Welcome to Part 1 of our January 2026 Inspirational Interview with Donna Bartos, Founder and CEO of BLOOM365 in the USA.
A thought leader in interpersonal violence prevention and response, Donna founded the nonprofit BLOOM365 in 2006 with the mission of preventing abuse before it starts. The host of the Uproot Abuse podcast, she is nationally recognised for translating theory into actionable practice to inspire generational change. Donna, who holds a master’s in public administration, balances this impactful work by enjoying travel (always seeking the perfect gluten-free pastry), singing karaoke, and cherishing moments with her family in Peoria, Arizona.
Part two of Donna’s interview will be published 5 January 2026.
All photos are courtesy of BLOOM365.
1. How and why did you join the movement to end violence against women (VAW)?
My dedication to ending VAW stems from a deeply personal past. For three decades, I hid my own experiences with childhood sexual assault and family/dating violence; the normalisation of abuse kept me silent behind a facade of overachievement.
The pivotal moment arrived in August 2006. At a conference, a young woman shared her story of dating abuse, and her words resonated profoundly. I instantly realised I was one of the “silent victims,” finally naming my experiences as Interpersonal Violence.
Fuelled by an obligation to “break the silence, break the cycle, and save lives,” I sketched a vision on a cocktail napkin during the flight home: mobilise “natural helpers” to host “purple” events in salons and spas. I knew to save lives, we had to talk about this before the violence starts, in everyday places. This grassroots idea sparked the creation of the volunteer-driven Purple Ribbon Council on August 26, 2006, which eventually evolved into BLOOM365.
2. Could you tell us about BLOOM365’s approach to combatting VAW and how this has developed since it was founded?
From day one, BLOOM365 has been driven by a powerful idea: prevent abuse before it begins.
We started in 2006 as Purple Ribbon Council, a small group of passionate survivor volunteers. We mobilised in salons and spas, hosting “Girls Night Out” fundraisers, building community, and supporting safe houses and the national Cut It Out programme. In 2009, we asked tough questions through strategic study circles across Arizona. This collaborative spirit helped us define our focus: prevention education in schools, supporting children orphaned by domestic violence homicide, and engaging media.
A huge boost came in 2012 when seed funding allowed us to take the ”Are you blooming or wilting?” visual I developed in 2010 and expand it into a comprehensive 7-Dose healthy relationship curriculum. The real game-changer was in 2018 when we rebranded to BLOOM365 and embraced a truly holistic model for ages 11-24. We realised we must proactively uproot abuse, not just respond after the fact.
3. Could you tell us about the services, programmes, and initiatives that BLOOM365 runs to engage and train young people and other stakeholders in preventing VAW?
At BLOOM365, we use a dynamic, multi-layered strategy to empower young people and natural helpers to prevent VAW.
The heart of our work is a 7-Dose Curriculum, teaching essential concepts like consent, communication, coping, and upstander power. Our audacious goal is to educate 10% of youth in Canada and the U.S. by 2030, hitting the tipping point for social change.
For student leaders, our Peer Advocate Academy provides trauma-informed training using the L.E.V.E.L.™ Technique (Listen, Empathise, Validate, Encourage, Link). Students also lead First Friday Campaigns (wearing orange for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, teal for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, or purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Month) to validate survivors, spark conversations and dismantle normalisation.
Simultaneously, we equip adults with the practical 3 Rs (Recognise, Respond, Reframe) training. Our holistic approach includes licensed counselling for youth experiencing abuse and “Root It Out” accountability groups for those exhibiting harmful behaviours. By training others to lead and scale this comprehensive model across North America, we are planting resilient seeds of change.
4. What are some of the particular challenges that BLOOM365 has faced and continues to face in your VAW prevention work?
While our mission is clear, the path forward is certainly challenging. Our primary hurdles are essentially two-fold: funding constraints for prevention and infrastructure and the volatile political climate.
Most resources go to after-harm care, leaving prevention and capacity building severely underfunded. Sustaining research-based prevention education and community engagement is tough when funding prioritises intervention over stopping the problem at the root causes.
Culturally, we’re up against the persistent normalisation of abuse that keeps survivors and bystanders silent. Politically, navigating diverse environments—especially in schools and military bases—is tricky when sensitive topics like consent and sexual assault prevention face shifting priorities. And sadly, our reliance on federal funding is a major threat; changes can abruptly restrict essential streams, jeopardising youth access to the holistic prevention education and wraparound interventions they desperately need and want. But we won’t stop advocating for a world where prevention is prioritised.
5. Over the years, what sort of impact has BLOOM365 work had on stopping VAW in schools and colleges?
The impact has been profound, and the data backs it up. A staggering 29% of young people who complete our curriculum anonymously disclose that they’ve used controlling or abusive behaviours. That’s a huge breakthrough because it means we’re creating a safe enough space for them to admit it and seek help. That is how we merge empathy with accountability. Also, by training Peer Advocates to promote healthy norms and Adult Allies to respond with trauma-informed care, we’re actively interrupting violence. We aren’t just focused on individual level victim safety and healing; we’re cultivating safer communities by connecting young people at risk for harming others with the behavioural health interventions and counselling they need to change their path.
