FAMILY ADVOCACY

IFN Islamic Foundation North  is committed towards providing outlets for all of the members to have a voice and to provide resources as a support structure. In doing so, IFN does have a Family Advocacy Committee (FAC). Click the link below to learn more:

FAC Resources

Family Advocacy Confidential Non-Crisis Helpline Phone Number:  224.292.9619

UPCOMING EVENT
Date: Sunday, October, 27, 2019
Location: IFN Banquet Hall
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Speaker: Sr. Alda Buresh

October is Domestic Violence awareness month.

Domestic violence does not discriminate. Anyone of any race, age, religion or gender can be a victim – or perpetrator – of domestic violence. It can happen to people who are married, living together or who are dating. It affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.

The Family Advocacy Committee of IFN has arranged a talk by a visiting speaker Alda Buresh .

Speaker Bio:

Alda Buresh has been a Certified Victim Advocate at the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) in Iowa City, Iowa for twenty years. Before then, she was a journalist specializing in writing about equine activities and articles. She had a syndicated column which appeared in several equine periodicals. She received her Social Work degree from Mount Mercy College (now University) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 2000 and was hired immediately by DVIP upon graduation.

Alda was born in Riga, Latvia during WW II and came to the US as a refugee with her family even though her father was in the US Army, serving in espionage during the war. Largely because of this experience, she was always interested in social justice and helping those whose lives were filled with struggles.

During her tenure at DVIP she was instrumental in working with the Domestic Assault Response Team (DART) program with the Iowa City Police Department and the Johnson County Attorney's Office. She trained and rode along with the DART officers. Two years ago, this team won a prestigious national Verizon Award for their service to victims. A cell phone program was instituted last year by Sgt. Scott Stevens and herself which provides cell phones to victims whose phones were destroyed or taken away by the abuser. Alda is a recent recipient of the Pat Meyer Vision Award which is given to a person who has provided exceptional service to victims of domestic violence. In her present work, she is an advocate when medical, legal, law enforcement, Child Protective Services (DHS), social services, etc. is required. She is currently also working with law enforcement to help those who have been trafficked. Laws about added penalties for strangulation cases are also a cause she is helping with as much as possible.

In her private life, she the mother of three sons, grandmother to seven and great grandmother to four. Her family and faith are her greatest joys. She is also involved in the horse industry, selling, exhibiting and breeding fine show horses all over the world. She has been past president of the Palomino Horse Breeders of America and is the current and founding president of the Palomino Horse Breeders Heritage Foundation as well as instrumental in creating a museum for people to enjoy. As a member of the American Saddlebred Horse Association she worked to establish a museum at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY