Coffee, a silent auction, music and poetry are a few of the things that brought the community together Friday at the Jackson Avenue Coffee.

The main reason a few hundred people attended was to raise awareness for domestic violence.

A Night of HOPE is an annual fundraiser in Charleston that raises awareness and funds for those affected by domestic violence.

This event is the biggest night of the year for Dano Reible, the owner of Jackson Avenue Coffee.

Reible said he hosts this event because it is a necessity for the community.

He said it is important for the community to support and donate to this cause.

“HOPE is a great group of people that do great things,” Reible said.

Reible said domestic violence is “taking advantage of people.”

Whether it is physically or with an attitude — mentally abusing someone — it is ruining another person’s life, he said.

He said the money is important because the proceeds go to the soup bowls and keeping the lights on, but the most important thing HOPE does is raises awareness.

“The community seeing this support just helps the support grow more,” he said. “The more people that care, the more results there will be from the community and protection against domestic violence.”

Reible added that he is proud to be here for HOPE and anything they can do to help, they are open to it.

Serving soup bowls in the rather small kitchen were the ladies of Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity.

Four girls who had never been to an activity like this, or even been to JAC, said they were happy to volunteer and see all of the support.

Alisha McCullum, a sophomore English major, said this event is typical to what their fraternity is used to volunteering.

McCullum said it was cool that people came to support those who live with domestic violence, and when they can do anything to help families out, that is a great thing.

“If you are around happy people, it gives you hope,” she said.

The other women who volunteered had nothing but positive things to say as well.

Kinyeta Porter, a senior psychology major, said the night was relaxing and fun for those survivors who needed a place to have a good time.

She said overall it was a calming and cool program to attend.

Angie Hunt, the housing program director of HOPE, said HOPE would not be anything without the dedication and work that is put in by the Domestic Violence Awareness Committee.

Hunt said the work that the committee does it what makes events like this possible.

“I’m living proof that this organization works,” she said onstage in a moment of seriousness. “Everyone told me that I’m the one who worked hard and got through it and HOPE was just a shoulder to lean on.”

Hunt was passionate about the help that is offered through this organization for women like her.

The audience had been distracted by poetry and music performances all night, and this moment was a reminder of why they were all there.

A regular of the JAC, Cate Borzi, said she has a strong connection with the coffee shop and the owners.

She said she is always there to support the return of HOPE and their annual fundraiser.

Borzi said she knows people who have turned to the organization and respects what they do.

“The more awareness that is raised (at an event like this), the more money is raised,” Borzi said.

“It keeps the lights on at JAC as well.”

Borzi said what HOPE means to her is a way for women to escape their situation. It is a way to create a new beginning for themselves and their children.

Charisse Archie, a senior applied engineering and technology major, said she attends A Night of HOPE every year for her sorority Zeta Phi Beta.

The volunteers helped with the soup serving and were there to support their adviser, who was performing at the event.

Archie said people are not aware of the level of domestic violence in Charleston and the surrounding communities.

“People try to hide it because it’s not seen,” Archie said. “Just because it is not seen, doesn’t mean it’s not happening.”

Archie said she was surprised at the outcome, and it is always a shock to see the number of supporters.

Archie said the silent auction and the performers are a great way to get people to come support those survivors of domestic violence.

The organization will take donations of sheets and towels and every donation matters and helps a lot, Hunt said.

Hunt said their crisis line is always open, and if anyone knows of domestic violence in the community, they are not alone.

Domestic violence is not something to hide—it is something that should not be tolerated or accepted, and help must be sought as soon as it starts, Hunt said.

Joanna Leighton can be reached at 581-2812 or jlleighton@eiu.edu.