August 2020 Featured Interview
|
|
Interview with
Renee Gorman
Founder of She Believes in Me
About Renee:
Renee Gorman is a mother of three daughters, so helping girls feel confident and have a healthy self-esteem has been her calling for the last 25 years. As a school counselor for more than two decades, Renee has been an advocate for children and is fueled by a passion to help them feel socially and emotionally strong.
Prior to founding She Believes in Me, Renee worked with Code 3 Association, a nonprofit that helps police forge positive relationships with at-risk communities. The success of this program was featured in the Washington Post and Associated Press and helped inspire her to address the emotional needs of young girls in the community. Renee is a true believer in establishing a support system for young girls in order to help them become confident and strong community members. Helping to empower girls to live strong lives for a successful future is the reason she founded She Believes in Me.
Renee Gorman is a mother of three daughters, so helping girls feel confident and have a healthy self-esteem has been her calling for the last 25 years. As a school counselor for more than two decades, Renee has been an advocate for children and is fueled by a passion to help them feel socially and emotionally strong.
Prior to founding She Believes in Me, Renee worked with Code 3 Association, a nonprofit that helps police forge positive relationships with at-risk communities. The success of this program was featured in the Washington Post and Associated Press and helped inspire her to address the emotional needs of young girls in the community. Renee is a true believer in establishing a support system for young girls in order to help them become confident and strong community members. Helping to empower girls to live strong lives for a successful future is the reason she founded She Believes in Me.
|
|
About She Believes in Me:
She Believes in Me is a nonprofit organization founded in 2018 by a group of school counselors, teachers, and social workers in Herndon, Virginia. These professionals recognized an urgent and growing need to provide support to young girls in the community, many of whom were suffering as a result of poverty and trauma. The mission of She Believes in Me is to empower girls by providing life skills and hope to those who come from diverse backgrounds, difficult socioeconomic conditions and/or traumatic experiences. Through enrichment activities and mentoring, the organization strives to teach girls that they are valued, cared for and can accomplish anything they set their minds to, allowing them to become confident and strong members of the community. She Believes in Me is entirely volunteer-run, led by a board of directors and a dedicated group of people who truly believe in the power to change lives. |
Myrna Beth Haskell, managing editor, spoke with Renee about what She Believes in Me does to help girls at risk, the needed shift in services due to the pandemic, and plans for expansion.
The organization is still fairly new, right?
Yes. It was founded it in 2018, and we applied for certification in July 2019. [She Believes in Me is a 501c3.]
What was the inspiration behind founding the nonprofit?
As a counselor in a Title I* school, you see how trauma and poverty affects these young girls. They’re going through such difficult times. I started brainstorming about how I could do more. I would only be able to offer 15 minute sessions, which was just not enough time. We needed a gap filler. As a society, we expect a lot from our schools, and the community was urging us to help with [these important] needs. There wasn’t a lot of parent involvement. So, I figured I would test the idea, and the community responded in a big way. Some of the teachers I knew helped me launch the organization – these teachers were willing to put in the extra time outside their regular duties. But we also had neighborhood friends, the church community, sports groups…all helping to get the word out about what we were doing. And an army showed up!
*Title I schools have large concentrations of low-income students and receive supplemental, federal funds to assist in meeting students' educational goals.
What are the ages of the girls you are reaching?
We are serving girls ages 7 to 12. However, we do involve older girls for leadership roles. Some of the girls have experienced our programs and services, and they come back to help and serve as mentors.
The organization is still fairly new, right?
Yes. It was founded it in 2018, and we applied for certification in July 2019. [She Believes in Me is a 501c3.]
What was the inspiration behind founding the nonprofit?
As a counselor in a Title I* school, you see how trauma and poverty affects these young girls. They’re going through such difficult times. I started brainstorming about how I could do more. I would only be able to offer 15 minute sessions, which was just not enough time. We needed a gap filler. As a society, we expect a lot from our schools, and the community was urging us to help with [these important] needs. There wasn’t a lot of parent involvement. So, I figured I would test the idea, and the community responded in a big way. Some of the teachers I knew helped me launch the organization – these teachers were willing to put in the extra time outside their regular duties. But we also had neighborhood friends, the church community, sports groups…all helping to get the word out about what we were doing. And an army showed up!
*Title I schools have large concentrations of low-income students and receive supplemental, federal funds to assist in meeting students' educational goals.
What are the ages of the girls you are reaching?
We are serving girls ages 7 to 12. However, we do involve older girls for leadership roles. Some of the girls have experienced our programs and services, and they come back to help and serve as mentors.
|
I read that the majority of the girls you work with experience trauma. What are some of the issues these young girls face?
We have a very diverse population, and these girls have gone through a myriad of circumstances. Some are immigrants who are used to hiding; perhaps, they came here in a box truck with no food or water. Families who are new to this country are starting all over again…they’re struggling. Of course, there are language barriers, and their appearance is different – their hair, clothing, skin color. There are also racial issues, and social media bullying is a huge problem. There are threats and mocking that have a very negative impact on these girls – it affects how they feel about themselves. They just don’t have the wherewithal to navigate all of these issues. So many resort to self-harming, such as cutting,* or they’re sexualized at a very young age. They allow boys to touch them because they don’t understand the boundaries of flirtation. If we ask them to talk with their parents, we’re told, ‘We don’t do that.’ It’s a different way of living. The parents work on providing food and shelter, but they don’t converse with their children on a deeper level. So this is a catalyst to low self-esteem and poor coping skills. |
"She's a Gift" Event (December 2019)
This self-esteem building event focused on the gifts and qualities that exist within the girls - their inner beauty. Photo Courtesy: She Believes in Me |
*Cutting is a form of nonsuicidal self-injury - the act of deliberately harming your own body by cutting yourself with a sharp object. This type of self-injury is a harmful way to cope with emotional pain, intense anger and frustration.
