MONTGOMERY – Gov. Kay Ivey this week awarded $3.8 million to 49 nonprofits statewide which offer a variety of assistance at no cost to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or child abuse and their families. Victim Services of Cullman, Inc. received $26,795.
The assistance provided by the 49 nonprofits includes emergency shelter, counseling, support groups, advocates to help victims navigate the criminal justice system and other services, said a state-issued press release. Some of the funding supports law enforcement programs that specialize in investigating and prosecuting abuse crimes.
“Access to professional, caring and timely assistance is paramount to abuse victims as they take the first steps toward recovery,” Ivey said. “I commend the staff and volunteers of these organizations who work diligently to help victims and their families recover and seek justice, and I am pleased to assist their efforts with these grants.”
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Some of the domestic violence shelter agencies receive additional funding through the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund. The fund, created through the state marriage license fee, is distributed quarterly by ADECA to the agencies and is used to provide shelter for victims and to conduct educational and prevention programs.
“As we mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, I stand with Gov. Ivey and her commitment to helping victims of abuse and to helping these organizations utilize the resources available to them,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “It is unfortunate these services are needed, but the professional assistance gives victims and their families hope for a better future.”
Below is the full list of agencies receiving funds.
Statewide
- $242,452 to the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence to assist victims throughout the state through a network of local nonprofit assistance organizations.
- $102,670 to the Alabama Coalition Against Rape to ensure that victims of sexual assault across the state receive quality assistance and care.
- $50,000 to the Alabama Administrative Office of Courts to conduct training programs to help judicial system employees meet the needs of domestic violence victims as their cases proceed through the criminal justice system.
- $224,467 to the Office of Prosecution Services for a domestic violence resource prosecutor to help local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies effectively investigate and prosecute domestic violence cases. The office also conducts periodic training sessions.
- $95,950 to the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama for legal assistance and other services for Spanish-speaking domestic violence victims.
- $151,073 to AshaKiran Inc. for aid specifically tailored to the needs of domestic violence victims whose families originate from south Asia. AshaKiran also receives funds through the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
Baldwin County
- $118,326 to the Baldwin Family Violence Shelter for assistance to victims in Baldwin, Conecuh, Escambia and Monroe counties. The shelter also receives funds from the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
Blount County
- $18,181 to the Blount County Children’s Center for child abuse prevention programs in county schools and civic organizations.
Calhoun County
- $101,236 to Second Chance Inc. for shelter and other services to domestic violence victims in Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, Randolph and Talladega counties.
- $48,190 for the 7th Judicial Circuit Family Violence Unit which prosecutes cases and assists victims in Calhoun and Cleburne counties.
Crenshaw County
- $34,147 to the Crenshaw County Sheriff’s Office for an officer to investigate domestic violence crimes and assist victims.
Cullman County
- $26,795 to Victim Services of Cullman for emergency shelter and other services to domestic violence and sexual assault victims in Cullman and Winston counties. The organization also receives funds through the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
Dallas County
- $25,895 to the Selma and Blackbelt Regional Abuse Sanctuary for shelter and assistance for domestic violence victims in Dallas, Greene, Marengo, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox counties. The organization also receives funds through the state Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
DeKalb County
- $18,457 to the DeKalb County Children’s Advocacy Center for child abuse victims in the county.
Elmore County
- $150,556 for the 19th Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence Unit which targets crimes against women and assists domestic violence victims.
Escambia County
- $59,135 for the Escambia County Domestic Violence Crime Unit which investigates and prosecutes abuse cases in the county.
Etowah County
- $101,656 for the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office Domestic Violence Unit which investigates domestic violence and sexual assault cases in the county.
Houston County
- $142,988 to the House of Ruth Inc. to assist domestic violence victims in Barbour, Bullock, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties. The House of Ruth also receives funds from the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
- $39,919 to the Exchange Center for Child Abuse Prevention which provides counseling and other services to victims of abuse in Barbour, Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties.
