Anne West, Island Connector
Anne West knew about NextStep for years before she actually called the helpline on behalf of someone in need. As the Executive Director of the Island Health & Wellness Foundation (IH&WF), she is well connected to the Deer Isle-Stonington community. Among many other activities related to its wellness mission, IH&WF serves as an informational resource for the island. Because of this, Anne is always on the lookout for organizations at the town, county and state levels that provide health and wellness services locally and then she works hard to make sure everyone knows they exist and how to access them when needed.
In addition to her job at IH&WF, Anne is a trained volunteer recovery coach through Healthy Acadia. It was in this capacity that she realized she was coaching someone who needed NextStep. “That first time we called the helpline, it was about 180 degrees from what I expected,” Anne said. “They listened and put her mind at ease. It was up to her to decide what to do next – nothing was forced upon her. I was deeply impressed by how much help they had to offer. Often people who have been abused have a mindset that the worst is going to happen in any given circumstance; they expect it. What a relief it was for her to know she could call NextStep again and again until she was ready to take action. They provided encouragement, reassurance – they are ready to help a victim take that next big step, whether it’s right away, or ten calls later.”
Knowing how valuable NextStep’s services are to island residents, Anne is always thinking of ways to get the word out. On her recent weekly podcast, she interviewed NextStep Executive Director Dorathy Martel. “Because I was blown away by what NextStep did for my recoveree in such a short amount of time, I wanted Dorathy to share what people can expect when they call the helpline. I wanted them to know what I had learned firsthand.”
During Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) in October, NextStep’s local volunteer Susan Webster knew to turn to Anne when it was time to distribute tote bag “toolkits” containing posters, brochures, and other display materials, including a string of purple lights to display in windows. Anne was the perfect person to know who in the community would want to receive them. “Just give them to me and I’ll get them out,” she told Susan. Anne said, “My hope is that when someone else encounters domestic abuse, whenever that may occur, they will remember seeing these posters and brochures, and they will know there is an organization that can give them the help they need.”
Anne West and Susan Webster are role models for what NextStep wants their Community Ambassadors to be. They each share a passion for helping others, and they are constantly looking for opportunities to raise awareness about NextStep’s services, using their unique talents and skills to do so. To summarize, Anne said, “Knowing that resources are available is so important. We’re glad NextStep is here to help!”