Your world with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite
Hello,
I am Dr. Marie Beatrice Hyppolite. I hold a doctorate in Health Science with emphasis on Global Health and master’s degree in social work. I have over 14 years of experience in the field of health and human services.
This podcast is primarily focused on mental health and the quality-of-life elements that affect it such as divorce, death, domestic violence, trauma, toxic relationships, and single parenthood to name a few. It is no secret that mental health challenges continue to profoundly impact modern society although not enough discussion is given due to stigma. Research has shown an increase of 25 % in mental health crises after COVID-19. It is important to have honest, uncomfortable conversations about mental health while being supportive. Although we are interdependent, change begins with the individual, hence “your world.”
I welcome you to join me on my journey and look forward to your responses.
Your world with Dr. Beatrice Hyppolite
Breaking the Cycle: Diane Speed's Mission Against Domestic Violence
When Dianne Speede witnessed domestic violence affecting both her family member and two close friends, she decided to transform personal pain into purpose. As founder and CEO of Heaven's Horizons Foundation, she's now tackling America's hidden epidemic—one that affects 10 million people annually in the United States alone.
The statistics are staggering: one in four women and one in seven men experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner. Young women aged 18-24 face the highest risk, while domestic violence disproportionately impacts low-income households and LGBTQ communities. Beyond physical injuries, survivors battle depression, anxiety, and sometimes turn to substance abuse to numb their pain. For children who witness abuse, the psychological damage can be profound and lasting.
Heaven's Horizons Foundation provides critical immediate support through clothing drives (essential for survivors who often flee with only the clothes on their backs), book bag giveaways, and holiday events with gifts and hot meals. But Speed's vision extends further—she dreams of creating permanent housing units for families escaping abuse, offering an alternative to shelter living which can sometimes expose vulnerable individuals to further trauma.
The foundation operates on a shoestring budget, primarily funded by Speede herself with just three team members. Despite these limitations, they've distributed hundreds of filled backpacks, served countless meals, and provided essential clothing to survivors throughout New York. Now, Speede seeks grant writing assistance and partnerships to scale her impact and realize her housing vision.
Domestic violence survivors often remain trapped in dangerous situations due to financial dependence. By providing both immediate resources and working toward long-term housing solutions, Heaven's Horizons offers something equally valuable as shelter—it offers hope. Whether you can contribute financially, volunteer your time, or share expertise in grant writing, your support helps break the cycle of domestic violence one family at a time.
Hello everyone, I'm Dr Beatrice Ippolit, and this is your World. Hello everyone, our guest for today is Ms Diane Speed. I said it right, diane Speed, speed. Yeah, I said it right, diane Speed, diane Speed. And so we have the privilege to have Ms Speed with us today, and she's going to talk about domestic violence, but most likely about your business. So, before I even say anything else, I give you the mic. Tell us a little bit about you.
Speaker 2:Okay, so my name is Diane Speed and I am the CEO and founder of Heaven's Horizons Foundation, which started in September of 2020. The reason why we started the foundation is due to a family member of mine who experienced domestic violence, and also two friends that went through the journey of this problem that's plagued around the world, and it made me want to start something to try to help communities that go through domestic violence.
Speaker 1:Because domestic violence is very serious and we have way too many people experiencing domestic violence every year. According to research, one in four women experience domestic violence severe physical violence every year, and one in seven men. But sometimes people think that domestic violence is something that only related to women. But men do experience domestic violence as well and, according to research, one in seven men experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime and 10 million people. Can you imagine that?
Speaker 2:It's a huge number and that's the other ones you may know about. There's many that goes undetected and reported Exactly.
Speaker 1:So when I read 10 million people experience domestic violence every year not worldwide, in the US only. It's a large number. And for the demographics they say young women between the age of 18 to 24 have the highest risk of domestic violence. Low income households are more likely to experience domestic violence. And the LGBTQ community? They are at a very great risk of experiencing domestic violence.
