Many adults are unaware that teens experience dating violence. Yet in 2010, the U.S. Congress enhanced what had been Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week to Teen Dating Violence Awareness month, based on the rising number of incidents in teens ages 11-17 across the country.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that nearly 1 in 9 female teens and approximately 1 in 13 male teens report having experienced physical dating violence. In addition, over 1 in 7 female teens and 1 in 19 male teens report having experienced sexual dating violence. 23% of women and 14% of men first experienced these or other forms of violence by a partner before age 18. (CDC 2017)

Teens who experience relationship violence are at risk for additional difficulties such as depression, substance abuse and suicide. Victims are also at greater risk of experiencing the same patterns of violence later in life. As a community, we have a responsibility to make dating and domestic violence an intolerable act – anytime, anywhere. Jana’s Campaign is thrilled that many communities recognize this is a social issue that can be eradicated, and are willing to do the work involved in that process. We are extremely thankful to the hundreds of people who believe in the #PowerOfPrevention, who help support and fund our work.

We believe education is the most powerful instrument of social change and development. We believe through education, we can change and improve social attitudes, behaviors, customs, interactions, relations and social norms. Since 2013, Jana’s Campaign has worked with nearly 550 middle and high schools educating about and preventing against gender and relationship violence. We commend these schools for understanding the importance of talking to their students about healthy– and unhealthy– relationships.

Throughout February and beyond, please join our efforts to educate and raise awareness about the hidden social disease of gender and relationship violence - dating and domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking. We ask you to encourage your local school or organization to invite us in for a presentation about these important issues! Learn more about Teen Dating Violence and Jana’s Campaign at www.janascampaign.org or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Respectfully submitted,
Kim Cebula, Executive Director
​Jana’s Campaign

The December 2018 Jana's Campaign newsletter is now available for viewing here. 

Hays, KS – Jana’s Campaign received a $1,000 donation from the Midwest Energy Community Fund fall disbursement. These funds will be used to assist our Youth Advisory Council in developing Character Building Kits that can be used with elementary age students. The kits include interactive lessons on character development, leadership, and anti-bullying. These lessons will be meaningful, age-appropriate and relevant for younger students.
 
As Jana’s Campaign works to prevent gender and relationship violence, we are often called upon to work with younger students. Additionally, our middle and high school students serving on the Youth Advisory Council recommended we start sharing our message with elementary students to increase our success at preventing teens and young adults from being in violent and unhealthy relationships.
 
The Midwest Energy Community Fund was created in 2005. Five committees of Midwest Energy customers determine who receives the awards ranging from $50 to $1000. The committees can direct funds to activities that focus on youth, arts, education, libraries, community events or other priorities they choose. This year there were many great applications under consideration and Jana’s Campaign is honored to be one of the recipients.
 
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The Midwest Community Fund awards grants twice a year; application deadlines are March 1 and September 1. To learn more about their commitment to the communities they serve, please visit www.mwenergy.com for more information. 

​Hays, KS- Jana’s Campaign, a Hays-based nonprofit with the single mission of reducing gender and relationship violence, hosted their annual Empty Place at the Table Gala at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall in Hays on Saturday, October 20.
 
This year marked the tenth anniversary of losing Jana Mackey to an act of relationship violence. The event focused on celebrating the legacy that lives on in her name and all of the work that has been accomplished in her honor. The 210 attendees raised more than $70,000 – the most successful gala in the history of the organization – more than doubling the amount raised in 2017.
 
“This event raises awareness and needed funds for the prevention education we provide,” says Kim Cebula, executive director of Jana’s Campaign. “It is a special year and the support we received is phenomenal, it means we can serve more teens and young adults, preventing them from being in violent and unhealthy relationships.  
 
The evening featured a festive cocktail hour, dinner and live entertainment, along with both a silent and live auction. Businesses throughout the community and country donated unique items and experiences to support the event. (For a full list of sponsors and auction donors visit the EPATT page at www.janascampaign.org.) A special performance by the Hays High Chamber Singers, featuring a video appearance of a young Jana singing the Lord’s Prayer, brought many family and friends to tears, while providing others a glimpse of the young woman who was taken from us.
 
The organization celebrated impacting over 56,000 students in 516 middle and high schools across eight states. They also shared they have hosted attendees from 320 colleges and universities at their regional campus safety summits. All of the numbers reflect work completed since 2013, when Jana’s Campaign formalized their data collection processes.
 
“To honor Jana with a room full of people who understand why prevention of gender-based violence is so important and who are fully committed to making a difference is unbelievably inspiring,” shared Christie Brungardt, Jana’s mom and organization co-founder. “We will be able to accomplish great things with the funds raised at the gala this year.” 

