July brings DVSN into a new fiscal year, FY2026 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026), a perfect time to pass along some updates. In this post, we’ll take stock of some of last year’s accomplishments and look forward to what’s in the pipeline for the coming months. We’ll take a peek at DVSN’s four-year strategic plan, where we stand on various goals and initiatives one year in, and the next action steps coming up. Six new members joined DVSN’s Board in the last year or so, and last month we once again held our annual Celebration of Hope Benefit fundraiser and Seasoned Advocate Training Institute. Plus, we’ll preview some of our planned FY2026 events, a new program in development, and an update to our monthly email newsletter. Read on for all the DVSN news!
DVSN’s 4-Year Strategic Plan
DVSN’s Strategic Plan for FY2025 to FY2028 was developed throughout 2024, at a Board Retreat in April facilitated by consulting firm Pear Associates, and going through several reviews and edits by Action Groups, Board President Christine Francis, and Executive Director Jacquelin Apsler. This document is meant to help align activities and goals, identify and prioritize key initiatives, and anticipate and respond to changes, in order to fulfill DVSN’s mission, maximize limited resources, and explore growth opportunities with long-term viability, all while nurturing and expanding services to our clients. Five overarching strategic initiatives were identified to achieve this purpose.
Each of these initiatives is outlined with multiple sub-goals and action steps, who is responsible for taking these steps, and a timeline for when each should be accomplished. The action steps with FY2025 deadlines have now been accomplished, and most multi-year action steps meant to begin in FY2025 are now ongoing. The most comprehensive of these (working toward Initiative 1 above) was the review and updating of DVSN’s Mission and Vision statements.
Mission Statement
An Action Group made up of Board and staff members was established to review DVSN’s previous mission statement and update it to better articulate and detail the organization’s purpose and impact. This group worked off the premise that a mission statement “defines an organization’s business, its objectives, and how it will reach these objectives”. In addition to reviewing the existing Mission Statement, they also examined language from some of DVSN’s grant applications and solicited suggestions of new language to compile all the elements they wanted the Mission Statement to express. Below is the resulting new, finalized Mission Statement for DVSN:
Not only is this new Mission Statement more comprehensive and specific than the previous version, but it is also highly adaptable. It was deliberately written to flow from overarching concepts to methods to more specific objectives and details of those objectives. By designing it in this manner, it is easy to shorten the statement in multiple ways to fit the situation or context for which it is being used. The main intent of each bullet point is expressed in the first few bolded words, while the secondary line of each fills in the details but can be removed without changing the meaning. The Mission Statement can also be shortened to just the initial sentence without any of the bullet points, or even just part of the first sentence, and still convey DVSN’s overarching mission. This adaptability will allow the Mission Statement to be used in different ways and circumstances. Check out the typing effect employed to highlight this aspect on the About DVSN page of our website.
Vision Statement
When the Action Group set to work on crafting a Vision Statement for DVSN, they worked from the definition that a vision statement “details where the organization aspires to go”. It looks to the future and the long-term goals of the organization. They again reviewed language from grant applications and brainstormed suggestions to put together a comprehensive vision. The finalized new DVSN Vision Statement is as follows:
This lofty goal provides a target and framework for how DVSN will proceed into the future.
Formalizing Core Values
The next action step of Initiative 1 of the Strategic Plan is earmarked for this year, FY2026. It is to draft and establish DVSN’s Core Values. The Action Group will work from the idea that Core Values are “the clearly stated principles about the organization’s mission and vision”. While the Vision outlines the ultimate goal of the organization, and the Mission details individual objectives and how to accomplish them, the Core Values will lay the foundation upon which these are carried out. DVSN’s core beliefs, morals, and ethics will be formalized into our Values so that the entire DVSN community, our clients, and the general public will have a clear understanding of DVSN’s approach and point of view.
New Board Members
At the beginning of FY2025, in July 2024, we were excited to have five new members join DVSN’s Board of Directors. Susan Bak works in Insurance/Risk Management. She is an active volunteer with many community organizations, including Household Goods, a resource to which DVSN frequently refers clients. Erick Gordy is the Teen Librarian at Concord Free Public Library and cofounder of S.H.A.P.E. (Sexual Harassment and Abuse Prevention Education), working to teach kids and teens about recognizing, reacting to, and helping prevent abuse and violence. His work with youth and his focus on preventing abuse make Erick an excellent match for DVSN. Maria Neyland takes care of daily operations for her family’s automotive business and volunteers for many town boards. She joined up with DVSN through her role as Treasurer of the Acton-Boxborough United Way, a longtime supporter of DVSN. Brazilian-born Carla Stover is VP Senior Relationship Manager at Enterprise Bank in Acton, MA, a frequent sponsor of DVSN events. She is very active with many community organizations, including DVSN supporters Acton-Boxborough Rotary Club and Concord Carlisle Foundation.
