International Women’s Day
CAPSA was founded and continues to be built by amazing women. With International Women’s Day, we would like to recognize and thank just a few.
JENNY BOX
Jenny Box was one of the founders and a continued friend of CAPSA. CAPSA was founded after two high-profile rape cases occurred on Utah State University’s campus. A group of students, staff and community members (including Jenny) came together to create the Cache Valley Rape Crisis Team.
Shortly after the founding of the Rape Crisis Line, law enforcement began referring domestic violence victims to use this support phone line. Jenny recognized the needs for these women were different, including the need for somewhere safe to escape abuse – Jenny committed her home to be the first CAPSA shelter. Imagine housing women and children fleeing abuse in your own home. This was a true act of charity.
Jenny continues to support CASPA over the years including serving as a board member, donor and ambassador. Jenny helped establish CAPSA by raising funds to buy our first shelter and establish CAPSA as an official nonprofit. Because of her early leadership and continued support, CAPSA has grown to be considered Utah’s premiere domestic violence, sexual abuse and rape recovery center.
Jenny has been a cornerstone of our organization. To honor her service and amazing charity, CAPSA will be installing a permanent cornerstone honoring Jenny in our building expansion which will begin construction later this year.
JAN MILLER
Jan Miller was the founder of Stander: Be Independent. As Stander’s “Fearless Leader”, Jan positioned Stander as the industry leader in accessibility products, but probably more important to her was Stander’s culture of doing what is right, creating partnerships, and helping others stand tall.
Jan served on the CAPSA board from 2006 through 2018 and was passionate about helping empower survivors of domestic violence to become independent. During her service, Jan served as board president, housing committee chair, and historian. Jan lead efforts to build Independence Place (a CAPSA owned neighborhood of nine homes), establish an endowment, supported expanded therapy, and create the zero turn away fund. For the zero turn away, Jan committed her company to be the first to do payroll deductions and because of her support CAPSA’s shelter has not turned away any local family displaced by domestic violence since 2016.
Jan passed on June 3, 2018. CAPSA has renamed our annual golf tournament to the Jan Miller Memorial Golf tournament to honor her support and passion of CAPSA.
MARY PALLEY
Mary gave her time, passion, and money to protect and empower individuals impacted by domestic violence and sexual abuse. CAPSA in many ways stands as a legacy of Mary’s work. Her influence is seen and felt throughout CAPSA.
Mary was a retired attorney and passionate advocate, and she served on CAPSA’s Board of Trustees for over 26 years. As an attorney, Mary provided countless hours of free legal advocacy to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, working selflessly to promote safety as she helped survivors navigate the court process and obtain protective orders.
Mary worked with CAPSA to develop and fund transitional housing, dedicated in name to her grandchildren, to ensure survivors and their children have access to safety and supportive services.
Mary was taken for this world on March 11, 2016. In remembrance of her, CAPSA has named the Children’s Center the Mary Flynn Palley Children’s Center.
JILL ANDERSON
Jill Anderson is the current Executive Director of CAPSA and has started this role in 1997. Through Jill’s vision and inspired leadership, CAPSA has grown from a one-home shelter to a full organization providing comprehensive services that meet the complex needs of survivors. In addition to spearheading facility expansion, including building a new victim support center, shelter, and a transitional housing subdivision (Independence Place), a second neighborhood (Independence Way), Jill has enhanced programs and expanded the capacity of CAPSA to provide critical 24-hour services, shelter, therapy, and housing for survivors. Over 300 men, women, and children find safety in CAPSA’s shelter each year and over 1,500 others receive advocacy, therapy, and support services.
Jill began her career working with at-risk youth at the Cache County Juvenile Detention Center and at Bear River Mental Health. It was during her time volunteering for CAPSA that she quickly became passionate about working with survivors of domestic and sexual violence. She was inspired by the work CAPSA was doing and the positive impact it had on the lives of women and children fleeing violence and abuse. Her commitment grew during her volunteer work at the shelter where she witnessed a great deal of strength, courage, and hope in the families she helped. Since that time, she has dedicated more than 25 years to serving survivors and working to prevent abuse from happening in our community.
We are grateful for Jill’s vision and leadership. Her work has positively impacted thousands of women in our community.
These above women are only a few who have made lasting impacts to CAPSA. CAPSA is grateful for the hundreds of other women who support CAPSA and our clients. This includes the many staff, volunteers, board members, donors and supporters. We could not do this work without amazing women.