NANCY RODRIGUEZ
BOARD MEMBER
Nancy Rodriguez had always envisioned becoming a lawyer. Then, while working at a bank after completing her undergraduate degree, a high school friend introduced her to a social service agency called Association House. After getting involved with the organization, Nancy decided to pursue a career in social work and has dedicated herself to strengthening the lives of Chicago children and their families. In this interview, the long-time member of the Center’s Board of Directors shares more about her work and how it has fueled her passion for our mission to stop domestic violence where it starts.
Tell us a little bit about yourself?
I was born and raised in Chicago’s Humboldt Park neighborhood, the fifth of 10 children in my family, and continue to live there today. I am also the proud mother of a daughter who supports my efforts within the community. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from DePaul University and a Masters of Social Work degree from Dominican University where Charlie Stoops (who co-founded the Center along with Christine Call) was actually one of my instructors which was pretty awesome.
For the past 20 years, I have worked in a multitude of different roles for the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services addressing issues of child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, mental health, substance abuse, cultural and language barriers, resource access and advocacy. I also serve as the chairperson of the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services Latino Advisory Council and volunteer as a beat facilitator with the Chicago Police Department.
How did you first learn about the Center and what inspired you to become involved?
A great social service mentor of mine, Adrian Delgado from the Latino Social Workers Organization, referred me to the Center. I had no clue what being on a board was all about but once I started learning more about the organization, I decided to get involved. As a child abuse investigator I was assigned a lot of domestic violence cases and know that these issues are interrelated. Where you see child abuse in the family, there is also often domestic violence and vice versa.
When did you first join the Board of Directors and what are some of the different roles you've played?
I’ve been a member of the Center’s Board of Directors for over ten years now, and for the past five years, have served as the board Secretary. I have also been very involved in our fundraising, including putting our annual Purple Dove Gala together, and I always donate year-after-year to help fund services for our clients.
What have you found most rewarding about volunteering with the Center? Are there any special moments or accomplishments that stand out for you?
One of the most rewarding things has been helping to improve services for the Center’s clients. Through my professional work, I have seen the various needs that offenders and their families have. So, I have advocated for recognition of the underlying conditions that contribute to abuse including poverty, unemployment, underemployment, homelessness, lack of a support system, and racism. And, by helping other board members understand that this is about more than just domestic violence, we were eventually able to obtain case management services.
Bringing people to our annual Purple Dove Gala has been another highlight for me. It is special to have family and friends come together and learn about the Center and hear the success stories of our clients, which helps them better understand the trauma and other challenges they face. I am also proud to be the longest elected member of the Center’s Board of Directors and to have helped recruit one of our newest, and youngest board members because we need feedback from those of different age levels and backgrounds. And, I like when we hear at our board meetings about the clients who successfully complete our programs because that means we are getting somewhere. I really want to make a difference and see people get better so the community can get better as a whole.
What would you most like other people to know about the Center?
We have a strong track record of rehabilitating offenders of domestic violence, having served more than 8,000 men and women since 2004. I also want them to know that we have a dedicated group of staff and board members from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds who bring a variety of expertise. And, the government, foundation, and individual donors who fund our services are really special people who help in the process and make this a collaborative effort.
Why do you think the Center's work deserves community support?
I think that the Center deserves community support because it is a nonprofit that is 100% about the client and really cares about the people it serves. Programs for offenders are unfortunately very scarce, so it’s important that we invest resources into expanding these services. People tend to talk more about the victim but we need to give equal attention to both the victim and the offender if we are going to solve this problem. And, I believe that everyone has a role to play in reducing and eliminating domestic violence, which is still too prevalent in our communities.
What is your hope or wish for the organization's future?
My hope is for us to expand our partner abuse intervention services, including having more program locations. I would also like to see a larger effort to raise awareness about domestic violence, its effect on the family, and the services that are out there. If we can connect more men and women to the multitude of services they need, we can help more families stay intact and thrive.