The program was successful as long as there was a leader to lead the program with consistency. I introduced this program to the elementary schools in Oceanside, California at its introduction.

“As a Drug and Violence District Coordinator and Physical Education/Biology Teacher, I was introduced to this program back in 1997. Any way to get a poster (maybe a sticker) please send me anything you can, and if I can help in any way- I still need to learn. Please for my little one, that knows what he has lived is not the only way to live.

My middle son is now at times talking about how nobody knows where to get help when they are hurt at home and my 19-year-old son tries so hard to keep my spirits up after so many surgeries to the back, neck, feet, legs, arms, shoulder and now I have seizures and suffer from PTSD. He put his hand to mine and said it’s okay “mine has a heart on it” to never make you cry or be hurt from daddy again. My 5-year-old son saw a poster at an organization where we were trying to get help financial, clothing, food, and housing to no avail. I am a survivor of domestic violence as well as my children. “Dear Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting folks, Can you please send me some info on receiving brochures and specifically I need a poster you have out. We must all be on the same page and teach lessons with the project in order to educate.”

When something powerful like the Hands Project® is embraced and taken seriously, other people look at it with the same view. I wish we could have this everywhere, then people would know that!” This is a very very powerful statement! Not only is he saying that he feels safe here at school, but he is saying that because we are all on the same page, he feels like his household should be too. When the cops came he was taking care of his 6-month-old baby brother because it’s “his responsibility” when his mom is getting hurt.Īfter listening to him for one hour he states, “ Quentin is the best and safest place to be because we know that our hands and words aren’t for hurting here. This has been his life for the past year. He was also hurt in the violent act as well. This morning I spent 2 hours with a 4th-grade boy who witnessed his mother being beat by her boyfriend this morning.

“For those of you, still skeptical of The Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project® I wanted to share with you a story.

Hands are not for hitting