FACT's 40th Anniversary Celebration🎉

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Subject: FACT's 40th Anniversary Celebration🎉

Supporters of FACT across the Commonwealth gathered at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond, VA last week to celebrate 40 years and honor our selected FACT Champions!

Over the past 40 years, FACT has touched the lives of countless organizations, professionals, and most importantly families.

We are the only program in Virginia that addresses family violence prevention throughout the lifespan. We support work to prevent child abuse, domestic violence and abuse against older adults.

FACT helps to connect the dots between policies and services that are often siloed, and fill gaps in funding to strengthen families across generations.

Below is our impact video that was featured during the ceremony:

As we celebrate this milestone, we’re also looking ahead to the next 40 years of FACT’s work to prevent family violence and strengthen families across Virginia.

Give $40 for 40 years of impact!

Click here to donate!

Our featured speakers of the evening:

FACT Board Chair, Nichele Carver and Executive Director Nicole Poulin with featured speaker Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Marvin Figueroa

FACT Board Chair Nichele Carver and Executive Director Nicole Poulin with Delegate Willett and featured speaker Delegate Paul Krizek

Featured speaker, Senator Emily Jordan

FACT Executive Director Nicole Poulin and Board Chair, Nichele Carver with featured speaker The Honorable John Littel.

Featured speaker Chief Deputy Commissioner Kristin Zagar of the Virginia Department of Social Services, Max Berchmueller and Laurie Crawford

Our Champions:

These four Champions represent the commitment, compassion and persistence needed to prevent violence and help people build safer, healthier lives. Their work reaches Virginians at every stage of life and reflects FACT’s 40-year mission to strengthen families and communities across the Commonwealth.

As part of their award, each Champion had the opprotunity to select a nonprofit outside of their own to receive a $10,000 FACT Award to Pay It Forward!

Charlé accepting her award on stage

Marybeth Matthews-Adkins, Rebecca Simmons, and Charlé McCauley

The Love Forward Foundation Founder, Keisha Nicholson (on the left)

Charlé McCauley | Champion for Children

Charlé serves as the Director of Communications for Children’s Advocacy Centers of Virginia. Through this position she leads statewide public awareness communications and legislative advocacy efforts to strengthen Virginia’s response to child abuse.

Charlé has built her career around one driving purpose…making children safer. One of her nomination letters from a former client stated:

“She didn’t simply provide professional guidance. She gave us comfort, reassurance, and the confidence that we were not facing this journey alone.

Long after the immediate crisis, she continues to make time to speak with us. That level of commitment goes far beyond any job description. It reflects the character of someone who cares about the people she serves.”

For her Pay It Forward award, Charlé selected the Love Forward Foundation, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to supporting children, adult children, and caregivers impacted by parental incarceration.

Founded in 2015, the Love Forward Foundation provides family-stability resources, community education, practical tools to help families feel seen, supported and connected.

Abeer Omer | Champion for Adult Domestic and Sexual Violence Survivors

Abeer works as a victim advocate with the Safe Journey Program at the Ethiopian Community Development Council in Arlington. Through this work, she helps survivors work towards safety, independence, and self-sufficiency.

Through the nomination process, we got to hear directly from Abeer’s clients. One of them said…

“The first time we met, she gave me $20 out of her pocket…since that day, she has been my case manager who got me into a shelter, got me food to eat, clothes to wear, and a phone. Today, I am getting good grades, have my own apartment and car, and working two jobs, and happy. None of this would have happened without Abeer.”

Abeer selected Bridges to Independence of Arlington to receive the Pay It Forward award.

Bridges to Independence is dedicated to supporting families and individuals facing housing instability or systemic poverty.

They provide shelter services, Rapid Rehousing, and supportive services at the Bridges Community Services Center in Green Valley. These supportive services include workforce development, community youth programs, case management, and essentials such as food, clothing, and rental assistance.