- $27,527 to the Southeast Alabama Child Advocacy Center for assistance to child abuse victims in Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties.
Jefferson County
- $149,525 to YWCA Central Alabama to assist domestic violence victims in Blount, Jefferson and St. Clair counties. YWCA Central Alabama also receives funds through the state Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
- $90,000 to the Bessemer Cut-off Advocacy Center for the Jefferson County/Bessemer Division Prosecution Unit which prosecutes domestic violence cases in west Jefferson County.
- $66,618 to Birmingham Municipal Court for a domestic violence pre-trial services project.
- $10,140 to the Irondale Police Department to reduce domestic violence in the city.
Lauderdale County
- $136,711 to Safeplace Inc. to aid domestic violence victims in Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion and Winston counties. Safeplace also receives funds through the state Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
- $75,456 to the Lauderdale County District Attorney’s Office for One Place of Shoals Family Justice Center which is a collaborative community effort to assist victims and coordinate the investigation and prosecution of cases.
Lawrence County
- $89,000 for the Lawrence County Domestic Violence Unit which investigates cases and aids victims.
Lee County
- $85,988 to the Domestic Violence Intervention Center for aid to victims in Chambers, Lee, Macon, Randolph and Tallapoosa counties. The center also receives funds through the state Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
- $39,798 to Rape Counselors of East Alabama to support victims of sexual assault in Chambers, Lee, Macon and Tallapoosa counties.
Madison County
- $154,927 to Crisis Services of North Alabama to help victims in Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Morgan counties. Crisis Services also receives funds from the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
Marion County
- $50,000 for the Marion County Domestic Violence Recovery Program which assists victims and prosecutes cases in Marion and Winston counties.
Marshall County
- $67,383 to Domestic Violence Crisis Services to support victims in Cherokee, DeKalb and Marshall counties. The organization also receives funds through the state Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
- $60,000 for the Marshall County Domestic Violence Unit which investigates and prosecutes domestic violence cases in the county.
Mobile County
- $139,485 to Penelope House Inc. for assistance to victims in Choctaw, Clarke, Mobile and Washington counties. Penelope House also receives funds from the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
- $53,302 for the Mobile County District Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Initiative which tracks and prosecutes abuse cases in the county.
- $35,094 to the Family Counseling Center of Mobile to aid sexual assault victims in Clarke, Mobile and Washington counties.
Montgomery County
- $126,051 to the Family Sunshine Center for assistance to domestic violence victims in Autauga, Butler, Chilton, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes and Montgomery counties. The Family Sunshine Center also receives funding from the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
- $90,000 for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office Violence Against Women Prosecution Unit which assists victims and prosecutes abuse cases.
- $9,116 to Neighbors Inc. to assist crime victims in Montgomery County.
- $8,123 to the Lighthouse Counseling Center to aid rape victims in Autauga, Butler, Crenshaw, Dallas, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery, Perry and Wilcox counties.
Pickens County
- $50,000 for the 24th Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Unit which serves victims in Fayette, Lamar and Pickens counties.
Russell County
- $33,950 to the Crisis Center of Russell County for assistance to domestic violence victims in the county. The Crisis Center of Russell County also receives funds through the state Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
Shelby County
- $81,751 to Safehouse of Shelby County for assistance to victims in Chilton, Clay, Coosa and Shelby counties. Safehouse of Shelby County also receives funds through the Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
Talladega County
- $61,656 for the 29th Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence Crime Unit which prosecutes domestic violence cases and assists victims in the county.
Tuscaloosa County
- $118,701 to Turning Point for assistance to sexual assault and domestic violence victims in Bibb, Fayette, Hale, Lamar, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties. Turning Point also receives funds through the Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
- $23,442 to The Tuscaloosa Children’s Center to provide counseling and other assistance to child abuse victims in Tuscaloosa County.
Walker County
- $20,000 to Family Resource Center of Northwest Alabama to aid domestic violence victims in Walker County. The Family Resource Center also receives funds from the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund.
Photo: Gov. Kay Ivey / WHNT News
