One in two women will be abused in their lifetime.

Four women a day die from domestic violence.

That’s a lot of women, said Angie Hunt, housing programs director for HOPE of East Central Illinois.

Domestic violence certainly happens around here, she said.

“We’re in the business of hopefully saving lives,” she said.

HOPE, which stands for Housing, Outreach, Prevention, and Education, is a domestic violence awareness and prevention program. They serve Coles County and the six surrounding counties.

Tonight, HOPE has their biggest annual fundraiser “Bowls of HOPE.”

HOPE got its start in the 1970s when concerned citizens formed a group in response to a domestic homicide in Charleston.

Twenty-nine years later and HOPE is still serving the community.

Jim Walters, executive director for HOPE, said even though there have been recent domestic homicide cases in the area HOPE plays a significant role in preventing abuse.

“I think if we weren’t here there’d be more (domestic homicides),” Walters said.

HOPE’s mission is to “empower persons to live independent, non-violent lives,” said Suzanne Enck-Wanzer, coordinator of women’s studies and a board of directors for HOPE.

Walters said their services range from kids to dating relationships through to marriage and elder abuse.

HOPE will serve about 700 women and children overall in a year, Walters said.

Hunt said domestic violence is a dangerous issue that is prevalent in our society.

She said there needs to be a place for victims to go.

In East Central Illinois, HOPE is that place.

Walters said when someone is in a violent relationship they have few resources and little support.

Often times, the abusive relationship has caused the victim to become isolated from family and friends, he said.

Walters said during this time, court services, law enforcement and the Department of Children and Family Services can seem intimidating to the victims and prevent them from getting the help they need.

He said at HOPE they believe the victim, do not judge, help navigate them to safety, and show them the remedies they can receive by law.

HOPE tries to eliminate the barriers preventing victims from getting help also provide them with the resources they’re lacking.

A few of HOPE’s programs include a 24-hour crisis hotline, two housing programs, supportive counseling for individual and group settings, and community education that provides information about family violence and homelessness to organizations, clubs and schools.

All services provided through HOPE are free and confidential.

Enck-Wanzer said a big portion of HOPE focuses on prevention.

She said they go into schools and do outreach with children to “try to prevent the cycle from going on.”

Hunt said they work hard at fundraising in order to provide the service and education they do.

She said the budget is usually strained and they need every dime possible.

“We never really have enough of a budget to do what we need to do,” Hunt said.

Which, she said, what they need to do is to keep women safe, to keep the community safe and to prevent abuse.

Walters said fundraising allows for HOPE to pay for things their funds do not.

He said children programs are the least funded programs but because of HOPE’s fundraising they are able to provide several children’s programs.

Fundraisers allow HOPE to do more.

Area artists are providing handmade soup bowls for the event. The event, which is in its 6th year, is from 5-7 p.m. today at St. Charles Hall, 921 Madison Ave. The bowls can be purchased with the soup dinner for $15. Just the soup dinner costs $5.

Roc’s and What’s Cooking are providing the soup.

The evening will include live music from Motherload and a celebrity dessert auction made by local celebrities like Eastern President William Perry and Charleston Mayor John Inyart.

Walters said he is hoping for a good crowd even though the fundraiser is taking place on a Tuesday night.

“It’s tough to compete with American Idol but I think we can get them,” Walters said. “We’re much nicer than Simon.”

The people HOPE serves

700 women and children as a whole

2500 calls throughout the year through toll-free number

120 women and children stay at shelter

400 women and children get order of protection

Emily Zulz can be reached at 581-7942 or at eazulz@eiu.edu.

Sophomore art major Stephanie Frank shapes her bowl on the potter’s wheel Monday afternoon at Art Park West. The ceramic makers put the clay on the potter’s wheel to make it the shape they want. The bowls will be donated to HOPE, a domestic violence aware

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