Christine Buckley has raised $5,372.00 and counting for her sister-survivors of domestic abuse through an ongoing art sale benefiting Finding Our Voices in her framing store in Camden.

 

Paintings, photographs, and prints (including Wyeth, Welliver, and botanicals) are donated by collectors or the artists themselves and masterfully framed by Christine and her staff, and put on exhibit in Christine’s Framing Gallery. Prices range from $25 to $2,500, with the fundraiser continuing through the summer in the shop at 83 Elm St. in Camden. 

 

All proceeds go to the Finding Our Voices Get Out and Stay Out Fund. According to Patrisha McLean, CEO and founder of the statewide nonprofit, this fund empowers Maine women domestic abuse survivors to get out and stay out and keep their children and pets safe as well with payments for short-term housing, car, food, legal, home security, and pet costs.  McLean said that so far this year this fund has disbursed $50,000.00 to 120 Maine families. 

 

Buckley is one of 45 Maine women survivors whose black and white photo portraits by McLean are on Finding Our Voices posters spreading awareness of domestic abuse in downtown windows and public bathrooms, changing rooms, and employee break rooms in more than 90 towns across the state. 

 

Finding Our Voices is the grassroots and survivor-powered nonprofit breaking the silence of domestic abuse one conversation and community at a time across Maine. Its programs include access to free dental care and free weekly online support groups as well as healing retreats. For more information about Finding Our Voices visit https://findingourvoices.net