October 2025 Newsletter

Lisa is a strong, kind, and intelligent mother who dotes over her two beautiful children. She is also a survivor of domestic violence, and the road to where she is now is a long one. Lisa attempted to leave her abusive partner nine times over several years before she succeeded in achieving independence. 

Her story is not uncommon. Domestic violence is notoriously difficult to escape, especially when marriage and children are involved. For Lisa, the final breaking point was when her abuser struck her across the face while she was pregnant with her second child and holding her three-year-old son in her arms. “It was a wake-up moment. I knew if I stayed that it would only get worse. I had to leave, for me, for my kids, for our future.”

But leaving wasn’t easy. Lisa found herself thrown into the chaos of custody battles, restraining orders, and endless legal proceedings, all while raising a newborn and a toddler as a newly single mom. Over the past few years Lisa has had to file five restraining orders, over 17 police reports, and a litany of court motions.

“It was the hardest time in my life. I was juggling a full-time job, two young children, countless meetings with lawyers and family court specialists, all while trying to keep us safe. There were days I didn’t think I could do it, and so I decided to reach out for help.”

Through the courts, Lisa was connected with Laura, a Domestic Violence Advocate at A New Leaf. “I met Laura when I went to renew my restraining order, and honestly, I was just a shell of a person. She stepped in and helped with everything from counseling and court paperwork, to  filing motions. She helped me survive. She gave me hope.”

Through A New Leaf, Lisa and her children began counseling, finally getting the help they truly needed. “The counseling and resources we’ve received has been life-changing. My kids and I are healing in ways I never thought possible.” 

Lisa considers the support she received as more than just services, but a blessing. “Laura’s been with me every step of the way, helping with police reports, advising me through custody battles, and calming me down when I felt like I couldn’t go on. She’s been my advocate as well as my angel.”

Today, Lisa takes life one day at a time, focused on building a better future for her family. “My dreams are simple. I just want my kids to be happy and healthy. As long as they’re okay, I’ll be okay. They’re my reason for everything.”

When asked what she’d say to someone just beginning their journey out of abuse, Lisa’s message is clear: “Don’t give up. It’s hard, but you can do it. One person can change your life, and for me, that person was Laura. A New Leaf gave me the strength to keep going, and they’ll do the same for you.”

This month, A New Leaf was thrilled to welcome 48 freshmen from Brophy College Preparatory to our Phoenix Day Childcare and Education Center. Their energy and dedication made a remarkable difference for the children we serve.

In just one day, these students cleaned six classrooms, scrubbed bathrooms, and even tackled the outdoor play equipment. Thanks to their efforts, our center is now sparkling and ready for our kids to enjoy a safe and welcoming space.

Our teachers were so impressed by the students’ hard work that they have already invited them back in a few months! It’s inspiring to see young people so committed to service and to helping children in our community thrive.

We are truly grateful to these students, and to Brophy College Preparatory, for their generosity of spirit and willingness to roll up their sleeves to support A New Leaf’s mission.

Volunteer Impact Spotlight

Since January, individual volunteers have generously given over 8,000 hours of their time to A New Leaf! Their dedication helps us serve more families, strengthen our programs, and make a lasting impact in the community.

Do you want to volunteer with us? We’re looking for volunteers to support our Donation Center by helping accept, sort, organize, and fill order requests. Shifts are available between 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM. A fingerprint clearance card is required. Click here to get started: https://turnanewleaf.org/get-involved/volunteer/

As urgent food needs increased throughout the Valley, our donation center is especially low on non-perishable food items.

We invite you to make a direct impact in your local community by making a donation of new, unused items. Your gifts will help those facing homelessness, domestic violence, and other crisis situations.

Our most pressing needs right now are:

• Pasta (regular and gluten-free)
• Instant noodles/ramen 
• Canned tuna
• Canned chicken
• Rice
• Jelly
• Oatmeal
• Dish soap 
• Clorox/Lysol wipes 
• Twin/Twin XL bed sheets 
• Pots and pans 
• Water (bottles, cases, and gallons)
• Body wash (men/women)
• Deodorant (men/women)
• Shampoo/Conditioner (men/women

Your dedication and kindness have truly been a gift to A New Leaf this past year. It’s your generosity that allows us to continue our vital work and make a tangible difference in our community. If you’re planning your year-end giving, we’ve put together some key information to help you ensure your donation is processed and qualifies for a 2025 federal tax deduction. We are so thankful for your continued support!

