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Center for Victims of Torture Team

 

This ministry team provides a supportive, long-term, mutually beneficial relationship with the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT).  The CVT Team also promotes an awareness of CVT at Unity Church and fosters opportunities for deeper involvement through service and advocacy for CVT ministry team members.  The Center for Victims of Torture is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1985 with headquarters in Minneapolis.  The CVT mission is to work to heal the wounds of torture on individuals, their families and their communities and to work to end torture worldwide.

 

CVT Team Participation

Team members provide support to the CVT through service, education and advocacy.

 

Service

CVT Team members may be involved with supporting the mission of CVT both individually and working as a group.  Specifically, the CVT Team works to provide direct support to CVT in the following ways: 

  • Organizing donation drives to collect needed goods for CVT clients as requested by CVT.  Examples of goods that can help clients of CVT include clothing for job opportunities, car seats, used bicycles, just to name a few.

  • Creating opportunities for ongoing social interaction between CVT’s clients and Unity Church members when initiated by CVT;

  • Participating in direct service at CVT by filling volunteer roles they have already defined.  Such roles may include providing transportation, teaching how to use the transit system, serving as a befriender, working in the CVT library, doing translation, and teaching ESL.

  • In some situations, if appropriate, providing pro bono professional services sought by CVT, such as legal, counseling, or therapy.

  • Coordinating service projects that provide volunteer opportunities for Unity members (painting, gardening, cleaning events);

  • Arranging hospitality and short-term transitional housing for CVT clients within Unity members’ homes.

 

Education

The CVT Ministry Team also has an education component for its members and others through CVT sponsored training events, conferences, focused readings and discussions related to issues concerning torture, its effects, legal and political related issues, and support for the healing needed for torture victims. 

Educational opportunities for the congregation will be provided during select Wellspring Wednesday programming or in some cases, Sunday morning forums.  The CVT Team will work to find ways to provide information about the issue of torture and the mission of CVT where appropriate as part of existing religious education classes offered by Unity’s Ministry with Children & Youth.

The CVT Team will explore education opportunities within the community by participating in the Samuel Morgan forums at Unity Church and working cooperatively with other churches or organizations interested in supporting CVT.

 

Advocacy

Advocacy in the community may include assisting CVT in lobbying and legislative efforts, supporting letter writing campaigns to newspapers and elected officials, and organizing or participating in demonstrations that support CVT’s mission.

 

CVT Team History

The CVT Team was formed in 2003 and began meeting regularly as a team in 2004.  The activities that the team has been involved in to support CVT through service, education and advocacy have included:

  • Supporting a capital campaign for the construction of the new St. Paul Healing Center, which opened in the spring of 2004

  • Organizing opportunities for Unity members to paint and clean the new St. Paul Healing Center located northeast of Unity Church

  • Providing a variety of Wellspring Wednesday educational forums for Unity church members and hosting screenings of movies that help raise awareness of the issues of torture

  • Hosting tours of both the Minneapolis and St. Paul Healing Centers

  • Working with the quilting group to craft and present a quilt to CVT to welcome them to the neighborhood

  • Organizing periodic toiletries drives to collect needed goods from Unity members for clients at CVT

  • Hosting the Grand Old Days Parking Lot Fundraiser event during the first Sunday in June

  • Working with Unity’s RE children & youth to craft and present 1000 paper cranes as an art display for the St. Paul Healing Center

  • Presenting a CVT Client and Torture Survivor art exhibit in the Parish Hall

  • Supporting the Concern with a Cause event at Unity

  • Creating “rice bags” that are used for massage therapy work for clients at the healing centers

  • Ongoing support for advocacy and letter writing campaigns in support of legislation for uniform military interrogation standards.

There are many opportunities for volunteer work in support of CVT such as the above activities and participation as a speaker advocate for CVT in the community.

 

Meetings

The team typically meets monthly on the first Tuesday of the month. Details are provided in the Unity Monthly Bulletin. We meet to learn more about CVT, its needs, and issues involving torture or refugees.  At our meetings, we will also discuss readings and share our experiences working with CVT and its clients.  The following link takes you to articles and current events related to CVT and the issue of torture: http://cvtministryteam.googlepages.com/home

 

Get Involved

For more information about the CVT or the CVT Team please contact Jennifer Vanek at: Jennifer.Vanek@gmail.com

 

Everyone is welcome!