Aiding battered women, rape victims, breast-cancer patients and the homeless in Cook County are among the services provided by individuals and groups recently honored by the Women`s Issues Task Force under Cook County State`s Atty. Richard M. Daley`s office.
”These awards are noteworthy because they are based on nominations from community leaders with first-hand knowledge of the importance and the effectiveness of the programs being honored,” Daley said.
The task force is comprised of Cook County citizens and meets regularly with Daley and his top staff to assist the prosecutor`s office in developing policies that address the needs of women in the criminal justice system.
Among those honored were:
–Carol Costa, staff member of the Chicago Abused Women Coalition, for assisting battered women and children.
–The Crisis Center for South Suburbia and its executive director, Christine Call Mendoza, for providing shelter and counseling to victims of domestic violence in Chicago and 10 south suburban townships.
–The Women`s Services Department of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago and department director, Barbara Engel, for providing crisis intervention services, counseling and other assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
–South Suburban YWCA of Olympia Fields and Linda Fergus-Pelini, who helped create and operate the Rape Advocacy Prgram.
— Edwina Gately, who founded and operates Genesis House, a North Side shelter that provides counseling for prostitutes.
–Rape Victim Advocates and its director, Trish Hunter, for providing crisis intervention, advocacy and counseling on a 24-hour basis to sexual assault victims and their families.
–Flora Koppel of Travelers and Immigrants Aid of Chicago for providing services to battered women and their children.
–The Harriet Tubman Shelter for Battered Women and program director Evelyn Vasquez, who operates the shelter at the Robert Taylor Homes.
–Dr. Carole Warshaw, attending physician of the Adult Emergency Services Division of Cook County Hospital, who organized a training program for hospital staff to better assist domestic violence victims arriving at the emergency room.
