HANDS WAVING FOR OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!

DeafHope’s Executive Director honored with Femtor International Humanitarian of the Year Award

On the evening of June 7, 2007, during the eWomenNetwork Foundation International Femtor Awards Gala, Julie Rems-Smario was honored for her work as Executive Director of DeafHope with a Humanitarian of the Year Award. 

Deaf Hope is a non-profit agency serving Deaf survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

The eWomenNetwork Foundation gives annual awards to women who embody the spirit of what it means to be a Femtor. The word Femtor is a registered trademark of eWomenNetwork, which means “a wise and trusted woman providing knowledge, inspiration and practical information to other women.” Femtor acknowledges the mentoring work done from a female experience and knowledge base. These experiencedwomen seek out ways to teach, share their wisdom and help other women find their wings.

Taya Levine, Chief “Make It Happen” Officer for the eWomenNetwork Foundation remarked on this occasion “It is truly OUR honor to recognize Julie and the extraordinary work she is leading through Deaf Hope. We are committed to broadening the understanding of condition of women who are underserved, and often unseen. Deaf Hope is giving much needed visibility and support to a population that would otherwise be adrift, and needlessly penalized solely because the broader society has not yet realized the need to embrace and attend well to Deaf women who are contending with violent circumstances. We are delighted to play a part in raising awareness, and recognition, of our Deaf sisters and playing a small part in their future success.”

The Femtor Awards are a prestigious international honor, awarded to women who have proven themselves to be exemplary role models in the world of business. These award acknowledges their outstanding achievements, skills, positive “can do” attitude, and commitment to giving back to their communities. These women inspire others, are respected by their peers, and volunteer their time and energy to serve others less fortunate. The Humanitarian of the Year Award recognizes the powerful change that one individual can make in the lives of others. By selflessly giving, this individual is truly making a positive difference in the world, one person at a time.

During the award presentation, Sinden, a Deaf survivor of domestic violence, presented on how Julie’s work had changed her life, giving her the opportunity to be a mother raising her child in a home without violence. To describe the impact that Julie’s work had on her life, Sinden said “To me, Julie is like a beacon of hope in troubled waters, soothing my worries like balm.”

In testimony to Julie’s character, Bobbie Beth Scoggins, president of the National Association of the Deaf, said, “Julie’s ability to connect and share so much of herself with deaf women in need of love, support and caring is truly phenomenal. We at the NAD are very delighted that she is being nationally honored by eWomenNetwork for her humanitarian work.”

DeafHope was founded in 2003 by eight women, including Julie Rems-Smario. DeafHope’s mission is to end domestic violence and sexual assault against Deaf women and children through empowerment, education and services. Now the Board of Directors is planning to launch a new dream - a capital campaign for a center for abused Deaf women and their children. The vision for this center includes a shelter and transitional homes.

DeafHope Founding Board Chair of DeafHope, Kate Kovacs, joined Julie Rems-Smario to be part of this honor. Kate said, “It is such an amazing thing to happen to DeafHope. Julie has given so much of her energy, vision, guidance, selfless acts, and passion toward building a dream that each of us at DeafHope has, which is to end domestic and sexual violence in our community. Having many stepping stones to get there, this is a huge leap and I look forward to many more opportunities to open up for us.”