One World Strong's Impact
It's important to provide trauma survivors with the right kind of support early on. Experts agree that promoting a sense of safety, hope, and connection is key to building resilience in both individuals and communities. Ongoing scientific research is working hard to determine the best methods for achieving this, and we're here to help you every step of the way.
We’ve experienced the extraordinary benefits of this type of support ourselves. Ever since, we’ve been trying to “pay it forward” to anyone in need, anywhere in the world.
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We began in 2015 by supporting survivors and families who lost loved ones in the 2012 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. In 2016, we traveled to Orlando to support the survivors of the Pulse nightclub shooting. We are now working with survivor groups across the United States, Canada, the Middle East, Europe, South America, Australia, and parts of Africa.
We're dedicated to establishing meaningful connections with trauma communities around the globe. Our goal is to develop a network of survivor mentors who can provide invaluable support and guidance to those in need.
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OWS's Experience in the U.s.
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2018-2024
We have dedicated our efforts to various social media initiatives aimed at promoting awareness of mental health services, fostering collaborations with like-minded organizations, and providing educational resources on targeted violence. Through these initiatives, we strive to showcase a comprehensive, holistic platform that is accessible to individuals and their loved ones.From 2023 to 2024, Stephanie Cinque, executive director, developed and presented educational webinars to facilitate discussions on hate prevention and the cultivation of resilience. These valuable efforts were featured at Teachers College of Columbia University and the Maine Child Welfare Conference after the Lewiston shooting.
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2023
Our founder and president, Dave Fortier, delivered a compelling presentation at the Eradicate Hate Global Summit. His presentation focused on introducing the wide range of services and resources offered by One World Strong to key stakeholders and potential users. From the start of the grant project, we worked closely with key cities to help us identify funding sources that would allow for the application to continue growing and serving their unique communities. The cities of Aurora, Colorado, and Las Vegas, Nevada, were able to help us identify funding models for cities and states – these initial conversations early in the project allowed us to build in the important pieces needed to ensure consistent funding of the application. We are looking forward to the applications' use and visibility growing over time, and we will remain vigilant about incorporating new and timely media to the app.
2024
We had the opportunity to actively engage with partners from Invent2Prevent and EdVenture at their latest event. Our team passionately discussed ResilienceNet and its suite of services with program participants, placing particular emphasis on engaging college students. In April 2024, we participated in the Bank of America Boston Marathon and 5K to raise essential funds for One World Strong and our ever-growing community of survivors. This philanthropic effort not only increased our social media presence but also enabled us to connect with a broader audience.
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OWS's Experience Abroad
One World Strong includes members of the survivor communities in Jordan, Egypt, Australia, France, Norway, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Somalia, Nigeria, Mali, Tunisia, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Ukraine, the UK, the US, and many other countries. Join us in One World Strong, where we are working together with survivor communities from all over the world. Members from Jordan, Egypt, Australia, France, Norway, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Somalia, Nigeria, Mali, Tunisia, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the UK, the US, and many other countries are already part of our community. Together, we can create a better world for all survivors.
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Orlando Pulse Club Survivor
“Meeting people face-to-face who really knew what I was going through was a huge support because they showed me with their presence that there was a window through which I could see that everything would be better. The key to opening that window and being able to see and feel the warmth of life again was in their words and great support... Thank you [One World Strong] for giving me the strength I needed and showing me that even though it is not easy, it is not impossible. It is an honor for me to have each of you in my life.”
Sandy Hook Elementary Mother
“Thank you so much for providing a very beneficial workshop yesterday. It was without a doubt the most helpful meeting I have attended post 12/14.”
Survivor Mentor One World Strong
“Meeting the families in Newtown was an incredible experience. Everyone has a story, and even in the aftermath of a tragedy, it's important to highlight that there's much more good in the world than bad. For me, connecting with people was an important part of my healing, and for the community of Newtown to welcome us in the way they did was heartwarming.