Speaker 1:For the physical and emotional impact domestic violence can result in serious injuries, including head trauma, broken bones and international injury. People think you know, so it's like you know domestic violence you know. For many people they're like oh, it was just an argument, but it get you know. Often time it get physical and when it get physical people can be left with serious injuries. So mental health, domestic violence can lead to depression, anxiety and substance abuse, because sometimes you know, when people are in so much pain they don't know what else to do to numb that pain. They will just plunge themselves into alcohol or substance abuse. So it's a very serious concern that people need to bring awareness about it and I'm glad that you had a family member you know who had the experience and you say you know what. I'm going to do something about it. Tell us a little bit about your company.
Speaker 2:This is now five years of having Heavens Arise. The ultimate goal is to have housing for families well, basically women and children that experience domestic violence, which can sometimes lead to homelessness. Right now, many of these families stay in shelters, which is not always safe. So the plan is the plan and the goal is to have housing where we can prepare a safe and comfortable living environment, not a shelter setting, more like a home where we could provide programs for them.
Speaker 2:Well, I started creating my own programs. I'm not quite finished because it's a lot of work, but we're trying to create these programs and for the past five years, what we've been doing is clothing drives and book bag giveaways. That's basically, and it's getting bigger because a lot of people donate to the organization. Sometimes I even like take a one-way flight to the South, where my family resides, and we go picking up a whole bunch of donations from the Southern States and head on back to New York. So by the time, like, I have all these donations from everyone, from family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, whoever it may be we have an abundance of clothes and shoes and bags and baby items.
Speaker 2:It's a lot and it's becoming bigger and bigger every year.
Speaker 1:So what is the target population? Do you only serve women and kids, or you serve men as well?
Speaker 2:So the clothing drive is for everybody Because, like you mentioned, men also go through domestic violence too and homelessness. That's rapid. In the United States there's a lot of homeless people. So sometimes they come to the clothing drives and they're so happy to come and collect. You know, they just come and shop. We have bags for them and they just go out into wherever we are and just pick whatever they need.
Speaker 1:The clothing drives. So how often do you have it? It's yearly or twice?
Speaker 2:It's yearly, but we've done it twice in 2023. We did one in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn. We did one in December that was also in Brooklyn, at a church I forget the name of the church.
Speaker 1:And you accept all type of clothing.
Speaker 2:Once it's in good condition. If you would wear it. Then you can pass it over to Heaven to Rise and Foundation.
Speaker 1:Okay, so regardless, you know, if it is for male female old kids babies, you know, if I were to donate some clothing, so what would be the?
Speaker 2:donation. Usually how it goes is I myself pick it up. That's how we do it.
Speaker 1:Oh, so if I were to give some clothes away? So I'll contact you. It's a number you call and I personally come and get it, and you make arrangement to come and pick it up. Okay, so we'll get that number, you know, at the end of the show. So what is the vision and the mission statement of your organization, the?
Speaker 2:vision is to get the housing. The mission is to have these families housed and safe away from shelters, because shelters are not always the safest place for them to reside. And this is coming from the people that actually live in shelters it's not safe for kids.
Speaker 1:They see drugs, they see a lot of things that they shouldn't be seeing children but one thing that I understand especially for women with children, shelter may be one of the quickest way for them to be placed in a safe, temporary you know. If you have any issue, you go to the shelter. So you know, so you will be quick to be placed in a safe environment yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:And the clothing drive. Basically, when women decide to leave their abuser, a lot of times they leave with the clothes on their back. So when they go into the shelters domestic violence shelters they don't have anything. They just have what they're wearing because it's like a quick getaway once in a lifetime kind of thing, so that he doesn't catch you or the person who's abusing doesn't catch you.
Speaker 1:So do you work with those domestic violence shelters?
Speaker 2:I don't work, but I'm connected to them in some ways. I have people that work in shelters.
Speaker 1:So let's say, for example, if I were to be placed in one of those shelters and I have a need for clothes, how your company will be able to assist me. Well, they'll call.
