Our Story
Formed in 2008, With One Word, Inc. became a registered 501(c)(3) organization with a vision to help families and individuals in need. In 2014, our work began to focus on bringing awareness to domestic violence and teen dating violence. After surviving an abusive relationship, our co-founder Natasha had a passion to help those struggling from abuse. With a mission to bring faith, hope, and healing to those in need, Natasha worked with national and local organizations to create awareness in her community and raise crucial funds for services for abuse survivors. The struggles from the pandemic starting in 2020 changed the way many organizations operated. Unfortunately, several of the programs and events we worked with have closed. Read more about our work with domestic violence below.
In late 2023, With One Word will expand to addressing food insecurity. Food insecurity is an important risk indicator for domestic violence and intimate partner violence. With a continued vision to help families and individuals in need, we hope addressing hunger needs in our community will reduce risks for the most vulnerable populations.
START TALKING IN SCHOOLS
Utilizing the Start Talking curriculum with Mecklenburg County CSS, we spoke in area high schools and middle schools providing education in health classes on healthy and unhealthy relationships. The curriculum was interactive and challenged students to engage in discussions. At the end of our sessions, students knew the warning signs of Teen Dating Violence, how to make healthy decisions, and where to find help for themselves or a friend.
EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS AT SHELTERS
Through creating a reading and empowerment program, Word in Action, we were able to provide reading books, school supplies, and tutoring to children housed in a domestic violence safety shelter. With weekly visits, our goal was simply to provide love and attention to kids through various activities like arts and crafts, playing sports outside, and reading to children while their moms attend counseling or simply have alone time. We also provided brand new toys to the children as they often have little to no personal belongings.
LOCAL AND NATIONAL ADVOCACY
As a member of the Teen Dating Violence Awareness Committee of Mecklenburg County, we worked with several agencies in order to provide education and awareness to our community. Our co-founder, Natasha, was a National Ambassador for the Love is Not Abuse Coalition with Break the Cycle, the leading national nonprofit organization providing comprehensive dating abuse programs exclusively to young people ages 12 to 24.
With One Word also served on the Art with Heart Committee and was allied with the NO MORE campaign.
With One Word was proud to be involved with the following:
Love is Not Abuse Coalition
Our co-founder, Natasha Johnson, is proud to have been a National Ambassador for the Love is Not Abuse Coalition, LINA, with Break the Cycle.
Break the Cycle was the leading national nonprofit organization providing comprehensive dating abuse programs exclusively to young people ages 12 to 24. In January 2021, Break the Cycle’s programs closed.
Love Is Not Abuse (LINA) was a growing national grassroots coalition of adults who want to learn about and prevent dating abuse.
For more information, visit www.BreaktheCycle.org and www.BreaktheCycle.org/loveisnotabuse.
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Committee of Mecklenburg County
The Teen Dating Violence Awareness Committee of Mecklenburg County worked to raise awareness in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area around the issue of teen dating violence and to promote healthy relationships among young people for February, Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.
We are also trained and certified with the LoveSpeaksOut speaker's bureau that engages, educates, and empowers youth to speak out against teen dating violence to create a world where all teens experience healthy relationships.
For more information, please visit Mecklenburg County Community Support Services.
Art With HEart
We are proud to have served on the Art With Heart Volunteer Committee.
Art With Heart evolved into one of Charlotte's premier fundraisers that featured silent and live auctions with pieces generously donated by many of the most notable artists from around the globe. Since its inception in 2000, Art With Heart has raised more than $1 million for Safe Alliance to provide hope and healing to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.
To learn more about Safe Alliance’s current events, please visit the Safe Alliance website.