Abeer accepting her award onstage

Bob Elston and Abeer Omer posing in the Barbie car prior to the ceremony

Bridges to Independence CEO Fraser Murdoch and Abeer Omer

Joani accepting her award onstage

Joani with her award after the ceremony

Nicole Poulin and Nichele Carver announcing Consumer Voice as Joani's Pay It Forward recipient

Joani Latimer | Champion for Older Adults

Joani serves as Virginia’s State Long-Term Care Ombudsman where she advocates for people receiving care in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and the broader community. Focusing on the needs and wishes of the care recipient, Joani and her team work to resolve problems, improve care, and enable residents to live with dignity.

In writing a letter of support for Joani’s nomination, Deputy Commissioner of the Division of Aging Services, Kiersten Ware said, “Her ability to carry the residents’ voice into high-level decision-making has made a profound impact on systemic quality, rights protections, and the public’s understanding of long-term care issues.

Her work is not simply administrative or regulatory; it is profoundly human.”

Joani selected The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care. Consumer Voice is the leading national voice covering issues related to long-term care and helping consumers feel empowered to advocate for themselves. They focus on priority issues such as staffing, nutrition, transparency and accountability, and increasing awareness of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs across the U.S.

Marybeth Matthews-Adkins | Champion for Families

Marybeth is CEO of Family Crisis Support Services where she works to protect children and empower families across Southwest Virginia. She has dedicated her career to providing trauma-informed support, safety, and healing for vulnerable children and families.

In one of her nomination letters, a colleague said: “Because of Marybeth’s leadership, hard work and dedication as CEO over the years, Family Crisis Support Services has increased its budget, shelter capacity, and services to victims and their families. She has literally transformed the landscape and scope of victims’ services in far Southwestern Virginia.”

Marybeth chose Speedway Children's Charities for her Pay It Forward award. Speedway Children’s Charities provides grant funding for non-profit organizations throughout Southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee to meet the direct needs of children.

Marybeth has specifically designated the award to the Jeff Byrd fund which was established in honor of the former Bristol Motor Speedway President. This fund provides a $50,000 grant to one organization each year for exceptional projects improving the lives of children.

Board Chair Nichele Carver and Executive Director Nicole Poulin posing with Marybeth

Marybeth showcasing her award after the ceremony

Nichele Carver and Nicole Poulin announcing Speedway Children's Charities as Marybeth's Pay It Forward recipient

Betty Wade and her granddaughter Scarlet speaking with Taylor Hohle

Betty Wade receiving a standing ovation during the ceremony

Viola Vaughan-Eden and Nicole Poulin posing with Betty Wade after the ceremony

Betty Wade Coyle | Lifetime Achievement Award

Betty Wade has devoted her life to preventing child abuse and building stronger systems to protect children.

She is the Executive Director Emeritus of Prevent Child Abuse Hampton Roads and has been instrumental to the Hampton Roads area by being a founding member of the Hampton Roads Child Fatality Review Team and the Hampton Roads Trauma Informed Community Network.

Even in retirement Betty Wade continues to serve on numerous boards and committees, including FACT’s Child Abuse and Neglect Advisory Committee and the Virginia State Section of the Association of Professionals Solving the Abuse of Children.

She also previously served on the FACT Board of Trustees!

Betty Wade continues to train, mentor, and support others advocating for children and is an occasional spokesperson on local media and guest columnist for The Virginian-Pilot.

This award recognizes both her extraordinary career and the lasting difference she has made for children and families across Virginia.

Congratulations to all of our Champions and awardees!

Back row left to right: Fraser Murdoch (Bridges to Independence), Nichele Carver (Board Chair), Charlé McCauley (FACT Champion for Children), Marybeth Matthews-Adkins (FACT Champion for Families), Joani Latimer (FACT Champion for Older Adults), Abeer Omer (FACT Champion for Adult Survivors), Nicole Poulin (Executive Director), Taylor Hohle (Senior Research Associate), Keisha Nicholson (The Love Forward Foundation)

Front row: Betty Wade Coyle (Lifetime Achievement Awardee)

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Subject: FACT's 40th Anniversary Celebration🎉