
Episode 37~ Airs 1/26/2021
Tune in Tuesday at 2pm for our next “What’s the Tea?” episode! Our Community Resource Specialist, LaSandra Hutchinson, will be interviewing one of our community partners, Carissa Brown from Options for Youth. This interview will highlight the vital role of outreach and community partnership in implementing client-centered services.
Remember to grab your favorite tea and to share the video!
Episode 36~ Aired 1/19/2021
“An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.” Tune in Tuesday January 19th as Jennifer and our staff speak on the topic of increasing our own well-being through self-care behaviors. Remember: same day, same time, different tea!


Episode 35~ Aired 1/12/2021
Social-emotional learning for students is critical during a pandemic. Join us live on Tuesday January 12th at 2pm as our community educators discuss the social/emotional impacts on students during a pandemic and ideas on how their social-emotional needs can be addressed. Your own personal thoughts and insights are more than welcome and encouraged!
Episode 32~ Aired 12/22/2020
Join us on Tuesday, December 22nd at 2 pm for another episode of What’s the Tea? as we take an inside look into the fast-paced world of court advocacy! One of our court advocates, Jocelyn James will join as and shed light on a day in the life of our court advocates. Remember to share the episode and to grab your favorite tea!
Join us and be sure to invite someone as Alberta and LaSandra will shed light on these various kinds of grief and will offer practical approaches for handling the grief process. You don’t want to miss this episode!
Episode 31~ Aired 12/15/2020
At our agency, we like to say she has seen “both sides of the same coin”! She has experience in two of our major departments, Transitional Housing and Partner Abuse Intervention (PAIP).
Join Angela on Tuesday, December 15th at 2pm, as she spills the tea with Jodine. Jodine is our PAIP Assistant and group Facilitator, formally in a role with Sanctuary. You won’t want to miss this!
Episode 30~ Aired 12/8/2020
Grab your favorite tea and join us on Tuesday at 2pm. One of our adult counselors, Alberta Powell and our community outreach specialist, who has also founded an initiative centered around grief, LaSandra Hutchinson will discuss the ways in which many are impacted by grief during this time of year. This is not only true for those who have lost loved ones, but for those who have been impacted by domestic violence. In addition, the pandemic has created a collective grief in our society.
Join us and be sure to invite someone as Alberta and LaSandra will shed light on these various kinds of grief and will offer practical approaches for handling the grief process. You don’t want to miss this episode!
Episode 29~ Aired 12/1/2020
Want to hear how to pursue a passion for domestic violence advocacy? Join us at 2 pm on Tuesday for a LIVE episode with an SSFS advisory board member, Verlon Johnson. We will be spilling the tea on how she has continually promoted domestic violence advocacy in her professional and personal life.
Episode 28~ Aired 11/24/2020
Rapid Rehousing is one of our newest programs and a pandemic hasn’t stopped it at all. Tune in Tuesday at 2pm for What’s the Tea with Abby, our very own Rapid Rehousing Case Manager. We will be spilling the tea about what this program involves as well as how she has been navigating home visits during the pandemic.
Episode 27~ Aired 11/17/2020
Join us on Tuesday at 2pm as we highlight how we have teamed up with another domestic violence organization, Apna Ghar, to expand DV services on Chicago’s Southside.
Together we have opened a satellite office in Chicago’s Ashburn neighborhood that provides outreach, legal advocacy, counseling, and case management to those who have been impacted by domestic violence. Join us as we learn more about the staff, their services, and ways to connect.
Don’t forget to grab your favorite tea and join us!
Episode 26~ Aired 11/10/2020
Want to hear how you can work as a team to break the cycle of violence and promote positive change? Join us Tuesday at 2 pm for a LIVE episode.
We will be interviewing members from our Partner Abuse Intervention Program (PAIP)! Special guests will be PAIP Manager Ruben and PAIP facilitator Linda. Brew your tea and bring the questions, you aren’t going to want to miss this!
Episode 25~ Aired 11/3/2020
Join us tomorrow at 2 pm to hear about one of SSFS’ protective factors, the BRO (Boys Respecting Others) program. Zach will interview former BRO facilitator, Mitch, about the group’s origin, building rapport with teens, and applying the lessons from BRO as a teacher. Don’t forget your tea!
