News & Events

Kitchen Table Conversations

As tradition tells it, back in 1976 a group of activists convened around a kitchen table to begin addressing the crisis of domestic violence. This landmark gathering resulted in the formation of CAWC, the first domestic violence agency in Chicago.
Today, we carry on this practice of gathering at the kitchen table to engage allies and advance our mission: to end domestic violence.

Kitchen Table Conversations are lunch-and-learns lead by staff and industry leaders to discuss all topics related to domestic violence. We’ve recently launched this initiative and look forward to sharing content on this page quarterly. Sign up to be notified of when new conversations are happening and be sure to join us at the kitchen table.

Our latest conversations

Hollywood’s Greatest Love Stories or Greatest Red Flags

It’s no secret that our ideas about love and relationships are influenced by our consumption of entertainment and media. Stereotypes play out across all the stories we’re told and sometimes form toxic ideas around how love should be expressed: the hero, the rescued, the bad-boy turned good, the good-girl turned bad… So many of these Hollywood narratives are filled with more red flags than loving gestures. But have you trained your eyes and your heart to recognize which is which?

Watch the latest Kitchen Table Conversation with CAWC’s trauma-informed experts: Outreach Services Coordinator, Colleen Montgomery, and Training and Education Coordinator, Megan Rosado, and our special guest, HPOP Coordinator/Family Trauma Therapist, Alexandra Araujo Gonzalez, to discuss how the relationships we see in movies can impact how we approach relationships in real life. In this conversation, we specifically talked about how the “love stories” in Beauty and the Beast, Grease, and The Notebook may include red flags.

Click here to access a PDF version of the presentation with sources. Additionally, an overview of this topic can be found on our blog.

How the Language You Use Can Save Lives

Historical perspectives of domestic violence
Ways domestic violence shows up in our culture
Talk about domestic violence to save lives

Presented by CAWC staff experts, Megan Rosado and Colleen Montgomery.

Click here to access a PDF version of the presentation with sources.

Gifts by check or credit card

Many individuals make donations to CAWC at various times throughout the year. Checks can be sent to:
CAWC – Attention: Development
1116 N. Kedzie Avenue, 5th Floor
Chicago, IL 60651

Or you can make a gift online.

Plan a Fundraiser

You don’t have to be an experienced party planner to create an event that benefits CAWC – energy and enthusiasm go a long way! And the CAWC development team will help you plan an event that will assist survivors and their children on their journey to heal from abuse.

Other Ways to Donate

Planned Giving

A gift to CAWC in your will or trust is your legacy to ensure happier tomorrows for domestic violence survivors and their children.

Honoring Someone’s Special Day

If you make a gift to CAWC in honor of someone, we will notify the recipient of your thoughtfulness. Many individuals ask friends and family to donate to CAWC in lieu of gift for a special occasion.

Memorial Gifts

If you make a gift to CAWC in memory of someone, we will notify the family of your thoughtfulness.

Stock Gifts

Contact Stephanie Love-Patterson, Executive Director, at 773.489.9081, for information about how to donate stock to CAWC.

Donor Advised Fund

If you have created a Donor Advised Fund, you can recommend making a gift to CAWC.

Matching Gift

Contact your employer to determine if they will match your gift to CAWC. If they have a matching gift program, your gift could double or even triple in value. If you send a form from your employer to CAWC, we can complete the paperwork and initiate the matching gift process.