Known for bringing domestic abuse out from “behind closed doors,” Family Shelter Service Executive Director Karen Hurley Kuchar has announced that she will step down at the end of 2013. Hurley Kuchar has led the DuPage-based social service agency serving victims of domestic abuse for 15 years.
“Family Shelter Service will always be very close to my heart and I’m very proud of all that we’ve accomplished together,” said Hurley Kuchar who spearheaded many significant changes during her time with the agency.
Former DuPage County State’s Attorney and State of Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan discussed the impact that Hurley Kuchar has had on the DuPage-based charity, which serves approximately 2,000 individuals annually who are affected by domestic violence.
“During Karen’s time as Executive Director of Family Shelter, the organization has essentially evolved from a relatively hidden social service agency to a non-profit that sees visibility as an asset for helping others learn about domestic abuse, enabling them to recognize the signs in their own relationships or those of others who are close to them. She has also helped the agency to keep pace with the growing population and the resultant increase in requests for the services of an organization like Family Shelter.”
During fiscal year 2011-12 alone, Family Shelter provided 13,363 nights in shelter, fielded 5,500 calls to its hotline, counseled approximately 1,000 individuals affected by domestic abuse and assisted 814 clients with Orders of Protection. While the need for services continues to increase, significant governmental funding cuts have required new directions in both funding and operations.
An important revenue stream now comes through Family Shelter’s annual Gala, this year held on Friday, April 19, at The Abbington in Glen Ellyn. In addition, Hurley Kuchar has worked with individual donors as another means to make up for funding losses.
“Karen Kuchar really reached out to the community to make our purpose known,” said Family Shelter Board President Eileen Sachanda, “both to individuals who are struggling with the issue of domestic violence and to potential supporters who want to see our mission succeed. I think we all hope that by bringing this issue out from ‘behind closed doors’ we can remove some of the isolation and shame that surrounds it and give individuals affected by abuse the courage they need to report these crimes.”
Sachanda noted that under Kuchar’s watch in 2007 Family Shelter completed a 10,000 square-foot Community Counseling Center and Shelter in Downers Grove — implementing many safety measures in order to be able to publish its location and hold community gatherings there.
“Karen also restructured our models of service across all programs to make them more responsive to those experiencing trauma and to increase our focus on our most vulnerable clients, children. The success of Family Shelter’s Career Club and Financial Literacy program made it a model for other agencies,” Sachanda added.
In 2008, under the guidance of Hurley Kuchar, Family Shelter introduced its Prevention, Education and Community Engagement Program or “PEACE” as it’s known, which is designed to enlighten the broader community about domestic abuse and its effects. With one in three teens reporting that they have experienced violent or abusive dating, the PEACE program has developed special programs for teens, tweens and young adults in an effort to stop relationship violence before it begins.
According to Family Shelter board member and Hinsdale Police Chief Brad Bloom, Hurley Kuchar has also strengthened the organization’s collaboration with law enforcement.
“Karen has been a pioneer in raising public awareness on domestic violence-related issues in DuPage County,” said Chief Bloom. “Her leadership has resulted in a strong partnership with the law enforcement community that has certainly improved our responsiveness to meeting the needs of domestic violence victims and reducing the incidence of domestic violence. However, we have to continue to make people realize that it happens here. In DuPage County alone, law enforcement responds to approximately 6,000 domestic violence incidents each year.”
The Family Shelter Service board of directors has begun the search process for a new Executive Director who will take over at the end of the year.