Speaker 2:They'll always reach out and we'll make arrangements. Okay, I personally won't go to the domestic violence because they're supposed to be. You're not supposed to know where they are right For safety, for safety reasons. So me giving like I can meet up with somebody and they now will distribute the clothes to the people that need it. But as far as me having a space where you can come, anyone is welcome to come Like we'll have a space, we'll put up flyers and we'll just start promoting that. You know we're having a clothing drive on this day in this area and they're more than welcome to come and shop.
Speaker 1:Okay, so what types of services and programs does your organization offer to survivors and domestic violence?
Speaker 2:You know different than what you already mentioned, so I'm still working, like I said earlier, working on my program. But as far as the mental health, we have that but we don't actually counsel people because we're not really in a space. So let's just say someone reaches out and says that this one's going through something. I can call and make a connection for them to go and like a referral and they can go and get assistance that way.
Speaker 1:Okay, can you describe your emergency shelter program including capacity-led head of state and services?
Speaker 2:So the goal because I want it to be a housing program, not just a temporary thing we have the vision I should should say is having a house with maybe six to seven units where families can go in there and like basically start their life over. As far as the programs are concerned that we're trying to get in place, that's what we're currently working on, because we actually don't have the housing yet you understand, okay so, but the people that you, you service, are they in the city or the entire New York?
Speaker 2:Wherever they are, because how we do it, when we have these events, the flyers go out. Some people put it on an Instagram page, facebook page, so anyone anywhere can see it and they're welcome to come. So even if we have an event in Manhattan, some people from Brooklyn, queens, upstate, wherever you are that you feel you need services in that aspect of clothes, you can come and get what you need. Okay, and also in August, we also have book bag giveaways. Last year we did one. We had over 350 book bags. The book bags always come with supplies, that's from back to school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, and we have, like you know, we do fun things for kids. We have like the cotton candy machine, we have the icing machine. We try to make it fun.
Speaker 1:What about Christmas? You do some special events for Christmas.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so this December, the same church. I can't remember the name of the church. We would have like a Santa Claus the elves. I can show you a video of it, but yeah, that was in a big church space in Brooklyn and we have gifts. Even though you're shopping for clothes, we still have like an area where's a christmas tree and their gifts that's wrapped up for boys and girls.
Speaker 1:we have them separated with ages most of the events that you normally have are also posted on your website, so if I wanna go and see exactly what you do. It's so I can just go to your website and glance through.
Speaker 2:And I forgot to mention one. I think it's a big part. We also always have hot food, Hot food from rice, chicken, stewed chicken, name it, we have it.
Speaker 1:Are they in giving come or specific seasons?
Speaker 2:Every December we have it and then we'll do it. If we do it twice a year Thanksgiving, though, just December, and then we'll do it like may or june. So the first one for 2025 is going to either be in may or june. I can't give a date in the time because I haven't figured that part out. Right now I'm collecting donations oh, okay, okay, but thanksgiving, so it's a no-no yeah, not to say I'm ruling it out, but I always do it because it's a lot of work, it's a lot lot.
Speaker 2:It's a lot of work and you need money too. Yes, right now that's coming from my paycheck. Everything I do is coming directly from my paycheck.
Speaker 1:Because it's close to your heart. Yes, if I may put it that way, that's very good, because I remember, you know, years ago I assisted somebody you know who was facing domestic violence. But one thing that I've seen within this area when people financially depend on other people or on the abuser, they don't know what to do Because at the end of the day, financially, he's the one doing everything, he's the one paying. I'm saying he, but it can be she too, you know. So if the abuser is the one paying for the rent, you know, provide the food in the house, you know, financially everything depends on that person, of course, even though that you know that it's bad for you. You know the condition, the beating, the cursing they're putting you down. So it's taking a toll on you, but you still cannot leave because at the end of the day, my life depends on that person. So what should I do? And I remember slowly, slowly she was very patient slowly, slowly. So she didn't have a high school diploma at that time. So we worked together into getting her high school diploma and later on look for job placement. And it's hard because while you try to assist that person but you don't want to make any bad move for the person not to get hurt more than she or he was already getting hurt. So you have to be very you know, you have to use some tact, you know around it, so. But my greatest joy of that situation is like to see that at the end of the day, she completed the GED program, she had her high school diploma and a year later she was able to take the HHA training and work as a home attendant. And when she finally saved some money on her own I don't know how she saved money because I didn't want to get involved into keeping her money, so she probably used somebody else and now she was financially stable and she was able to make her own move. And she moved out and went to the womb from somebody.
