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Tami Silverman – Crusader for What is Right

Lisa Rigoni

Statistics show that every15 seconds, a woman is beaten in the United States by an intimate or former partner. One in three teens are in an abusive relationship. Between 70 and 75 percent of children of abused mothers are victims of domestic abuse as well, making domestic violence the No. 1 risk factor for child abuse. Tami Silverman interacts with the faces behind these statistics almost daily. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Sojourn Shelter and Services, Inc., in Springfield.

There are 32 beds in the shelter, a shelter designed to assist women and children who find the strength to leave an abusive situation. And there is usually a waiting list. While Sojourn does cater to women and children, Silverman said there are men who also have endured abuse, and while they cannot stay at the shelter, Sojourn provides appropriate contacts in those situations, so they, too, can find help.

“One of the greatest things available to us is the number of volunteers we have who are willing to help with whatever needs may arise,” said Silverman. “Besides the basic needs, we have had both a tornado and a flood tear through here, and each time the community support was overwhelming. It really is heartwarming. The people who come out as a result of one brief e-mail is tremendous.” Silverman has seen this kind of outpouring for nearly 10 years in different ways as she has served at the helm of Sojourn.

“Our volunteers do everything from cleaning, to painting, to providing milk, diapers and bus tokens so that there is transportation to get to jobs,” she said. “And our board of directors and staff are supportive as well.”

Global Perspective Silverman has always enjoyed traveling. She has participated in international study trips to Finland, Cost Rica, France, Italy, England and Germany. She and Ross, her husband, have traveled to China, Korea, Hong Kong, Western Europe and Mexico. “Traveling as much as I have really provides perspective on global issues. When you hear mention of other countries in the news you can relate to what is going on because you’ve seen it personally. You begin to pay more attention,” Silverman said. “One of our favorite trips, though, has to be the trip we took to Washington, D.C. with our two children, Mia, 7 and Max 4, over the Fourth of July weekend. We saw the parade, went to the Smithsonian, did and saw all of the typical things you do in D.C. We are starting them early.”

Besides the understanding of the rest of the world, Silverman says traveling abroad always gives her a new appreciation for where she lives. “We are fortunate to have the freedoms and advantages that we do.”

Philanthropic Roots “I grew up in a family that has always been very engaged in philanthropy, whether it was for glaucoma screenings, walk for diabetes or others. So, I participated in a lot of activities like that,” she said.

Silverman’s career also had her involved in not-for-profit volunteerism. Prior to Sojourn, she was in the financial industry doing marketing. “Even in doing financial marketing, the marketing department staffs are always the ones asked to sit on the community boards or to organize an event. My parents taught us that you should always give back to your community.” That was one of the reasons when she was approached about the job at Sojourn she considered it. Her background and education is in marketing. She has a bachelor’s degree with a business concentration from Indiana University and a master’s in public administration from University of Illinois at Springfield. Having the financial background is one of the reasons she was initially approached about the job.

“At the time, they were looking for someone who had strong fiscal management skills, and understood budgeting, contracts, and strategic planning. It was helpful that I had that training,” Silverman said. “While I am an Illinois Certified Domestic Counselor, my main job is the business aspect. I am responsible to our funders, our donors. We are a business and we have a unique product. And we have wonderful counselors who handle the client interaction aspect of our business. They are good at it. It’s what they are trained to do. I typically get involved when it gets to the point of crisis.

“We have court advocacy and serve Sangamon, Christian, Logan, Montgomery and Menard counties. We do counseling for adults and children. They can be residential or can be staying somewhere else,” said Silverman. “One of the misconceptions is that those who are abused don’t have financial resources. That is not the case. Abuse crosses all social and economic borders. So, if someone needs counseling, but not shelter, we can still provide that.

A flourishing pro bono legal program is one of the services Silverman is proud to have helped implement. “We have about 50 volunteer attorneys in the communities who assist our clients with disciplinary protections of order.

Education Outreach Education and squelching misconceptions about abuse is critical in this business. “We had a special grant to help us provide education to the medical community,” Silverman said. “The focus was on the affect of domestic violence and how it may appear in the emergency room, or if a child is having undiagnosed stomach issues. Our female clients often have a lot of headaches, gastro-intestinal issues, backaches. The medical community learns to identify the symptoms of how the home situation may be.”

There is an advisory board that collaborates from SIU and the hospitals. They share ways to make the response from medical staff more empathetic, particularly, in the emergency room. Silverman said nearly 40 percent of women who show up in an emergency room is a direct result of abuse.

Trauma units have also been taught on a rotating basis at the hospitals and SIU.

“We also have a teen dating violence prevention program that goes out to the schools. About one in three teens admit to being in an abusive relationship. Almost across the board,” Silverman says, “if they haven’t been involved in an abusive relationship themselves, it’s likely they know someone who has. We try to get to them before they need law enforcement or medical intervention. We want to tell them what a healthy relationship is supposed to be like. The schools have been supportive in allowing us to present programs to their students.”

Safety Determines Success One of the things that Silverman tries to stress to funders is safety. “If you are not safe in your own home, you cannot succeed at work. Your children cannot succeed in school. You are not being a productive member of your church. If you are in fear for your personal safety it affects everything. That’s where we try to help. I can’t stress enough how great our counselors are. They help promote that safety factor and instill it in our clients.”

Extracurricular Activities Laughing, Silverman admits to being a Hoosier fan, having graduated from Indiana University. I can’t really hide the fact. I actually have Hoosiers on my license plate. As far as education is concerned, She believes you should be involved. “Be involved in your education, too. Don’t just go to college. Be engaged.” Silverman was active on her campus as a student and is still active today serving in a variety of capacities, including alumni mentor.

The list of activities in which she participates is extensive, as is the list of presentations, workshops and publications she has done. And she has been honored as a Not for Profit Director of the Year in 2004-’05 and received the Outstanding Business Ethics Award, among others.

Role Models/Support System “Without the support of my husband I couldn’t do what I do. He not only supports what I do, but he participates in many of the events ... chili suppers, fundraisers. He even wears the ribbon to recognize October as Domestic Abuse Awareness Month,” Silverman said. “My parents have celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary and are the biggest influences in my life. My mother has always been independent, yet family-oriented. My father has always been supportive telling us that we can do anything and that we have an obligation to help others. You should share your blessings.”

Silverman lives those words and follows the ideals that have helped shape her. She helps others. She shares her blessings. She leads by example, whether it be in her family, in her community activities, her church, her alma mater or on the job. She advocates for what is right and others reap the benefits!

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