A Message From Our Founder

Heidi Markow

Beginning Over Foundation was founded following the loss of my sister, Robin Shaffer, in 2005 to domestic violence. That loss forever changed our family and opened my eyes to the devastating realities survivors, children, and families often face not only during abuse, but long after the immediate crisis has ended.

Through both personal experience and years of advocacy work, I came to understand that many of the emotional, financial, legal, and rebuilding challenges associated with domestic violence are often left unaddressed. Survivors are frequently expected to rebuild their lives while navigating fear, financial hardship, custody battles, housing instability, trauma, and isolation with very little long-term support.

I founded Beginning Over Foundation because I believed survivors and families deserved more.

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Our mission has always been “Beyond Domestic Violence” because healing requires more than survival. It requires meaningful support systems that help individuals and families rebuild their lives with dignity, stability, wellness, and hope for the future.

At Beginning Over Foundation, we focus on helping survivors and families move beyond crisis intervention and into rebuilding. Through emergency financial assistance, housing and transportation support, child custody advocacy assistance, wellness-centered programs, support for families impacted by domestic violence homicide, and community-based healing initiatives, we aim to provide the types of services that are often overlooked but deeply needed.

We also recognize the lasting impact domestic violence homicide has on surviving family members and children. No family should have to face funeral expenses, emotional trauma, financial hardship, and rebuilding alone after such unimaginable loss.

Every individual and family who reaches out to our foundation matters deeply to us. Behind every request for help is a human story, and our commitment is to provide support with compassion, understanding, advocacy, and respect.

My hope is that Beginning Over Foundation continues to grow into a place where survivors and families feel supported not only in moments of crisis, but throughout the rebuilding process — a community focused not only on surviving the past, but on creating a stronger future.