Speaker 1:Few years later, somebody screamed out loud my name. I was walking in the middle of Flatbush and Glenwood when somebody screamed out my name I. I look around, I didn't know the person out of nowhere. She's like you don't remember me and I'm like no. And when she said, you remember and I'm like wow, so, but I was walking, she was driving. She said so where you going, I'm gonna drop you. And I said no, I need to take public transportation, so I was so happy. Yeah, and now you may not understand exactly what you're doing, or other people may may not understand what you're doing, but, miss Speed, I must tell you what you're doing is valuable and sooner or later you're gonna see how many people are going to come around and show their gratitude, because it's not an easy work.
Speaker 2:I must say it's not, and I do. I mean, like even when we have the clothing drives, you have people that come back the following year and I'm like I remember you from last time or whatever, and we have these little conversations and then, even with the stories that they share, that's how we know, because as we're walking with them, as they're shopping and they share their stories, it's like it's heartbreaking and the kids, even with the kids having to see mom being abused, it's not a good thing, yeah.
Speaker 1:By mommy being abused or daddy being abused emotionally, those child are being abused as well. Of course, I salute you, so you are doing a great work. My next question what type of counseling and therapy services do you offer, and how are they tailored to meet the needs of those survivors?
Speaker 2:so my health provider or my mental health partner, that's in part of the heavens horizons. She is licensed to treat or interview or counsel on people, but because we don't have that space, we don't do. I mean. The most I can tell you is that when we go to the counseling, the clothing drives, she's there walking and counseling sometimes with them and just walking and talking to them. But as far as somebody coming to an office space, we don't have that as yet either.
Speaker 1:That will come. But if somebody is in a great need, do you have all the agencies that you can refer them to?
Speaker 2:Well, I will speak to the person who is part of my team, which is a licensed mental health counselor, and then she can refer them to wherever they need to go.
Speaker 1:Okay, because it's very important. Sometimes, you know, emotionally it's always like people may be in great need and not knowing or not having a place to send them to can be a challenge, but I'm glad that you have that in place.
Speaker 2:Well, the number that you'll give at the end when they call and we kind of know and figure out what they're going through, we can always make those connections.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's good to know. So my next question can you describe your organization, community engagement and for including OutWish education?
Speaker 2:and partnership. Well, the partnership is basically with NYPD. A lot of times they'll get me the spaces to have their clothing drives and I just recently went to Albany and made connections with some of the congresspeople. So I'm trying to work with them now to see if they can also support my vision and mission as well. Oh, okay, but as far as everything else else is basically me either looking for spaces, everything is basically I'm doing a lot by myself.
Speaker 1:so when you say that you're looking for spaces. So you look, like you know for a location to have, like you know, to say you know what. This is the physical address. Yes, you know. For for the organization.
Speaker 2:No, this is the address. We're having the events, the events, so like the clothing drives are done. Whatever borough they tell me to do it in, I'll do it, but they'll help me find a location to have it. But it's a temporary location.
Speaker 1:Yes, it's just for the event, but you need a permanent location.
Speaker 2:Yes, and that's when I get my buildings and my houses. That's the plan.
Speaker 1:It's very important. So, my dear, you know, hey, if you can have, like you know, like five staff members or what have you, you know like, hey, if I'm going to have like a counselor, you know, dear, like you know, like maybe twice or three times a week, so I know, so it's dear, so everybody's going to have a place where they can come either twice or three times a week or every day why not?
