New Foglia Family Resource Center Opens for Survivors of Domestic Violence
- Posted by Sarah Swiston
- On November 20, 2023
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Foglia Family Resource Center Opens for Survivors of Domestic Violence
WINGS Counseling Services Expand to Provide Free Services to Youth in the Community
From left to right: Denise Urban, WINGS Executive Vice President and CFO; Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi; Matthew Baumann, WINGS Board of Directors Immediate Past President; Rebecca Darr, WINGS President & CEO; Darla Swango, WINGS Board of Directors; La Tonya Walker, WINGS Chief Program Officer; and Lara Sanoica, Mayor of Rolling Meadows.
Chicago Suburbs, IL, (November 17th, 2023) – WINGS has opened the Foglia Family Resource Center (FFRC), a state-of-the-art counseling center for survivors of domestic violence. The need for domestic violence services has been on a rise every year since the pandemic began and survivors are disclosing higher levels of trauma. The FFRC will provide free domestic violence services and expand community counseling services to adults, teens, and child survivors.
The 5,218 square foot facility includes a meditation space, separate meeting rooms for adult, teen, and child survivors, and comfortable counseling spaces. Services provided at the Foglia Family Resource Center include:
- domestic violence education,
- safety planning,
- individual and group counseling,
- hybrid (virtual and in-person) counseling options,
- healthy relationship group for teens,
- parenting groups,
- bilingual Spanish services,
- and more.
WINGS staff are continually trained on best practices including Child Parent Psychotherapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and play therapy.
Last year, WINGS served 1,219 survivors, including 492 children. Before the FFRC, WINGS served around 150 adult survivors, separate from clients living in WINGS residential Housing programs. However, WINGS did not have the resources to provide youth clients not residing in WINGS Safe Houses or Housing Programs with counseling services.
Now, by adding two adult counselors, two children’s counselors, and dedicated spaces, WINGS will be better able to meet the increased needs of the community.
Maudell Gaines is a former client of WINGS and a current member of the agency’s Board of Directors. Ms. Gaines shares:
“That six months (at WINGS) was life changing for me. Whenever I speak about WINGS, I talk about the importance of counseling…The getting away is the hardest thing, but it is still a challenge after you get away. When you go to counseling, you learn and don’t make those same mistakes. It is vital to the growth of families. I’ve made it a lifestyle to prevent generational curses surrounded by the stigma in counseling as it pertains to my culture (African American Community).”
The Foglia Family Resource Center has come to fruition as a result of generous funding from public and private sources: the Foglia Family Foundation, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, and the Cook County’s Justice Advisory Council.
For more information on WINGS and its domestic violence services, visit https://wingsprogram.com/. Anyone experiencing domestic violence can receive help by calling the 24-hour hotline at 847.221.5680.
Survivors interested in learning more about WINGS counseling services may call 847.519.7828.
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About WINGS Program, Inc.
The mission of WINGS Program, Inc. is to provide housing, integrated services, education, and advocacy to end domestic violence. WINGS offers a continuum of services including housing across Metropolitan Chicago: WINGS Metro Safe House in southwest Chicago, Suburban Safe House in the northwest suburbs, Transitional and Permanent Supportive Housing, Rapid Rehousing, Children and Family Services, and Community Based Services including hospital partnerships, Survivor Lifeline mentoring, and A New Direction in Beverly/Morgan Park. Anyone experiencing domestic violence can receive help by calling the 24-hour hotline at 847.221.5680.
Media Contacts:
Rebecca Darr, President & CEO
W: 847.519.7820 ext. 212
C: 847.302.8700
Sarah Swiston, Media and Communications Manager
W: 847.519.7820 ext. 230
C: 708.533.7577
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