LAURA PLUMMER

The Rise is a transitional housing facility for women and their children who have been victims of domestic violence. A major objective of the program is to prepare the residents to become independent and self-sufficient by furthering their education and training. This will then result in their achieving gainful employment. Laura Plummer has been serving as a volunteer at the Rise for the past two years.

In partnership with members of Middle Way House’s professional staff, Plummer has helped to establish and develop a tutoring program at the Rise. Drawing on her professional expertise as the Assistant Director of the Campus Writing Program at Indiana University Bloomington, Plummer has helped residents to master all kinds of writing assignments and skills. She has worked with resumes and letters to prospective employers, class papers and essays, and she helps with basic math and computer training.

Plummer has promoted the tutoring program to the residents, established her own goals for it, recruited tutors and oriented new volunteers. In doing this work, she has demonstrated deep commitment, genuine sensitivity, unusual initiative and a true vision. Plummer empowers the women with whom she works to recognize their talents and strengths and to produce work that represents their best capabilities.

Giving generously of her time, Plummer has helped to establish the tutoring program at the Rise and at Middle Way House, its parent facility, ensuring that it will continue to serve as a significant resource to the residents. By this means, she has contributed in a major way to the economic and social rehabilitation of these victims of domestic violence, enabling them to restore some calmness and stability to their lives.