Speaker 2:Well, if I had the space that I envision, I want to always have an area set up with stuff that they're going to need, where they can just come and help themselves. That's one of my visions. So right now, like I said, it's just either everything coming from me or I have two other females on my team, so the three of us together make it work, but it's just the three of us. So now we'll have maybe other family and friends that may want to come in and assist us for the day to help us get the event together, but it's just three people on my little team.
Speaker 1:So, but how you get you know? So volunteered. So you know.
Speaker 2:Do you normally ask no, so usually I'll have a loose leaf binder with the paper and a lot of the guests that's coming to shop from shelters and stuff they'll sign their name. So when they come and see the food or the activities for the kids or whatever, they get all excited. So now they're like, hey, can we help you guys next time? Sure, so the list that we have, we'll contact them and they'll come back and help.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's good, because I, you know, a few times I volunteered, you know. So the last time I volunteered it was was that a shelter? No, so it was like. But what they do? They put bags together and go to the.
Speaker 2:Like care bags they have like lotions and toothbrushes and stuff like that. Yeah, they care bag.
Speaker 1:But they will deliver at the women's prison. Yeah, another big.
Speaker 2:Thing.
Speaker 1:So I never go to deliver with them, but I will go and put those care bags together. So it's like there are times I'll spend a whole Saturday. Yeah, you know, sometimes it can be the food pantry. They have a huge you know food pantry so we go and we do bags, yeah, you know. So they tell you they give you a list of you know items that you can place in each bag. So it's like, oh, girl, I have to tell you I love it.
Speaker 2:It's a good feeling when you can help, especially if you're in a good place. You know, I mean, we all probably had struggles in our life at one point. But you can't forget and there are people that they're people and human beings, not no, I don't think anyone purposely wants to be abused, but these things happen and because sometimes they're so fearful of expressing these, because you know they're afraid of getting hurt more who knows? But sometimes they do want help. But you can't force them to leave. You can't force them to leave. A lot of times they don't have a place to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah because financially they don't have any stability, yeah, so they depend on that person.
Speaker 2:But if we can like, continue what I'm doing with my organization and like the funding is a big thing. If we had the funding, I could probably do a whole lot more, but I can only do so much. Like I said, everything is coming from my paycheck and I still have to also handle my personal well-being.
Speaker 1:And I like when you say that you cannot force them to leave, so we only can work with them and encourage them. Sometimes, you know, you encounter people who say you know what? This is the last time you know, I'm going to allow him or her to put his or her hand on me and, before they know it, they abuse us. They know how to manipulate. They do you know before they know it. So flowers are going to be on the table.
Speaker 2:They apologize, you know before they know it.
Speaker 1:so flowers gonna be on the table.
Speaker 1:They apologize, you know, honey. So that will never happen again. They probably will create an opportunity to make sure you know they have the best intimate moment ever, and before they know it. So you fall into the same thing until the next beat up happens. So it's a challenge. It is, it is really a challenge, but I'm glad that you know there are people out there who understand that it is a challenge and they're willing to help, like people like you. Thank you for your service. You're welcome. What role your organization play in raising awareness about domestic violence and promoting prevention efforts? So?
Speaker 2:when we have the event. That's when we speak to them in the moment, because sometimes they'll share their story to us, what they're going through. And the mental health counselor that I have she speaks two different languages, so even if you speak other another language other than english, she's able to express what you can do, things you can do, places you can go because, like I said, she's the mental health work person um to get assistance and if you need to, okay okay, so the next question is what are the primary sources of funding for your organization and how you uh you're looking at her.
Speaker 1:How do you diversify your funding streams?
Speaker 2:I am the funding stream, so for right now, that's what it is. There's no other avenues. If I knew how to write grants, I probably would be able to do more, but I don't know how to write grants. I would need a grant writer to assist me. So I know a lot of times, certain times of the year, they do give out um, funding, um, but I don't know how to do it and I've been doing what do you call it? Instagram? I've been on Instagram like just asking people. You get a lot of hits. Everybody knows how to write a grant. There was one person who got me um like a business plan together, whatever, and she said that she also does grant writing. Well, it's been like nine months and I haven't heard anything back.
