Kim, Fall 2012
As a psychology student interested in the effects of trauma, interning at the Let Go… Let Peace Come In Foundation was ideal. Working with Pete, the founder of the organization and a childhood sexual abuse survivor, definitely personalized the whole CSA pandemic. Just like Pete, most of these survivors need trauma therapy to be able to lead healthier lives- mentally, physically, and socially. My role here included raising awareness of CSA and LGLPCI via social networks and news articles, reaching out to survivors, updating the website, and getting donations through our Indiegogo campaign, as well as on the first national #GivingTuesday. LGLPCI serves as the stepping-stone from the lowest point of a survivor’s life to a time of help and hope. It was an honor to work with Pete and Gretchen; I fed off of their compassion for the survivors and dedication to the foundation. I will definitely take what I learned from this experience and use it when I move forward with my schooling and career.
Julie, Summer 2012
The Let Go…Let Peace Come In Foundation is an amazing foundation that does wonders for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. During my time spent at the foundation, I always felt like I was making a difference. At LGLPCI, Gretchen (my supervisor) and Pete (founder/president) are extremely dedicated to what they do in helping survivors get help and find the support that they need. The two of them are very warm and welcoming and always make you feel comfortable when you are there. I am honored to have had the opportunity at this foundation because it gave me new insight to a lot of things especially in childhood sexual abuse awareness. Before starting here, I had no idea that so many people were affected by sexual abuse and even more I had little awareness that these survivors still struggle years and years later. I learned so much with my time spent here and I respect everything the foundation, Gretchen and Pete do and I know they are helping and making a difference with survivors throughout the world.
Victoria, Fall 2011
As a psychology major and criminal justice minor, I am very interested in working with those who have suffered from abuse. The Let Go…Let Peace Come In Foundation was of special interest to me because I knew very little about childhood sexual abuse at the time. By the end of my internship, I learned more than I could have ever expected. My time at LGLPCI inspired me to raise awareness for CSA survivors on my campus and community. I now know that options that survivors have and that more options are becoming available as organizations like LGLPCI continue to make a difference. Because of LGLPCI, I have now focused my career path on assisting people who have suffered from sexual assault.
Margaret, Summer 2011
I was drawn to the Let Go…Let Peace Come In Foundation after mentoring a group of girls in Mexico, some of whom had been sexually abused. Helping adult survivors heal from trauma that may have happened many years ago is a worthy cause that receives too little attention. My days at LGLPCI were spent commenting on news articles dealing with CSA, updating Facebook and Twitter, finding inspiring quotations to post on the website, and researching, then contacting organizations that help survivors around the world. The people who work here are very friendly and welcoming. I’ve learned a lot about the issue of childhood sexual abuse as well as how a small non-profit works, specifically how they get the word out about their organization. I am happy to have helped them in any way I could and hope this organization continues to grow and help survivors heal.
Leah, Spring 2011
The role of quotidian internships often involves mindless filing and getting coffee. My role at Let Go…Let Peace Come In Foundation was about reaching out to people who are survivors and making a positive, impactful change in their lives. Getting coffee and helping out with miniscule tasks was never my role within the foundation. Helping others realize that they are not alone and that their voices can be stronger and more powerful than they ever imagined is something that is more rewarding personally than I could have thought. Making a positive change in the world is a cause that is immensely important to me. One of the major feelings that survivors feel before getting help is isolation, extreme guilt and feeling “dirty”. The isolation is so enormous that it can devour one whole. Uniting survivors can be efficacious in dissolving those symptoms. There is something very potent in the fact that the organization tries to take people from the darkest, grimmest time of their life to an empowered, educated place. By empowering others, I personally felt empowered; I left the office everyday with a smile on my face knowing that I helped survivors find their voice. I’m sad to leave the office at the end of the semester but I know that I will remain in contact with the people I worked with who were some of the warmest, nicest people I’ve ever met. This internship was not just a job for me, it was a cause that I poured my heart and soul into and that personally resonates with me.
Chelsea, Fall 2010
The reason I decided to intern at the Let Go Let Peace Come In Foundation is because a relative of mine was sexually abused and never received the help they deserved. I see the struggles the person goes through and my heart goes out. After interning and reaching out to other survivors who have been sexually abused and having them email me back explaining how just by hearing my kind worlds has lifted their spirits has made everything I do completely worth it. There are so many facilities for addictions but barely any for sexual abuse and the world needs to start realizing, sexual abuse is just as horrible as any other abuse. It is imperative for survivors to get the help they deserve so they can live a happy and healthy life! My daily tasks at this Foundation have been to reach out to survivors, update the website, research about sexual abuse, find up lifting quotes for the survivors and other tasks. I enjoyed everything I have done at this internship and I love everyone that I work with. They are all friendly and very helpful. I loved interning here and know that the people who intern here after me will think the same exact way.
Lonni, Summer 2010
My experience working with the Let Go…Let Peace Come In Foundation has impacted my life. I have learned first-hand how a non-profit works. Also, it has been rewarding for me to reach out and help people who are childhood sexual abuse survivors. In my personal experiences some of my closest friends have told me their stories of childhood sexual abuse and I knew that I wanted to help change things for the future. I appreciate the opportunity that I have to work with the Let Go…Let Peace Come In Foundation. While there is still more outreach to be done, it has been great to see the Foundation grow as we are now at 99 countries that have viewed our website. I look forward to supporting survivors in the future and helping with their recovery.
Pooja, Summer 2010
The internship at Let Go Let Peace Come In Foundation has opened up my eyes to the issue of childhood sexual abuse. I joined the internship in the hopes of being able to witness and understand the negatively influential effects childhood sexual abuse can have on an individual. Through the internship I have been able to talk to, chat with, and reach out to survivors all over the world including Pakistan, Australia, and Africa to name a few. My main task was to find ways of reaching out to survivors and supportive organizations to join the foundation’s mission and help expand our voice through the website. While researching, it came as a shock to me to uncover just how prevalent childhood sexual abuse is worldwide. There are and have been so many people affected by CSA; Presidents, actors, musicians, authors, and so many more. All these people and many more need the proper counseling and healing services to allow them to accept their trauma and be able to move past it. I am very proud to have worked with an organization as LGLPCI where survivors can begin their healing process by telling their story, and find the appropriate support needed to let go of their tragedy and let the peace finally come into their lives.
Erica, Spring 2010
Childhood sexual abuse is something that I feel strongly about because someone I am very close to is a victim. She was lucky and able to get counseling and is now doing well. I saw how much telling her story helped her to heal, and when I found out about the Let Go…Let Peace Come In Foundation, I thought about how this would be a great opportunity to be able to help others who are suffering.
Through this internship experience, I learned a great deal about Web site development, and what it is like to work for a small non-profit organization. This internship was beneficial because I was encouraged to come up with new ideas to help the foundation and was then able to implement those ideas.
This past semester working here has been a great learning experience for me. I am happy to have found the LGLPCI Foundation, and for the chance to help others through the work that we do.