BRIDGEPORT, CT — The Mary Kay Ash FoundationSM recently awarded The Center for Family Justice a $20,000 unrestricted grant to support survivors of domestic violence in Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull.
The donation, which comes during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, is part of $1.2 million in grants the foundation awarded to 60 domestic violence shelters across the nation. This year’s grant contribution brings the foundation’s total investment in its shelter grant program to $56 million.
The Center for Family Justice provides free and confidential programs and services to more than 5,000 men, women and children — who have experienced domestic abuse, sexual violence and child abuse – in its six-town area.
“We are so grateful to the Mary Kay Ash Foundation for this incredibly generous grant,” said Debra Greenwood, CFJ’s president and CEO. “Unfortunately, the need for what we do continues to rise. We need dedicated partners like the Mary Kay Ash Foundation who share our mission to get people impacted by violence away from those situations and on to better lives.”
In addition to its lifesaving programs and services for adults and children — which are all free and confidential — The Center for Family Justice operates a safe house.
The Mary Kay Ash Foundation was established in 1996 with the overarching purpose of supporting issues impacting women. In 2000, the foundation expanded to include ending domestic violence as part of its mission. It is committed to funding the life-saving work of women’s shelters, and the annual shelter grant program has helped finance critical needs including emergency shelter, transitional housing, counseling and legal aid.
All these resources support women and children as they seek refuge and relief on their journey to an abuse-free life. This year, more than 300 organizations applied for the Mary Kay Ash Foundation shelter grants.
“Mary Kay remains steadfast in its commitment to ending domestic violence. We believe women should be free to live safe, productive lives free from abuse,” said Michael Lunceford, president of the Mary Kay Ash Foundation Board of Directors.
“One-in-four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime and it is our responsibility to support the women’s shelters that aid these survivors,” he said. “At the heart of the foundation’s work is the shelter grant program, which awards deserving organizations the funds needed to continue and improve their critical life-saving services in support of women.”
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, more than 72,000 adult and child victims receive domestic violence services across the United States in just one day. Unfortunately, in the same period, more than 11,000 requests for services are unmet due to a lack of resources.
Applications for the 2024 shelter grant program will be available in January 2024. For information, visit MaryKayAshFoundation.org to see the complete list of 2023 shelter grant recipients.
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