Episode 24~ Aired 10/27/2020
Join us tomorrow at 2pm as we wrap up Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a LIVE interview featuring our very own Executive Director, Jennifer Gabrenya!
Jennifer will address current issues impacting domestic violence advocacy and share practical ideas on how communities can be a part of the solution to end domestic violence. Be sure to grab your favorite tea!
Episode 23~ Aired 10/20/2020
Tune in Tuesday at 2pm for an empowering episode of What’s the Tea. Hear from one of our very own Sanctuary alum. Learn about her journey, what inspired her to reach her goal, what obstacles she faced, and how she has continued her work as an advocate. Don’t forget to brew your tea!
Episode 22~ Aired 10/13/2020
Did you know that being a domestic violence advocate, has no minimum age requirement?
Tomorrow is ‘Tea Time’ with a very special guest. Tune in at 2pm as Angela and LaSandra catch up with Ashley.
Ashley is a student leader and domestic violence advocate who has done amazing things SSFS!
Episode 21~ Aired 10/06/2020
Are you interested in expanding your knowledge on domestic violence? Join us live on October 6th at 2pm as we kick off domestic violence awareness month! Our Community Education Team will have a discussion on the foundations of domestic violence. Drop any questions or comments that you may have, and we will be sure to discuss!
Episode 19~ Aired 9/22/2020
Prevention! Prevention! Hear all about it!
Interested in hearing how the Community Education Department plans to partner with schools and local agencies?
Tune in Tuesday September 22nd at 1pm! The Department will spill the tea on virtual options, curriculum updates & more!
Episode 18~ Aired 9/15/2020
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to initiate a new program during a pandemic? Join us live on Tuesday, September 15th at 1pm while our Housing Program Manager, Rebecca Thomas, and our Community Educator, Celeste Angulo, spill all the tea on our new Rapid Rehousing Program and some of the obstacles our participants face.
Episode 16~ Aired 9/1/2020
Grab your favorite tea and join us for this week’s “What’s The Tea, SSFS?” episode on Tuesday, September 1st at 1:00pm CST!
This episode will feature South Suburban Family Shelter’s very own Associate Director, Carol Gsell. Carol plays an integral leadership role in our agency and she will share insight into her unique background, perspective and role. Carol is also spilling the tea on some of what makes our SSFS programs so impactful when it comes to providing a wide-variety of coordinated, trauma-informed domestic violence services. You don’t want to miss this!

Episode 15~ Aired 8/25/2020
Join us tomorrow 8/25 at 1 pm for a LIVE episode of What’s the Tea with our Executive Director Jennifer Gabrenya and Community Educator Zach Cappos. They will discuss unique challenges that children will face when returning to school during a pandemic and share tips on how to help children and families succeed. Bring your tea and questions!
Episode 14~ Aired 8/18/2020
Our Partner Abuse Intervention Program (PAIP) is one of our most in-depth programs we offer. Dive deep into this program with us today as Community Educator Celeste talks with PAIP Manager Ruben, all about the program, types of abuse we identify as domestic violence, and the impact of toxic masculinity in our society.
Nuestro Programa de Intervención de Abuso de Pareja (PAIP) es uno de los programas más detallados que ofrecemos. Sumérjase con nosotros en este programa hoy mientras la educadora comunitaria, Celeste, habla con el gerente de PAIP, Ruben, sobre el programa, los tipos de abuso que identificamos como violencia doméstica y el impacto de la masculinidad tóxica en nuestra sociedad.
Episode 13~ Aired 8/11/2020
Galas and benches and volunteers, oh my!
Pour your tea and sit back as we join Community Educator Angela, as she catches up with our Events & Volunteer Manager, Brittany. We’ll be discussing our upcoming Keeping Dreams Alive Gala, volunteering opportunities, and more!! Tune in live at 1pm on Tuesday, August 11th, 2020! Hope to see you there!
Episode 12~ Aired 8/4/2020
We will be sipping and spilling the tea with our Board President, Esther Jenkins, Board Vice President, Jeffery Smith as well as Board Member, Cherilyn Parker. So grab your favorite tea and join us for our weekly episode tomorrow at 1pm on Facebook Live!
The members will share about their backgrounds and what led them to join our mission at SSFS, the role a board plays, and how they support the agency. You don’t want to miss it!