Libera Inc

TO EDUCATE AND EMPOWER WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO FIND FREEDOM.

LOVEPACKS TO EMPOWER AND RESOURCE WEST VIRGINIA AT-RISK PRESCHOOL THROUGH 18 YEAR OLDS: THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS SEVERELY IMPACTED THE EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS' PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND MENTAL WELLNESS NEEDS. WE PIVOTED DURING THE PANDEMIC TO CREATE LOVEPACKS. LOVEPACKS ARE DRAWSTRING BACKPACKS FILLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND CRISIS TOOLS, ALONG WITH ABUSE PREVENTION VIDEOS, BOOKS, AND RESOURCES. THESE WERE DISTRIBUTED TO 247 HOMELESS STUDENTS AND 1,116 FOSTER YOUTH. THE LOVEPACKS INCLUDE: - AGE APPROPRIATE BOOKS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION HELP - VIDEOS ON BODY SAFETY, ONLINE SAFETY, HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION - A "MINDFUL CAREGIVER" TOOL TO HELP CAREGIVERS WITH ANXIETY AND STRESS - FOSTER CHILDREN BILL OF RIGHTS & CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE WV FOSTER CARE OMBUDSMAN - JOURNALS WITH WRITING PROMPTS - ANXIETY & DEPRESSION TOOLS - PENS & HAND SANITIZER IMPRINTED WITH CRISIS TEXT LINE NUMBERS - BULLYING RESOURCES - STRESS BALLS - HANDWRITTEN CARDS TELLING THEM HOW VALUABLE THEY ARE - MOTIVATIONAL STICKERS - COLORING BOOKS FOR CALMING AND DISTRACTION

CHILDREN AND TEEN PROGRAMS:WE HELD LIBERA MODEL GROUPS WITH OVER 100 GIRLS FROM FOUR COUNTIES, HELPING THEM TO IDENTIFY THEIR PERSONAL BARRIERS AND CONNECT THEM TO SCHOOL AND PERSONAL COUNSELORS, NONPROFITS, SOCIAL AGENCIES, BOOKS, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION APPS, CRISIS LINES, AND OTHER EMPOWERMENT RESOURCES. EACH RECEIVED A FREE LIBERA WORKBOOK. OUR LISTENERS PROVIDED EXTRA SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS DURING THE PANDEMIC. WE COLLECTED FOOD AND CLOTHING FOR STUDENTS IN NEED, AND DISTRIBUTED RESOURCE CARDS WITH MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH TOOLS, PLUS ABUSE PREVENTION RESOURCES, TO STUDENTS. WE ALSO SERVED AS LISTENERS (MENTORS) AT 9 BODY SAFETY ASSEMBLIES IN K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE LISTENED TO MANY STUDENTS' STORIES, AND REPORTED CASES OF ABUSE TO CPS AND WEST VIRGINIA STATE POLICE IN AT LEAST FIVE SITUATIONS, WHILE ALSO HELPING SOME STUDENTS WITH ANXIETY, BULLYING, AND SUICIDAL IDEATION. WE WERE ABLE TO SPECIFICALLY REPORT ONE ONLINE PREDATOR WHO WAS RECEIVING CHILD NUDES AND GIVE HIS PROFILE NAME AND PHOTOS.WE DISTRIBUTED OVER 4,000 RESOURCE CARDS TO EACH OF THESE STUDENTS WITH THE CHILD ABUSE HOTLINE, CRISIS TEXT LINE, FREE ANXIETY APPS, AND WHERE TO LOOK FOR HELP. WE ALSO PRODUCED THREE VIDEOS OF AGE APPROPRIATE STORIES OF WOMEN IN LIBERA WHO EXPERIENCED CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE, ONLINE STALKING, AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. THESE WOMEN TOLD THEIR STORIES AND TALKED ABOUT HOW TO PREVENT ABUSE AND STALKING, AND ALSO HOW TO GET HELP IF YOU ARE BEING ABUSED OR STALKED. THESE VIDEOS WERE PRESENTED TO THOUSANDS, AND WERE SHARED WITH THOUSANDS MORE EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS AROUND THE STATE.

LIBERA GROUPS, WORKSHOPS, ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS TO EMPOWER AND RESOURCE WEST VIRGINIA WOMEN, AND TRAIN THEM AS MENTORS FOR OTHER WEST VIRGINIA WOMEN AND TEENS: WE LISTENED TO AND LED OVER 75 WV WOMEN IN 16 COUNTIES THROUGH OUR LIBERA MODEL GROUPS AND LISTENER TRAININGS AND MEETINGS, HELPING THEM TO IDENTIFY THEIR PERSONAL BARRIERS AND CONNECT THEM TO NONPROFITS, SOCIAL AGENCIES, COUNSELORS, BOOKS, CD'S, AND OTHER EMPOWERMENT RESOURCES TO HELP THEM OVERCOME THEIR BARRIERS. EACH RECEIVED A FREE LIBERA WORKBOOK. WE TRAINED 17 WV WOMEN IN EFFECTIVE MENTORING/LISTENING THROUGH SUICIDE PREVENTION MODULES, GROUP FACILITATION, AND OTHER RIGOROUS PEER SUPPORT MATERIALS, INCLUDING MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, TO MULTIPLY OUR REACH AND LISTEN TO MORE WV WOMEN AND TEENS.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING WITH OUR LIBERA COUNSELOR: OUR LIBERA COUNSELOR SERVED OVER 40 YOUTH AND WOMEN TO PROVIDE FREE OR LOW COST INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING OR GROUP COUNSELING TO EMPOWER THEM TO FIND MORE FREEDOM AND AGENCY.