The Gabe W. Miller Memorial Foundation designates one day each year as its National Day Of Service and Remembrancesm. This day is a means to pay tribute to Gabe and his efforts in the delivery of social services. The designated date for 2010 is September 14.
The Gabe W. Miller Memorial Foundation has only one fund raising event, the Annual Celebration of Life Dinner, held the Saturday night before Thanksgiving each year. It is an informal event, because Gabe was a relaxed and unceremonious young man. This year's dinner will be November 6, 2010.
Continuing in 2010 is the Foundation's focus on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This condition has been brought to the forefront of public awareness by the plight of returning war veterans, but is also documented in victimes of domestice violence, violent crime and other conditions.
On October 20, 2006 Louie, the Foundation's "cover dog" and Gabe's "best friend", passed away from metastasized cancer. He was alert, lucid, and affectionate all the way through the sedative's taking effect. As far as we can tell he did not suffer.
Ananda Leinartas received her bachelor’s in psychology and gerontology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2006, where she was elected to Phi Eta Sigma. She self-financed her first two part-time years at the Jane Adams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois, Chicago by concurrent full-time employment as a Crisis Triage Worker with Resurrection Behavioral Health Procare. Ananda’s third year required full-time studies, so she had to give up her employment. Her Gabe Miller scholarship, matched by the school, was thus especially helpful. Now an MSW candidate, Ananda hopes to put her new degree to use in advocating and working for the chronically mentally ill.
Started at the beginning of 2008 and still a totally voluntary initiative, JoAnne Smith, MSW, Jane Addams College of Social Work of the University of Illinois Chicago, LCSW and knitter, conceived the concept of teaching female detainees in the substance abuse unit how to knit, as a relaxation skill and communications facilitator. Every three weeks six to eight new women join the program, which is led by JoAnne and a knitting compatriot. The women appear to gain a sense of empowerment from the experience and an awareness that there are positive avenues to pursue in life.
ASTT, Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma has served torture and trauma victims in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C.- area since 1994. ASTT also provides specialized training for legal and health professionals to increase their ability to respond to the needs of torture survivors; raises community awareness about torture, its consequences, and the needs of survivors; and advocates the abolition of torture worldwide through publications, the media, conferences and other forums.
This grant will supplement the compensation and benefits of Laurel Smith-Raut, B.A. Sociology, University of California at Davis; MSW, University of Maryland School of Social Work, LCSW, former Peace Corp volunteer and ASTT case manager for about 90 clients, since 2008. Ms Smith-Raut manages the Washington, D.C. office, rendering direct services to the clients, as well as running the three-month Life Skills Course for 12-15 clients that meets weekly.