According to Executive Director Jane Keiffer, who’s been with the organization for nearly 30 years, if someone calls the Montgomery County Crisis Hotline, its an Artemis advocate who answers.
The center is staffed by 18 employees, including 11 advocates, who answer around 7,000 calls annually.
The organization provides crisis intervention, legal support, and safety planning, Keiffer said.
“We help with things like filing orders of protection against abusers, understanding the civil and criminal court processes, and support clients through their journey to safety,” Keiffer said. “We’re there to provide emotional and technical support, and to be the voice for a survivor when they need us because it can be an overwhelming process.”
Artemis Center is primarily grant-funded, but private donations are also important to fund the mission, Keiffer said.
Thanks to a new and recently-obtained grant, the center can now provide services to sexual assault survivors, as well as men and women experiencing domestic violence, Keiffer highlighted.
An upcoming “Breaking the Cycle” fundraiser breakfast is an annual event that helps raise awareness of domestic violence within the Dayton-area community while raising funds for Artemis’ continued service, Keiffer said.
The event is scheduled for at 8 a.m. on Oct. 16, and it will feature Grigsby as a guest speaker. To register for the event, which will be held at Sinclair’s Conference Center, visit artemiscenter.org/events.
Artemis Center employees work daily with survivors, as well as local police departments, probation officers, and officials within the courts and local municipalities as they help domestic violence victims navigate these systems.
“We’ve become more respected and embedded in the community, and I think we’re relied upon more than we ever have been, which is a great thing in that our collaborations and avenues of support have strengthened,” Keiffer said.
While the center does not directly provide shelter services, they do help clients in need obtain safe housing.
“We provide the supportive services beyond shelter,” Keiffer said.
Those in need of direct support, or anyone who may have a loved one experiencing domestic violence, are encouraged to call the Montgomery County Crisis Hotline at 937-461-HELP (4357).
Callers can remain anonymous.
“We really do help save lives,” Keiffer said. “When you leave an abusive relationship, that’s the most dangerous time in a survivor’s life, but we can help you do it safely.”
About the Author