Educated in criminal justice and environmental science, Jersouk Touy has served in the miliary for over two decades, primarily with the Massachusetts Army National Guard and the Department of the Air Force. A survivor and sexual and domestic violence advocate, she liaised with DVSN via her position at Hanscom Air Force Base, one of our 13 partner communities. Connected to DVSN through her mother, Board President Christine Francis, Benefits Manager Kristina Fico volunteered for DVSN’s Benefits Committee and the Celebration of Hope Benefit Action Group throughout FY2025. Looking to increase her role after these experiences, she is formalizing her involvement as our newest Board Member beginning in FY2026. Her appointment makes Kristina the sixth new Board Member to join DVSN in the past year. We are excited to grow our Board and welcome new voices and ideas to help support and facilitate DVSN’s mission and vision.
Celebration of Hope Benefit 2025
DVSN held its annual Celebration of Hope Benefit (CoHB) fundraiser on June 9, 2025. This year, with circumstances forcing us to hold this typically spring event slightly later than normal and to streamline costs as much as possible, we tried something different with a more informal Monday evening event at Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center featuring a performance by pop/rock a cappella group Five O’Clock Shadow. Attendees had a wonderful time enjoying the fantastic musical performance, with many dancing and singing along to the incredible talents of Five O’Clock Shadow’s vocalists whose harmonies and effects created a full rock band sound. There was a great sense of community and camaraderie as guests also enjoyed socializing and perusing the silent auction in the upbeat and low-key atmosphere. Though a more constrained format than our usual CoHBs, with so many compliments from attendees, we are considering other ways to incorporate this type of fun concert into our event lineup. Thank you so much to all who joined us at the event and to all the sponsors and auction item donors! Huge thanks also to all those who helped with the planning, collection of auction items, and logistics at the event itself! We are so grateful for your support.
Seasoned Advocate Training Institute
For the first time since COVID forced the cancellation of all in-person events and caused two thirds of our volunteer Advocates to step back from regularly taking shifts, DVSN was finally able to reestablish our Seasoned Advocate Training Institute (SATI) program this summer! Held annually around July, SATI is part of our Advocates’ continuing professional development in conjunction with monthly Advocate In-Service meetings. The monthly In-Service meetings continued through COVID with Zoom and outdoor options, but the more interpersonal, hands-on SATI sessions were on hiatus until this summer. In-Service meetings are designed to help Advocates learn more about community resources through presentations by their representatives, consider various issues/complications and advise each other through DV-themed movie discussion nights, and connect more with their fellow Advocates at fun gatherings like ice cream socials. SATI, on the other hand, provides a chance to review and brush up on skills and information Advocates learned in training but may not have the chance to use frequently. It is also a great opportunity for Advocates who took a break during COVID or for other important reasons to refresh their knowledge before becoming active again.
In the spring, Advocates are asked what topics they would like to review during SATI. Several small-group sessions are then scheduled over a few weeks to cover topics requested and those the staff feel need refreshing. These sessions allow for extended discussions, more effective role playing, and review of more in-depth materials. This year, eight SATI sessions were scheduled between June 26 and July 18, 2025, on various days and times. Most were held in person and some via Zoom, depending on the subject matter and attendee preferences. Advocates could attend all sessions or pick and choose those they felt most relevant to them, with most topics being repeated in at least two sessions to allow for assorted availability. Topics ranged from paperwork and protocols to tips for talking to clients and “getting the story” to what Massachusetts’ new coercive control law means and how it affects restraining orders. There were opportunities for Advocates to bring up topics based on their interests and, of course, it concluded with one of DVSN’s popular ice cream socials to celebrate and enjoy each other. Overall, SATI went very well this year, with a good number of Advocates attending. We plan to re-institute SATI as an annual offering going forward.
Network for Justice
DVSN is excited to announce a new program getting off the ground soon: Network for Justice. Nearly 100% of our clients experience severe financial abuse, one result of which is that they rarely have lawyers to help them navigate court processes, while their abusers almost always do. Post-separation legal abuse, exacerbated by lack of legal assistance, is incredibly challenging and harmful for victims and for their children. Lawyers are often too restricted to dedicate much time to pro-bono clients, and legal aid organizations have strict eligibility and jurisdictional requirements and are often too inundated with cases to take on all those that are eligible. DVSN’s long-running Lawyer for a Day (LFAD) program provides our clients with a free one-hour consultation with a lawyer from MetroWest Legal Services. While this allows victims some access to assistance, we have found it is not nearly enough. Network for Justice seeks to fill this gap, minimizing and eliminating the limitations above with focused, effective, and free services to help our clients prevail in court.
DVSN will again collaborate with longtime partner MetroWest Legal Services (MWLS) for this program. MWLS will provide a half-time, dedicated case-coordinator/paralegal to provide timely and consistent help for DVSN clients throughout their legal cases. This includes legal consultation and assistance, pro se (self-representation) training and guidance, and legal expertise in family law and special education law, among other specialties. Most importantly, clients will no longer be alone navigating some of the most traumatic and impactful transactions of their lives. Along with funding from DVSN, Network for Justice is made possible due to the generosity of an enthusiastic anonymous donor and grants from Concord Carlisle Foundation’s Cornerstone Innovation Grant and DCU (Digital Federal Credit Union). Thank you for supporting this vital program! Those wishing to add their support to this initiative can choose “Network for Justice” from the “Designate Fund” dropdown menu on DVSN’s Donate page.
