Beginning Over Foundation

Beginning Over Foundation The Beginning Over Foundation helps victims of domestic violence take back their lives. Who Are We? Schaffer, to domestic violence in 2005. Taking Action!

The Beginning Over Foundation recognizes the pain and daily struggles of the families of those lost to domestic violence homicide and believe that no family should be alone in their grief. Beginning Over Foundation President and Founder Heidi Markow lost her sister, Robin D. Heidi vowed that she would not only honor her sister’s memory, but would help others move from the darkness of grief into th

e light of healing and healthy living. Heidi’s journey as the surviving sister was solitary and obscure; this experience shapes her mission of support, guidance, and a sense of connection to help rebuild a healthy lives. With intervention and educational programs, victims of domestic violence can break the cycle of coercion and abuse that has become normal in their lives. With a sense of community, those affected by domestic violence/homicide will feel less isolated, disconnected, and depressed. We pledge our time, energy, and voice to support victims of domestic abuse and bring them together to develop a community of survivors in order to maximize their personal growth, healing, and hope for a bright future. You are not alone in Beginning Over.

Tonight at 10:30 PM!After many years away from interviews, I sat down with Dan Mowdy for Astound TV’s Community Spotligh...
06/08/2026

Tonight at 10:30 PM!

After many years away from interviews, I sat down with Dan Mowdy for Astound TV’s Community Spotlight to talk about the Beginning Over Foundation, Robin’s Law, and the work still ahead for survivors of domestic violence.

If you’re awake tonight, I’d love for you to tune in. ❤️

Before I begin, I want to acknowledge that abuse, manipulation, and parental alienation can happen in both directions. M...
05/26/2026

Before I begin, I want to acknowledge that abuse, manipulation, and parental alienation can happen in both directions. Men can absolutely be victims too, and their pain deserves to be recognized and taken seriously. Most of the cases I personally work with involve women and mothers, which is why I speak from that perspective.

A father who plays the victim is not always the victim. Sometimes the performance is carefully crafted to hide what was done behind closed doors.

And when a child is used to create the image of an “innocent parent,” that is not parenting. That is manipulation.

Far too many abusive partners spend years trying to turn children against the other parent while pretending to be the “safe” one. They plant seeds, distort truth, create confusion, and then stand back while the targeted parent is blamed for the damage.

And often, the one who finally leaves is the one who gets blamed.

People question why victims leave, but what many fail to understand is that most victims leave behind almost everything just to find peace. Homes. Belongings. Financial security. Businesses. Memories. Entire lives they helped build. Many walk away from what is legally and morally owed to them simply because survival becomes more important than possessions.

And then comes another hard truth people do not want to talk about:

There are attorneys, professionals, and people within the system who knowingly support abusive individuals, enable manipulation tactics, and help destroy the emotional well-being of children in the process. Some profit from the chaos. Some protect reputations over truth. Some silence protective parents while rewarding the better actor in the courtroom.

And yes, there comes a point where these systems, professionals, and decision-makers should be called out and held accountable. Because children’s lives are not collateral damage.

I know some people will say that sounds harsh. But survivors and advocates have spent years being quiet, polite, and careful while families were destroyed behind closed doors.

Real change does not come from protecting systems that are failing children. Real change comes when people are finally willing to confront uncomfortable truths.

And here is something manipulators often forget:

Children grow up.

Many eventually begin asking questions. They begin recognizing patterns. They begin seeing who protected them and who used them.

Real parents do not weaponize children against the other parent. Using a child to punish someone you once claimed to love is not parenting.

It is abuse.

* photos are from some of the great things that the foundation has done over the years. We are so excited to be back.💕

05/24/2026

I want to acknowledge something before I begin: abuse, manipulation, and parental alienation can happen in both directions. Men can be victims too, and their pain deserves to be recognized and taken seriously. The majority of cases I personally work with involve women and mothers, which is why this message is written from that perspective, but that does not erase or invalidate the experiences of fathers who have also suffered abuse.

I’m addressing two recent inbox messages that I received. This is for my Front Line Mothers💕

A father who plays the victim is not always the victim. A father who looks wounded is not always the one who was harmed.

Sometimes the performance is carefully crafted to hide what was done to the mother behind closed doors.

And when a child is used as a shield, a pawn, or a prop to create the image of an “innocent father,” that is not fatherhood.

That is manipulation wearing a dad costume.

Far too many abusive partners spend years trying to turn children against their mothers. They plant seeds. They distort truth. They create division and confusion while pretending to be the “safe” parent.

And often, the one who finally leaves is the one who gets blamed.