Important Dates for Your 2025 Year-End Gifts

• Gifts by Mail: For your check to be deductible in 2025, it must be postmarked on or before Wednesday, December 31. If you use a special carrier (like FedEx or UPS), the check must be physically received at our office by noon on Wednesday, December 31, and the shipping documentation must also be dated by December 31.

• Online Credit Card Gifts: You can make your secure online gift up until 11:59 PM on Wednesday, December 31. Be sure to save the email receipt for your records.

• Gifts from Your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF): To ensure your grant recommendation is processed and received by A New Leaf in time for a 2025 deduction, please initiate your request with your DAF provider on or before Friday, December 12.

• Gifts of Appreciated Stock: Giving stock is a fantastic way to maximize your impact. To ensure the shares are received by December 31, please initiate the transfer with your broker by Friday, December 19. Please also notify us of the number and type of shares you are transferring. This helps us provide you with a timely and accurate gift acknowledgment for your tax purposes.

Tax-Smart Giving from Your IRA: A Great Way to Give

If you are 70½ or older, you can make a powerful gift directly from your IRA through a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). This can be a very tax-efficient way to support our mission.

For those aged 73 or older, you can use a QCD to satisfy your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) for the year, without adding to your taxable income. The deadline to take your RMD for 2025 is December 31. You can direct up to $108,000 annually from your IRA to A New Leaf this way.

For a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) to count for the 2025 tax year, it must be completed by December 31, 2025. To ensure your IRA custodian can process the transaction and the charity receives the funds on time, you should initiate the QCD the first week in December.

Other Ways to Give

We are also here to assist you with gifts of other assets, property, and even including cryptocurrency. Our charitable giving advisors are ready to work with you and your financial advisors to identify the best strategies to help you achieve your philanthropic and financial goals.

You can also find more information on tax-savvy giving and other ways to support A New Leaf on our website at: https://www.freewill.com/smartgiving/turnanewleaf.

Thank you for your generous support and for being a part of the A New Leaf family. Your kindness makes a real difference in our community. 

Home should always be a place of safety and love. For too many families, however, it is a place of fear, with 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men experiencing severe physical violence by an intimate partner. These numbers remind us why A New Leaf’s work is so critical.

A New Leaf’s Domestic Violence Programs provide lifelines for thousands of families in our community, offering safety, shelter, and hope. Through emergency and transitional shelter, case management, therapeutic programming, outreach, and legal advocacy, families gain the stability and support they need to move forward. With these resources, survivors are far more likely to break free from the cycle of abuse and rebuild their lives with dignity and strength.

We could not help so many individuals change their stories, every month of the year, without the generosity of community partners who are committed to creating safer futures for families. We are deeply grateful to TCC Gives/More Than a Phone, the Mesa HoHoKams, the West Valley Lutheran Thrift Shop, the West Valley Mavericks Foundation, and the Sunrise Foundation for their generous support of A New Leaf’s Domestic Violence programs.

Thanks to our community partners, survivors who come to A New Leaf have access to the resources needed to build a brighter future and are welcomed with compassion and hope.

With One Voice Breakfast – Raise Your Voice for Survivors

The countdown is on! The 2025 With One Voice Breakfast is just weeks away, and you won’t want to miss this inspiring morning of hope and action in support of survivors of domestic violence.

Join us for a complimentary breakfast and an uplifting program that will highlight the realities of domestic violence and share how, together, we can build safety, healing, and hope in our community.

This event is free to attend, but during the program you’ll be encouraged to make a gift. Every dollar raised will go directly toward A New Leaf’s domestic violence programs, including shelters, legal advocacy, and vital support services that help nearly 3,000 survivors every year.

Seats are filling fast, so reserve your spot today to be part of this powerful event happening on October 23rd!