Who are the volunteers?
We have volunteers from all walks of life – mental health professionals, stay-at-home moms, attorneys, physicians, and young people who are still in school – basically anyone who wants to make a difference.
Who are the volunteers?
We have volunteers from all walks of life – mental health professionals, stay-at-home moms, attorneys, physicians, and young people who are still in school – basically anyone who wants to make a difference.
Back-to-School Trip
Photo Courtesy: She Believes in Me |
Where do you hold events and programs?
We’ve held workshops/programs at the school. Last year, we had more funding and were able to take the kids outside of the D.C. area for cultural experiences that they would never have had the opportunity to experience. We’ve taken them to universities so they could experience what college life would be like and to sporting events where they could watch young people use pent-up energy and turn it into a positive on the athletic field. We also took them to a high school where girls were getting certified to become hair stylists. Our young girls were able to get their hair done, and many of them had never been to a salon. This was a good self-esteem boost for them, but there was also a bit of fear mixed in as they hadn’t had the experience before. We also hosted a ‘back-to-school’ shopping spree to find new outfits and backpacks for the girls. [Programs throughout the school year feature speakers, activities and crafts, providing experiences the girls might not otherwise have and opening their eyes to a world of possibility. ~ Shebelievesinme.org] |
You mentioned earlier that older girls can come back to serve as mentors.
Yes. We draw kids from leadership clubs at the high school. Some of the older girls who might still be struggling come back as well. This gives them a sense of purpose and helps with their own self-esteem.
Yes. We draw kids from leadership clubs at the high school. Some of the older girls who might still be struggling come back as well. This gives them a sense of purpose and helps with their own self-esteem.
|
What have you been doing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic?
The big issue we saw was finding ways to stay in contact with the families once the children were no longer in school. So we transitioned to finding ways to be sure the children had food and other needed supplies – hygiene kits, stress balls, drawing notebooks, paper products, soccer balls, and more. We were serving over 300 girls in this community; but during this COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve expanded our reach to include all children (boys and girls) in need and have served over 3,000 people. Before the pandemic, we were focused on teaching life skills and providing emotional support. With the onset of the pandemic, there’s been more of a focus on providing essentials. We have an emergency food closet – basically we’ve become a pop-up food distributor for the community. We will probably continue to provide essential tangibles as well as life skills supports once the pandemic is over. |
Food Drive
Photo Courtesy: She Believes in Me |
What are some of the goals of the organization?
In the future, we hope to have a wellness center. We are currently using space at the schools, but a center would enable us to have the space to provide more diverse programs, such as yoga classes, cooking classes, support groups and outside speakers. Disadvantaged children should be entitled to wellness too…it doesn’t have to be an affluent thing.
Do you have any plans to expand and to where?
Yes. I’m originally from New York, and I’ve been getting some great support from my hometown. Hudson is an up-and-coming area, but the school system is still categorized as a Title I – the youth there still need many supports. So we are looking for partnerships in the New York area so we can serve more young girls.
Anything else you’d like to share?
People in need of emergency food in the Herndon area of Northern Virginia, can call our hotline number.* For those wishing to donate supplies, a list of suggested essential items can be found at our website. Readers may also contact me directly for more information at: [email protected].
*If you have an emergency food request, please call or text SBIM at 571-446-0060 and a SBIM volunteer will contact you to verify your need and schedule a delivery as appropriate.
Where do you find sanctuary?
I find sanctuary at the beach. There’s something about water that’s magical for me. I just returned from a beach trip, and this is where I came up with the idea for a wellness center.
In the future, we hope to have a wellness center. We are currently using space at the schools, but a center would enable us to have the space to provide more diverse programs, such as yoga classes, cooking classes, support groups and outside speakers. Disadvantaged children should be entitled to wellness too…it doesn’t have to be an affluent thing.
Do you have any plans to expand and to where?
Yes. I’m originally from New York, and I’ve been getting some great support from my hometown. Hudson is an up-and-coming area, but the school system is still categorized as a Title I – the youth there still need many supports. So we are looking for partnerships in the New York area so we can serve more young girls.
Anything else you’d like to share?
People in need of emergency food in the Herndon area of Northern Virginia, can call our hotline number.* For those wishing to donate supplies, a list of suggested essential items can be found at our website. Readers may also contact me directly for more information at: [email protected].
*If you have an emergency food request, please call or text SBIM at 571-446-0060 and a SBIM volunteer will contact you to verify your need and schedule a delivery as appropriate.
Where do you find sanctuary?
I find sanctuary at the beach. There’s something about water that’s magical for me. I just returned from a beach trip, and this is where I came up with the idea for a wellness center.
Renee is available for speaking engagements or zoom conferences
to share this interactive workbook with schools, communities or businesses. Contact her. |