People ask why she left.They question her choices.They paint her as unstable, selfish, angry, difficult, or cruel for finally walking away.

But the truth is, most victims leave behind almost everything just to find peace.

They leave homes.Belongings.Financial security.Family traditions.Memories.Friends.Sometimes even their own children temporarily through broken court systems and manipulation tactics.

Many walk away from money owed to them, property, businesses, stability, and entire lives they helped build because peace becomes more valuable than possessions.

People who have never lived it often cannot comprehend that kind of survival.

But victims understand.

There comes a point where protecting your sanity, your safety, and sometimes your very life matters more than “winning” material things.

And I have news for those who manipulate children against the other parent:

Children grow up.

One day many of them begin asking questions. They begin recognizing patterns. They begin seeing who carried the weight, who protected them, who stayed consistent, and who manipulated their pain for control.

The price eventually paid for that kind of emotional destruction is enormous.

Unless, of course, the child has been so deeply damaged by the manipulation, the conditioning, or failures within the court system that they never fully recover from it.

Real fathers do not weaponize children against their mothers.Real fathers protect their children emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Using a child to punish a mother is not parenting.It is abuse.

Stay with me🙏

Yesterday meant more to me than most people will ever understand.For the first time in many years, I sat down for a tele...
05/22/2026

Yesterday meant more to me than most people will ever understand.

For the first time in many years, I sat down for a television interview to speak about domestic violence, Robin’s Law, my sister, and the return of Beginning Over Foundation.

There was a time when powerful people tried very hard to destroy my voice, my reputation, and my mission. I fought systems that protected the wrong people. I watched what happens when victims are dismissed, silenced, and retraumatized for simply telling the truth. And after years of carrying that weight, I stepped back to heal, rebuild, learn, and grow wiser.

But yesterday reminded me of something important:
you can delay a purpose, but you cannot destroy one that God intended.

Being invited onto Community Spotlight with host Dan Mowdy at Astound Studio filled my heart with gratitude. What made it even more meaningful was hearing Dan tell me that many years ago, when he was auditioning for Community Spotlight, I was his very first interview.

And yesterday… after all these years… he became mine.

Full circle.

I walked into that studio stronger than I have ever been. Not angry. Not bitter. Refreshed. Focused. Saturated with love for this cause and for the people who still need someone willing to stand up and fight beside them.

Beginning Over Foundation was born after the murder of my sister, Robin. But the truth is, this foundation was also born from my own experiences, my own survival, and the things I witnessed behind closed doors that so many people never see.

This is not just about awareness anymore.
It’s about action.
It’s about changing systems that have failed victims and survivors for generations.

Victims are the experts because victims have lived it.

The Beginning Over Foundation is coming back in a very big way, and we are preparing for our first major initiatives. In the coming months, we will be looking for dedicated board members, attorneys, sponsors, donors, businesses, corporations, survivors, advocates, and community leaders who truly want to be part of meaningful change.

We are looking for people, businesses, and companies who are not interested in playing the “go along to get along” game. We want people who are proud to have their names associated with honesty, truth, integrity, and facts that are backed up — not inflated numbers created simply to secure funding or publicity.

To me, success is not measured by how much suffering you can market.
Success is seeing survivors rebuild lives that are barely recognizable.

We are not interested in selling pain.
We are interested in creating healing, rebuilding lives, empowering survivors, and producing real results.

And to every person, business, organization, or sponsor who chooses to stand beside us, we intend to make you proud that you did.

The week of June 7, this interview will air several times on Astound TV. I hope you’ll watch. I hope you’ll listen. And I hope you’ll stand with us as we begin this next chapter.

I’m back.
And this time, I’m not coming back quietly.

Beginning Over Foundation never disappeared. The mission never stopped.After years of continuing our work quietly behind...
05/20/2026

Beginning Over Foundation never disappeared. The mission never stopped.

After years of continuing our work quietly behind the scenes, we are entering a new chapter — with stronger leadership, clearer vision, deeper purpose, and a renewed commitment to helping survivors and families rebuild beyond domestic violence.

Today, prior to my first televised interview airing the week of June 7, we wanted to officially share our new logo representing strength, rebuilding, advocacy, and hope for the future.

This is more than a new look. It represents growth, renewed purpose, stronger advocacy, and the work still ahead.

Stay tuned for our newly redesigned website coming soon.

We are just getting started.

— Heidi MarkowBeginning Over Foundation

05/12/2026

(WHTM) — A Lehigh Valley state senator wants Pennsylvania to implement a statewide domestic violence offender registry. Dubbed “Robin’s Law” in memory of Robin Shaffer, a Qu…

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