We recently sent you an invitation to join our new Awake Allies Monthly Giving Circle. Awake Allies are a special group of friends who invest in our programs year-round by establishing a regular contribution from their checking or credit card account.  

Your support of Awake is now even more vital. Last month, the Wisconsin Attorney General opened a statewide investigation into clergy and faith leader abuse in Wisconsin. Awake’s Sara Larson spoke at the press conference in Madison, on behalf of Wisconsin Catholics who support this inquiry.

Since then, we have received many messages thanking Awake for standing up for abuse survivors and for speaking as committed Catholics in search of accountability and transparency. We are listed as a resource on the Department of Justice reporting website and DOJ victim service specialists will offer Awake as an option for survivors seeking support. Survivors throughout Wisconsin have already begun reaching out to us, both those who have previously reported abuse and those who are speaking out for the first time. We are honored to begin walking with them. 

As awareness of Awake’s mission spreads, we are working hard to meet the needs by:

• Responding to media inquiries for interviews and requests for articles   
• Producing quality blog articles covering the investigation and local impact
• Reshaping plans for our May 20 Courageous Conversation to include a panel of experts to help Catholics understand this investigation 
• Launching a series of small group discussions to encourage honest conversation and deeper compassion
• Developing surveys for clergy, lay leaders, and people in the pews to share their reactions and needs so we can help the faithful respond (please fill one out if you have not already done so!)
• Updating our website to provide easy-to-find resources about the investigation and our response

All of this is being done by a team of dedicated volunteers, from our Executive Director to all those planning and implementing Awake's next steps. In the midst of all this added activity, we remain committed to our mission: to awaken our community to the full reality of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and work for transformation and healing. 

On behalf of the entire Awake team, I want to thank those of you who have already signed on to the Awake Allies Monthly Giving Circle or have made a one-time donation of any amount. I ask the rest of you to prayerfully consider becoming a member. A commitment of $5, $10 or $25 a month (or more!) helps us plan for the future, confident of our community’s ongoing support. 

I invite you to click the button below for more information and to make a one-time or recurring gift. Thank you Friend!
 

Lynn Charnitz
Leadership Team Volunteer
Awake Milwaukee


PS: If you have questions, suggestions, or want to get involved, please feel free to contact Executive Director Sara Larson at saralarson@awakemilwaukee.org. We would love to hear from you!
 

FYI: If you prefer not to receive future communications about financial support, we understand! You can click here to change your subscription preferences to opt out of future fundraising emails.