Since 2018, KU alumna Jessica Beeson has been serving Lawrence and the surrounding communities through her work at The Willow Domestic Violence Center. In April 2024, she was announced as Willow’s new Executive Director.
The organization, founded in 1977 as Lawrence Women’s Transitional Care Services, has been a critical resource for the community. Its mission is to build safer communities through shelter, support, and services to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking in Douglas, Franklin, and Jefferson Counties.
Some of the Willow’s services include a 24-hour crisis hotline, safe shelter, multi-year transitional housing for survivors, court advocacy, education, prevention services, work programs, foster transition support, and more. These services are free of charge and available for all community members, including KU students.
Numerous KU groups, like the School of Law and Kansas Athletics, support The Willow through fund drives, while the KU Student Senate allocates a portion of its budget to support the non-profit. “When the drive is student-run, we usually receive a lot of personal care items, like shampoo, natural hair care products, toothbrushes, and that kind of stuff,” said Beeson. “We can provide that to all our clients, whether they are living in our shelters or their community clients, and they just need to come once a month and get whatever they need.”
Beeson, who graduated with a degree in religious studies, has a long history of community service and involvement. Her experiences range from volunteering on different boards, including a four-year term on the Lawrence USD 497 school board. Before starting at the Willow, she was employed for nearly a decade in KU’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences in the Dean’s office. “I was ultimately really starting to feel like I was ready to get into something that was more about giving back to the community, a social services type situation and be helping people in need,” she said.
After applying for a position at the Willow, Beeson quickly fell in love with the work, the people who do the work and the clients. “Oh, I mean, it’s a rewarding work,” she said. But rewarding work doesn’t come without hardships. “You have to be really mindful of trying to leave things at work and not take them home with you and be careful about taking care of yourself and your own mental health,” she continued. “We try and make sure there’s lots of space and time within the workday to have team communications and get the support needed if something if you’re working a really super hard case.” The Willow has 31 staff members, many of whom are KU graduates.
When Beeson joined the Willow in 2018, she oversaw direct services like housing, community advocacy, court advocacy, and transitional housing programs. Soon, she began meeting with key people in different government systems and community organizations, like the Chief of Police and District Attorney, to create an understanding of general processes between all entities.
“It’s a really complicated system for a client to navigate, particularly somebody who’s just gone through a really traumatic experience and isn’t necessarily processing everything at their best anyway,” Beeson said. “And so one of our roles is to come in and be that extra set of ears and kind of to help them through that process.”
As of late, Beeson and the Willow team are working with key community organizations and government agencies to further work towards creating safer communities by becoming a Blueprint Safety Community. Through Praxis International, an organization dedicated to working toward the elimination of violence in the lives of women and their children, a Blueprint Safety Community is “an innovative approach in criminal justice intervention to protect victims of battering and end intimate partner violence,” according to the organization’s website. In Beeson’s own words, “it is a system-based process where you align policies to make sure that you are not letting clients that are at high risk fall through the cracks.”
Through the Blueprint Safety Community process, the Willow is working with law enforcement officials, district attorneys, advocacy groups, probation and parole offices, and other entities to create clear communication, policies and processes for handling cases that are at high-risk cases for serious injury or fatality. Currently, they are six months into the process of becoming a Blueprint Safety Community, and when completed, Lawrence could be the first community in Kansas to become one.
Over the years of advocating for clients and supporting co-workers, Beeson commented on the importance of being kind. “In this work, you have to be very empathetic. You have to have a big, big, gaping heart of love,” she said. “But you also have to be open to all walks of life, all stories and understand that everybody’s story is the absolute truth to them.” And regarding her team? “This is one of the most ‘team working’ places I’ve ever worked, in terms of people relying on each other, supporting each other, stepping in for each other,” she said. “You know it’s pretty great.”
Beeson, who was born and raised in Lawrence, cares deeply about the health of the community. “I have experienced how important it is to be involved in making positive changes by participating in the process in meaningful ways. Volunteering, running for office, joining organized efforts to influence policy–all of those things matter,” she said.
“Lawrence is a great place, but like everywhere, we have issues. One such issue is domestic violence. It impacts people from all walks of life and is often shrouded in shame for the survivors. The work we do at the Willow centers on empowering individuals to take control back, heal from the trauma, and to thrive in their lives. It is difficult work, but it is also incredibly fulfilling work.”
Due to the sensitive nature of the Willow’s work, there is a lot of confidentiality. “It’s harder for us to have a lot of volunteer opportunities with clients because it’s just so confidential,” said Beeson. “So the best way to support those agencies in your communities is really to attend the events or give money,” she continued. If you’d like to read more about The Willow Domestic Violence Center or contact Jessica Beeson, please visit www.willowdvcenter.org.
Montenegro and Croatia
Once we departed from Greece, we set sail to Kotor, Montenegro. We stepped off the ship, engrossed in the beautiful views of rugged peaks mirrored in the bay. Along with our Jayhawk friends, we were whisked away on tuk tuks to explore the town along the Adriatic. We noticed fortified walls we later stepped through to be warped into Kotor’s Old Town. Our young tour guide navigated us along curvy roads past striking views as he entertained us with stories about Kotor’s deep history. We learned about the three sisters who were in love with the same young sailor and saw our guide’s home. Interacting with a local in this capacity was so enjoyable because we got a glimpse of what life looks like in Kotor. We arrived at Porto Montenegro, a secluded portside filled with luxury boutiques, waterside cafes and superyachts. After 30 minutes of speed shopping, we got back on the tuk tuk and took an alternate way back to the ship so that we couldexperience the most sought-after lookout point in Kotor. We followed our tour with a stroll through Old Town, past medieval buildings and charming squares with a freshly baked pastry in hand. The Cathedral of Saint Tryphon took the cake of our time in Kotor!
Our final destination before disembarkation of our ship in Venice was Split, Croatia. As the morning subsided, Split was bustling with energy. Split showed elements of both modern life and Roman ruins. The Riva Promenade couldn’t be missed as we ventured further into the city. The lines of palm trees and benches to rest on and admire the views of the port while savoring Krofnes, fluffy-filled Croatian donuts, were just what we needed after an adventure-filled week. Our favorite details of Split were the hidden courtyards and lively markets.
Our Jayhawks Give Back program is presented in partnership with Andrew Wymore, Senior Realtor with ReeceNichols.
Jayhawks Give Back celebrates ’Hawks who are making a difference in ways big and small. Each quarter, we’ll feature a member of the KU family and their story. If you know a Jayhawk who should be featured in Jayhawks Give Back, let us know!
