Breaking the cycle of domestic violence
May 22, 2017
Help Huggins Dreckman Insurance Agency, Inc. earn an even larger donation to Orange County Family Justice Center Foundation (OCFJCF). If their story is shared on social media 50 or more times May 22-28, OCFJCF will receive an additional $5,000. Use the buttons and help them reach their goal!
Jolynn Mahoney's path to insurance was unique, to say the least: Before she joined Huggins Dreckman Insurance Agency in Los Alamitos, California, Mahoney was a private detective.
That previous profession gave her a unique perspective on domestic violence.
"I saw first-hand how just getting to the courthouse and trying to tackle ‘the system' was overwhelming for domestic violence victims," Mahoney said. "I knew that many would give up and go back to their abuser - and that the cycle of violence would continue."
When she learned about the Orange County Family Justice Center in Anaheim, California, and its nonprofit foundation, it resonated deeply. Founded in 2006, the center combines victim-assistance services under one roof, helping clients navigate the legal system.
While the center supports victims of domestic violence, the OCFJC Foundation was created to actually prevent it, according to Tracy Theodore, executive director. "Without intervention, victims of family violence are very likely to repeat it - or succumb to future violence," she said.
The foundation's programs educate and empower the entire family. They include Kids Creating Change and Real Teens Real Talk, which help children and teens define healthy relationships and deal with stress, as well as Parents Creating Change, which addresses conflict resolution, life skills and more. Together, the OCFJC and foundation serve about 4,500 people annually.
Jolynn and her husband Patrick host supporters of OCFJCF at their home for a dinner to raise a glass – and funds – for the organizations.
Mahoney and her husband, Patrick, have gone all-in on this mission, raising more than $200,000 for the foundation. They have attended the organization's two primary fundraising events annually since 2007, and also have hosted two galas (with hundreds of attendees) and other events at their own home. Mahoney's parents, Huggins Dreckman agency principals Jeannie Jensen and Stan Dreckman, are heavily involved as well.
This commitment has earned Mahoney and Huggins Dreckman Insurance Agency a 2017 Safeco Insurance Make More Happen Award. The honor comes with up to a $10,000 donation to the Orange County Family Justice Center Foundation from Safeco on behalf of Huggins Dreckman.
Jolynn & Patrick Mahoney (center) receive the Community Partner of the Year award at the 2016 Celebration of Strength Gala on the charity's 10th anniversary.
Because the need in Orange County continues to grow, all support is vital, Theodore said.
"The work of Jolynn and the Huggins Dreckman team has been invaluable," Theodore said. "They give these victims a voice."
Mahoney says it's gratifying to help the foundation support such a vulnerable population. "This brilliant concept, to simplify what can be an overwhelming system and then work to prevent violence from occurring in the first place, was exactly the type of organization we wanted to support in whatever way we could," she said.
Learn more about our winners:
Jolynn Mahoney's path to insurance was unique, to say the least: Before she joined Huggins Dreckman Insurance Agency in Los Alamitos, California, Mahoney was a private detective.
That previous profession gave her a unique perspective on domestic violence.
"I saw first-hand how just getting to the courthouse and trying to tackle ‘the system' was overwhelming for domestic violence victims," Mahoney said. "I knew that many would give up and go back to their abuser - and that the cycle of violence would continue."
When she learned about the Orange County Family Justice Center in Anaheim, California, and its nonprofit foundation, it resonated deeply. Founded in 2006, the center combines victim-assistance services under one roof, helping clients navigate the legal system.
While the center supports victims of domestic violence, the OCFJC Foundation was created to actually prevent it, according to Tracy Theodore, executive director. "Without intervention, victims of family violence are very likely to repeat it - or succumb to future violence," she said.
The foundation's programs educate and empower the entire family. They include Kids Creating Change and Real Teens Real Talk, which help children and teens define healthy relationships and deal with stress, as well as Parents Creating Change, which addresses conflict resolution, life skills and more. Together, the OCFJC and foundation serve about 4,500 people annually.
Jolynn and her husband Patrick host supporters of OCFJCF at their home for a dinner to raise a glass – and funds – for the organizations.
Mahoney and her husband, Patrick, have gone all-in on this mission, raising more than $200,000 for the foundation. They have attended the organization's two primary fundraising events annually since 2007, and also have hosted two galas (with hundreds of attendees) and other events at their own home. Mahoney's parents, Huggins Dreckman agency principals Jeannie Jensen and Stan Dreckman, are heavily involved as well.
This commitment has earned Mahoney and Huggins Dreckman Insurance Agency a 2017 Safeco Insurance Make More Happen Award. The honor comes with up to a $10,000 donation to the Orange County Family Justice Center Foundation from Safeco on behalf of Huggins Dreckman.
Jolynn & Patrick Mahoney (center) receive the Community Partner of the Year award at the 2016 Celebration of Strength Gala on the charity's 10th anniversary.
Because the need in Orange County continues to grow, all support is vital, Theodore said.
"The work of Jolynn and the Huggins Dreckman team has been invaluable," Theodore said. "They give these victims a voice."
Mahoney says it's gratifying to help the foundation support such a vulnerable population. "This brilliant concept, to simplify what can be an overwhelming system and then work to prevent violence from occurring in the first place, was exactly the type of organization we wanted to support in whatever way we could," she said.
Learn more about our winners:
- Agency: Huggins Dreckman Insurance Agency, Inc., www.hdinsure.com, Los Alamitos, California
- Nonprofit: Orange County Family Justice Center Foundation, http://www.ocfjcfoundation.org, Anaheim, California