Speaker 1:So I don't know Okay, so you need a good grant writer.
Speaker 2:Yes, A good grant writer.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because there are people who are good at writing grants. I work with somebody who used to do that at the job at that time, so I've heard that whenever that lady you know put a grant together, yes, so maybe she still does it, you don't have to worry.
Speaker 1:Maybe she still does it, you never know. So we'll discuss you know that after the show. Thank you. What are the most significant challenges your organization faces in terms of funding and resources development? I understand that you just mentioned the grant. You know so, and so you are the only person you know financially kind of fitting in. So beside those challenges, are there other challenges that you are facing?
Speaker 2:I mean, actually I've been out looking for housing. Sometimes the housing it costs a lot. The vision that I have. Some of these buildings are like one point, something million to get started. Um, that's one of the challenges, I'm thinking. Another challenge sometimes even finding a space to have the events could be a challenge as well, because sometimes the spaces are small. And if I had a place, oh like, okay. So another thing I have to put all these things in a storage unit, which again I have to pay for, to hold all the donations. If I had a space that I can have for myself. Well, you don't have a storage space, right, everything is at a storage unit.
Speaker 1:That you have to pay for.
Speaker 2:You don't have your own spot and sometimes I have to have like three store units because it's so much. If I had my own space, that would be less of a challenge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you definitely need a good grant writer. You need that money to continue with your project. So now it's like I don't think I have any more questions. However, I do offer you this platform to talk about your business in there.
Speaker 2:Well, I mentioned earlier, it's a nonprofit and everything for Heavens Horizons Foundation is basically done by my little team. We have three people on board. The volunteering is always accepted. There's a number I wrote the number down there that you can call if you have any questions. If you want to discuss grant writing with me, you can call 917-207-9233. 917-207-9233. And there you will speak to a live person. There's no prompts. You'll speak to a live person and if no one answers, you can leave a message and you'll get a call back. I think I covered that part.
Speaker 2:Okay, so your website Website yes, it's HeavensHorizizonsfoundationorg and the email is heavenshorizonsfoundation at gmailcom. Heavens with an S Foundation Heavenshorizonsfoundation at gmailcom. But call the number, you'll get someone in person. So on the website website we have an area that you can donate, but I tried it before I came to the podcast and it has like an error message. So I spoke to my web guy who started it and he's going to fix it. So for right now you can just call that number directly until we can figure that part out.
Speaker 1:If I would like to donate, or what are the channels to donate. So are the channels On the website.
Speaker 2:There's that link to donate. That's one.
Speaker 1:And then we had a Apple Apple Cash Zelle Cash Shop.
Speaker 2:It was actually the GoFundMe that we were working on to start that this year, so yeah, Okay, because you know, nowadays people tend not to bother with anything.
Speaker 1:Like you know, that is not easy.
Speaker 2:People tend to bother with it is fine.
Speaker 1:So if they call the number, somebody may choose not to go online to follow the protocol, but it will be easier for that person to just do the apple pay, yes, or the the sale right or the cash app.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's true. So when we get that up and running again, then I'll be able. But they can call. If you call the number, once we have that, you give me your information, I can always do a call back. That's how it can have to work for right now okay, okay.
Speaker 1:So hey, you know, you, just everybody. You just heard the misspeed and she needs assistance, she needs your help. Whatever that it can just pension, you know, five dollars, ten dollars of twenty dollars, you will be surprised how much different ten dollars can make.
Speaker 2:Yes, every anything is appreciated because I'm so used to doing it on my own. But one day I hope I can be blessed with a grant, a space, so I can have these families out of the shelters and in a better space in their life.
Speaker 1:Anybody who can help her, please reach out. So it was a pleasure having you, thank you, thank you for the work you do, thank you, thank you for your time, dedication and trust me, that will pay off.
Speaker 2:Thank you, and for your time, dedication and trust me. That will pay off. Thank you, and thank you for having me. Thank you for listening.
Speaker 1:It was a pleasure to have you One more time. It was with your doctor, Beatrice Ippolit, with your world.