Why I do what I do
By David Clohessy
Last week, in less than 24 hours, SNAP was in at least seven news outlets in three cities last week. Why? And why is this important?
The “why” is simple: we have dedicated volunteer leaders across the country (and increasingly, the world) who are:
--smart enough to recognize outreach opportunities, and
--generous enough to quickly drop their other responsibilities and seize those opportunities.
When abuse scandals surfaced in Seattle, Oakland and Kalamazoo, SNAP leaders Mary Dispenza, Bill McAlary, Tim Lennon and Melanie Sakoda dropped what they were doing, overcame their hesitation, summoned their strength and used these scandals to further expose church wrongdoing, raise the expectations bar, and beg those with knowledge or suspicions about abuse to come forward.
Why is this important?
Again, the answer is simple. Because virtually no one else is doing this. Virtually no one else relentlessly urges people who can make kids safer to take action.
And it’s important because it works. It might be years until these efforts bear fruit. But they WILL bear fruit. We in SNAP will at some point hear from victims, witnesses and whistleblowers in or near these three cities. Their phone messages or emails will include this some version statement: “I saw your group in the news in January of 2016 and I’m just now able or willing to step and do something.”
That, in a nutshell, is why I do what I do: because I get to work with and help tremendous leaders like Mary, Bill, Tim and Melanie. And together, we help others still trapped in shame, silence and self-blame and make kids safer by exposing those who commit and conceal child sex crimes.
It’s just that simple. And that wonderful.
Details are here:
Seattle:
http://komonews.com/news/local/archdiocese-of-seattle-publishes-names-of-child-sex-abusers
Oakland:
http://www.ktvu.com/news/75230788-story
Kalamazoo:
http://woodtv.com/2016/01/13/priest-accused-of-misconduct-working-in-battle-creek/
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
Showing 2 comments
It must continue!