DVSN Stats in the Monthly Newsletter
Readers of our monthly newsletter will notice that a new section has been added for FY2026. Each month, we will share the number of “Referrals and Requests for Service” DVSN received. This statistic includes helpline calls, individuals we’ve been asked to reach out to by one of our referring partners (police departments in our 13 communities and Emerson Hospital), and those in our court support programs. Our only direct service program not included is our support groups, which are tracked separately. As we must wait for each month to conclude in order to calculate accurate numbers, the previous month’s Referrals and Requests for Service will be in each month’s newsletter. For example, July’s stats will appear in August’s newsletter. Then for each subsequent month, we will keep the prior stats and add in the new month with a running total for the fiscal year. This will allow readers to see the fluctuations month to month and easily track the ever-increasing total number of Referrals and Requests for Service DVSN responds to throughout the year. Check out this month’s newsletter for FY2025’s annual total to start us off, and look out for the July 2025 stat in next month’s.
Upcoming Events
DVSN has several major events already being planned for FY2026. Save the dates in your calendar for any or all of the following that you may want to attend:
Gabby Petito Panel Discussion
The story of Gabby Petito was headline news in 2021. Gabby was reported missing by her mother after not returning from a cross-country van trip with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie. Gabby’s body was found several weeks later, and an investigation proved she was strangled to death by Laundrie, who was later found dead himself with a letter of confession. Turning their tragedy into purpose, Gabby’s parents started The Gabby Petito Foundation to spread awareness and resources on domestic violence and missing persons. One such awareness event will be a panel discussion organized by The Gabby Petito Foundation in conjunction with the Stow Police Department and DVSN. The public are invited to attend this panel discussion on domestic violence on Thursday, August 14, 2025 from 6:30 to 9:00 PM in the Hale School Auditorium at 55 Hartley Road, Stow, MA. Panelists include Chief Michael Sallese and Lt. Kellie Barhight for Stow PD, Gabby’s parents, Nichole and Jim Schmidt, from the Gabby Petito Foundation, and DVSN’s Executive Director Jacquelin Apsler.
Volunteer Advocate Training
DVSN’s next Volunteer Advocate Training will be happening this fall. Our 40-hour training is designed to familiarize volunteers with the many aspects of domestic violence and give them the skills necessary to provide confidential and appropriate services to DVSN’s clients. Many police officers and community service providers also attend to learn about domestic violence and DVSN. For more about this training, what DVSN Advocates do, their motivations, and the challenges and benefits of being an Advocate (including many quotes from our Advocates themselves!) read DVSN’s March 2021 blog post, “Profile of a DVSN Advocate”. For a law enforcement perspective on our training, check out DVSN’s December 2024 blog post, “Chatting with a Chief: An Interview with Carlisle PD’s Chief Amendola”, in which we talk in depth about his recent experience participating in our training and his thoughts on the training as a police chief new to working with DVSN.
DVSN’s next training is scheduled for September 8 through 26, 2025 at the Lexington Police Department. Classroom training sessions will be on Monday and Wednesday evenings, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, and Friday days 9:15 am to 3:30 pm. Training is provided at no cost to attendees. Those interested in more information about the training and/or wanting to request an application should call (978) 318-3421 or send an e-mail to training@DVSN.org. Applications are due no later than Friday, August 29, 2025.
Light in the Darkness Candlelight Vigil
Each year during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, DVSN holds its annual Light in the Darkness Candlelight Vigil. This event honors Massachusetts lives lost to domestic violence in the previous year by telling their stories and lighting a candle in memoriam for each individual. It also typically features a keynote speaker sharing knowledge on an abuse-related topic. Recordings of last year’s event and other past vigils are available at DVSN.org/Vigil. This year’s Vigil will be on Thursday evening, October 30, 2025, at the Lexington Community Center. All are welcome to attend. More details will be available closer to the event.
Celebration of Hope Benefit 2026
Though this year’s event was just last month, we are already planning ahead for our next Celebration of Hope Benefit! For CoHB 2026, we’re returning to our popular brunch setting at The Barn at Gibbet Hill in Groton, MA. This beautiful venue hosted our 2023 and 2024 CoHB brunch fundraisers in its restored 100-year old barn overlooking rolling hills of picturesque conservation land. Save the date of Saturday, May 2, 2026 to join us for a scrumptious brunch in rustic elegance in support of DVSN. More details will be available closer to the event.
The Work Continues…
DVSN has been working hard to maintain, improve, and add to the programs and services that are so essential to our clients. Some big picture overhauls in FY2025 will help this continue through FY2026 and beyond with our strategic plan framework, new board members, new programs being established and old ones reestablished, and many exciting events already on the calendar. We are so grateful for our wonderful community and supporters who make it possible for DVSN to continue supporting victims and survivors and bringing awareness and education about domestic violence to the public!
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