Freedom House will receive $20,000 grant

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PRINCETON — In support of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation is donating $20,000 to Freedom House to help women affected by domestic violence. Freedom House is one of 150 shelters throughout the country receiving this grant.

“I am thrilled to accept this grant from the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation on behalf of Freedom House,” said Sherry Dockins, Freedom House program services director and grant writer. “Domestic violence is a significant and growing problem, one that affects millions of women and children. This grant will help us continue our work to protect, educate and care for survivors of domestic abuse.”

Also new this month, a groundbreaking, interactive CD-ROM funded by the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation will be distributed to every women’s shelter in the United States to help inform women about perpetrators who use technology to terrorize victims. In partnership with SafetyNet, a program of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the CD, titled “Survivors Technology: An Interactive Safety Planning Tool” was produced to provide potentially life-saving tips on how to use technology safely and wisely. In an effort to share this information and reach multitudes of women, the CD will also be distributed to district attorney’s offices across the country.

To raise awareness and champion zero tolerance of dating violence against teens, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation and the National Domestic Violence Hotline have also joined together to create the “Love is Respect” program. The program’s services include a telephone helpline and the Web site www.loveisrespect.com. Together, the helpline and Web site provide 24-hour assistance to teens and parents seeking help and guidance for intimate partner violence. On a national level, the “Love is Respect” program works to implement abuse prevention strategies and create awareness of dating violence to teens, parents and schools.

The Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation was created in 1996 to fund research of cancers affecting women, and in 2000, expanded its mission to include the prevention of violence against women. Since that time, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation has awarded more than $11 million in grants to women’s shelters throughout the country.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, contact Freedom House at (800) 474-6031 or law enforcement for immediate assistance.