Intermediate League gives to LifeSteps
BUTLER TWP — The Maternal Health Program at LifeSteps received more than 350 new items Friday, Sept. 25.
The Greater Federation of Women’s Club’s Butler Intermediate League donated the items for its signature project this year. It always falls in line with the club’s mission to support women, particularly the ones going through hardship.
Jody Schultz, chairwoman of the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and awareness committee, said the group focuses on several specific areas of sexual violence prevention. There are eight areas of focus, including campus sexual assault, elder abuse, human trafficking and intimate partner.
The donation to LifeSteps will help the organization supply clients with needed items.
“We collected 350 items from our members. The total collected items was more than $860, so it was tremendous,” Schultz said. “Anything for babies … we gave things for adults, too. Personal care items, shampoos, toothpaste, brushes.”
According to Autumn Timmons, senior director of family services at LifeSteps, the Maternal Health Program tries to ensure mothers and their babies have safety, stability and the resources they need. Through regularly planned in-home visits, trained Maternal Health Specialists mentor and guide families through the critical early stages of parenting, according to LifeSteps.
Schultz commented that supplying necessities meets immediate, practical needs and allows Lifesteps to focus resources on core and educational programs.
“They go into the homes and it's like what they do is preventive, to prevent violence and abuse, and then they can refer to other agencies,” Schultz said. “(Our) main objective is to help people with abuse and domestic violence, (but) it's also prevention.”
Schultz said the Intermediate League’s president, Mickey Stewart, helped lead the initiative for LifeSteps.
