For the past decade Baxter has worked to help women in Clark County and those who know her say she’s helped bring attention to their needs and the issues surrounding domestic violence.
The Springfield News-Sun is highlighting a small portion of the extraordinary women leaders in our community this week. The series of profiles began Sunday.
Many factors contribute to the prevalence of domestic violence Baxter said, but “champions” are working to bring intentional change to Clark County.
“You can see evidence of change all around,” she said. “New development, new partnerships, and brave conversations.”
The shelter, which has served more than 400 people so far this year, is reviving initiatives to continue conversations about domestic violence. This October, the shelter will launch a new campaign as part of Domestic Violence Awareness month to give a boost to its Partners Against Violence Everyday (PAVE) coalition. The campaign will urge people to take the PAVE pledge, a commitment to peaceful relationships and values.
The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated cases of domestic violence nationally, giving power to abusers and creating fewer opportunities for the discovery of abuse due to isolation.
Baxter has many hopes for the city’s future, one being the creation of a family justice center that would focus on ensuring that survivors of violence have the necessary support to address what has happened to them. Project Woman is currently waiting on a decision from the city to help fund renovations to its offices that will position the community to meet the family justice center model, Baxter said.
Baxter is originally from Toledo, and she returned to Ohio after living in North Carolina to be closer to friends as a single mom. She initially started her own bookkeeping and small business taxes, and she also wrote K-12 study curriculum and grants for small nonprofits, opportunities that awarded her the ability to work from home and be flexible while she raised her children.
She’s also worked for community action agencies, family centers and more: working for her father, and entrepreneur with several small businesses; as an assistant costumier for the theater at the University of Toledo; and business manager of an excavating company, to name a few.
About our series
The Springfield News-Sun is highlighting how women leaders are making an impact in the city this week. Sunday’s story featured three women, and the newspaper will feature another woman — Betty Grimes of Springfield, and Dr. Jo Alice Blondin of Clark State College — each day through Thursday, Sept. 15.
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