SANE Center is a significant commitment for a hospital. It involves setting aside valuable space, medical direction, nursing care and direction, and cooperation with other systems, such as law enforcement and community based organizations, whose priorities and expertise may be different. It works because of the commitment to the survivors of these crimes."
-Pamela Johnston, VIBS Executive Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senators Caesar Trunzo & John Flanagan Obtain Funds
for a New Building for VIBS.

At a reception on September 5, VIBS thanked Senators Caesar Trunzo and John Flanagan for obtaining $500,000 to enable VIBS to purchase a building in which to house programs for survivors of family violence and sexual assault. Senator Trunzo praised VIBS' work and took the opportunity to announce an additional grant of $250,000. Pictured are President of the Board Lynda Perdomo-Ayala, Senator Trunzo, Senator Flanagan, and Executive Director Pamela Johnston.

 

Senator Kenneth P. LaValle presents a grant for $30,000 for VIBS' programs.

Executive Director Pamela Johnston thanks Senator Owen Johnson for obtaining $135,000 toward the purchase of a building to house VIBS' programs.

Assembly Member Patricia Eddington visits VIBS and presents a big check to represent the $10,000 grant she obtained for VIBS' program.

NYS Assembly Member Phil Ramos and Suffolk County Legislator Ricardo Montano visited VIBS to support services to survivors of family violence and sexual assault.

 

L.I. Fund for Women & Girls Honors
Pamela C. Johnston
The Long Island Fund for Women & Girls honored VIBS' Executive Director at its 13th Annual Women Achievers Against the Odds Awards Breakfast on Nov. 7, 2007.

Long Island Fund Breakfast Honorees & Board Co-Presidents, (l-r) - Marsha Jones, Michele Devine(Board),
Pamela Johnston, Shirley Strum Kenny, Diane Cohen (Fund Exec. Director), Marcia Welsh (Board)

Splashes of Hope Transforms - SANE Centers
VIBS is pleased to announce that Splashes of Hope has created therapeutic murals for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Centers at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center. Splashes of Hope is a non-profit organization that creates beautiful murals for medical settings as tools for pain management, therapeutic distraction, soothing visualization, and focal points during necessary procedures. The newly "Splashed" SANE centers will be more calming to traumatized victims of sexual assault.

T-Mobile Supports VIBS
VIBS is pleased to announce a partnership with wireless services provider T-Mobile. A generous $10,000 grant from T-Mobile will underwrite VIBS' 24-hour hotline. In additional, the company has provided support for the development and distribution of 15,000 pocket Hotline cards, containing important emergency information and phone numbers for victims of domestic and sexual violence. These holtline cards wll be distributed at schools and community groups throughout the county.

It is essential for victims of domestic violence, rape and sexual assault to know how to get immediate access to protection, shelter, counseling and other services. VIBS is extremely grateful to T-Mobile for helping make the women and children of Suffolk County safer.

Steve Twardy (left) of T-Mobile USA and VIBS (Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk) Executive Director Pamela Johnston display the pocket card

VIBS Receives Grant from - The AllState Foundation
The Allstate Foundation recently provided VIBS Family Violence & Rape Crisis Center with a $5,000 grant for its "Every Penny Matters" financial education program. Recognizing that survivors of domestic abuse often lack the economic skills and resources to sustain themselves and prepare for futures of economic independence, the Allstate funding will further enhance VIBS services to its clients. Allstate recognizes that women who have economic skills are more likely to be able to leave abusive situations and sustain themselves and their families on a long-term basis.

VIBS currently offers a three week education program for victims of abuse that includes safety planning and self-care. The issue of financial self-care will now be introduced and 150 clients will learn how to assess their financial status, become financially literate and take steps to protect their assets. The "Every Penny Matters" program will help domestic violence survivors repair damaged credit, learn to budget and develop personal financial management skills. The user-friendly program is geared towards people who may be assuming financial responsibility for the first time.

By incorporating the "Every Penny Matters" curriculum into existing, successful VIBS programs, clients will develop an additional sense of hope, independence and empowerment in order to realize their own futures free of violence.

VIBS Receives Grant from the Long Island Fund For Women & Girls
VIBS has created a pilot program in response to the need for Spanish speaking advocates and counselors to improve services to Suffolk's Latina community, and the Long Island Fund for Women and Girls has provided a $2,500 grant to undertake this effort. In order augment existing services to Latina victims of domestic and sexual violence, VIBS partnered with Touro Law School's innovative Long Island Public Interest Center, to both enhance direct services to those in need and provide educational opportunities for law students.

VIBS counselors and advocates will be at the law school, located across from the Cohalan Court complex in Central Islip, 20 hours per week to assist Spanish-speaking victims of domestic violence and sexual assault,. Additionally, a bilingual, bicultural project advocate will be on site for 10 hours per week to provide information about the victim's rights and options, explain the court and other criminal justice system processes, and assist victims in completing petitions for orders of protection, provide direct court accompaniment and an emergency preprogrammed 911 cell phone.

 

Support from Our Legislators
The Board and Staff at VIBS are grateful for the support of the following state and county legislators for obtaining funds for essential services in 2006 and 2007:

Assemblywoman Patricia Eddington and VIBS Executive Director Pamela Johnston with donated cellular phones		Senator John Flanagan and VIBS Executive Director Pamela Johnston
Senator Owen Johnson and Executive Director Pamela Johnston		Senator Cesar Trunzo and Pamela Johnston
Legislator Joseph Caracappa		Senator Owen Johnson
Legislator John Kennedy		Senator Kenneth LaValle
Legislator Ricardo Montano		Legislator Lynne Nowick
Assemblyman Marc Alessi		Senator Caesar Trunzo
Legislator Vivian Viloria Fisher		Assemblyman Steve Engelbright
Legislator Jonathan Cooper		Legislator Ricardo Montano
Senator John Flanagan		Assemblywoman Patricia Eddington
Assemblyman Andrew P. Raia		Assemblyman Phil Ramos
Legislator Lou D'Amaro		Legislator Thomas Barraga

Book Info

Clinical Applications of Drama Therapy in Child and Adolescent Treatment Editor(s) - Anna Marie Weber, Craig Haen

Director of VIBS Children's Services, Anna Marie Weber is a gifted drama therapist with expertise in treating severe cases of child trauma from domestic violence and sexual assault. She has co-edited a book containing a rich compilation of leading-edge theory, methodology and practice in the field of drama therapy.

Buy This Book »