​Hays, KS – Jana’s Campaign Inc. was awarded the 2018 Partnership Award at the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Teachers of Nebraska Recognition Banquet in Kearney, Nebraska. This award recognizes individuals or groups who help support FCS Education in Nebraska schools. Jana’s Campaign is proud to be chosen as this year’s recipient.
 
“The staff and board of directors at Jana’s Campaign are honored to receive this award. We know we are only able to do our work and share our prevention message with students because of the great partnerships we have with teachers and schools. Their invitations to classrooms and school assemblies means we can share information about the red flags of unhealthy relationships to help prevent dating and sexual violence before it begins,” shared Kim Cebula, executive director for Jana’s Campaign.
 
Nebraska FCS integrates family and career readiness with technical skill instruction within a critical science perspective. Since 2015, Jana’s Campaign has collaborated with 72 Nebraska FCS teachers and 98 schools to provide education about teen dating violence in addition to their work in Kansas and Colorado.
 
Jana's Campaign is a national education and gender violence prevention organization located in Hays, Kansas. The organization was created in honor of Jana Mackey who lost her life to domestic violence in 2008. Mackey, a law student at the University of Kansas at the time, spent years volunteering and helping victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. In addition to providing prevention education in middle and high schools, Jana’s Campaign also works with colleges and universities to prevent and respond to dating and sexual violence on campus. The organization similarly provides community prevention education through workshops, speaking engagements, community service projects and social media. In 2017, Jana’s Campaign also received the Merit Award from the Kansas Association of Teachers of FCS.
 
Thank you to all FCS teachers for believing in our work and inviting us to work with your students.
 
More information about Jana’s Campaign can be found at the website: janascampaign.org

​Hays, KS – The Love Doesn’t Hurt program provided by Jana’s Campaign was featured in Rural Health Models & Innovations, a national collection of successful rural health programs and interventions maintained by the Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub).
 
The Love Doesn't Hurt: Teen Gender Violence and Prevention Program provides prevention education to middle and high schools and youth organizations, to reduce gender and relationship violence by promoting healthy relationship behaviors, ultimately to create a culture of strong respect among adolescents. Jana’s Campaign provides this secondary education programming mainly in Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado, but various components of the work have been done in nine states. The mission of Jana’s Campaign is to provide quality educational programming that prevents gender and relationship violence by delivering specialized prevention strategies and curricula designed to prevent violence, build healthy relationships, and create new social norms.
 
Since the inception of the secondary education program, Jana’s Campaign has impacted 490 middle and high schools and more than 53,000 students in Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. Jana's Campaign consistently collaborates with FACS (Family and Consumer Sciences) programs, FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America), and both the Kansas State Board of Education and the Nebraska State Board of Education to implement their prevention efforts in area schools.
 
Christie Brungardt, co-founder of Jana’s Campaign and Jana’s mom, stated, “By providing prevention efforts in middle and high schools, adolescents can better understand healthy relationships, making unhealthy relationships less likely and encouraging peers to intervene when witnessing a situation of abuse.”
 
The Love Doesn't Hurt: Teen Gender Violence and Prevention Program was selected by RHIhub because of its innovative services and impact on rural communities. To read the full project summary, visit: www.ruralhealthinfo.org/project-examples/1013.
 
RHIhub is a national online information center on rural health issues, funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Their website includes over 12,000 resources specific to rural health. Rural Health Models & Innovations features hundreds of successful programs that are serving rural residents across the nation.

The Summer 2018 Newsletter is now available for viewing here. ​

Jana’s Campaign is happy to announce that Kim Cebula has recently accepted the position of Executive Director. Kim was a senior coordinator with the University of Kansas Medical Center's Area Health Education center, located in Hays, KS.  She is also the former vice president of resource development with the United Way of Greater Topeka and prior to that served as the coordinator for the Kansas Safe At Home Program and other special programs with Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh. Kim brings a vast array of experiences and talents that will enhance Jana’s Campaign.
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“I am honored to serve as the Executive Director for Jana’s Campaign,” Cebula said. “This organization is doing life-saving work by providing education on violence prevention issues. I am excited and look forward to working with the Board and staff to continue the growth and success of the organization.”

The Jana's Campaign 2017 Annual Report is now available for viewing here. 

Colby, KS- This past weekend, the Thomas County Attorney’s Office hosted Silent No More Gala, a fundraiser to benefit Jana’s Campaign Inc., at City Limits Convention Center in Colby, KS. The goal of the event was to raise awareness of gender and relationship violence and to raise funds for prevention efforts across the state of Kansas.

Jana’s Campaign and the Thomas County Attorney’s Office were honored to be joined by the friends and family of Teri Chase of Colby.