MONTGOMERY— Gov. Robert Bentley has awarded grants totaling $708,815 to support four nonprofit agencies that assist victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse in northwest Alabama.
The Marshall County Coalition Against Domestic Violence is receiving grants totaling $289,931 to assist victims in Marshall, Cherokee and DeKalb counties. Family Services of North Alabama is using a $178,000 grant to assist sexual assault victims in DeKalb and Marshall counties. With a $138,000 grant, the Child Advocacy Center of Marshall County is assisting child abuse victims and their families in the county. A $102,884 grant is helping the DeKalb County Children’s Advocacy Center assist child abuse victims in the county.
“Access to free, professional assistance is vitally important to victims of abuse, regardless of age or where they live,” Bentley said. “I commend the work each of these organizations is doing for those victimized by abuse.”
The Marshall County Coalition Against Domestic Violence provides a 24-hour shelter and crisis hotline, safety planning, case management and court advocacy. The coalition also educates the community about domestic violence by making presentations to civic and church organizations and by providing dating violence prevention curriculum materials to schools. Matching funds of $36,308 are supplementing the grants.
The agency also is one of 17 domestic violence centers in the state to receive additional funding through the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund. The fund, created through the state marriage license fee, is distributed quarterly to the agencies and is used to provide shelter for victims and to conduct educational and prevention programs.
Family Services of North Alabama offers a 24-hour crisis line, legal and medical advocacy and counseling services for sexual assault victims in DeKalb and Marshall counties. Matching funds of $5,000 are supplementing the grant.
The Child Advocacy Center of Marshall County works with its partners in the District Attorney’s Office, the Domestic Violence Coalition and the Department of Human Resources and local law enforcement to coordinate child abuse investigations in Marshall County. The center also offers advocacy, counseling and specially trained interviewers. Matching funds of $31,815 are supplementing the grant.
The DeKalb County Children’s Advocacy Center offers therapy for victims, support groups for family members and specialized interviews that are recorded and used in the investigations to limit the number of times victims have to talk about details of the abuse, all within in a child-friendly environment to minimize the amount of stress on young victims. The center also offers prevention programs such as school-based presentations and parent education classes. Matching funds of $25,721 are supplementing the 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.
“Each of these organizations is doing important work to help victims and their families take the first steps toward recovering from a terrible situation,” ADECA Director Jim Byard Jr. said. “I join Governor Bentley in commending these partners for making a difference in north Alabama.”
ADECA administers a wide range of programs that support law enforcement, economic development, infrastructure upgrades, recreation, energy conservation, water resource management, job training and career development.
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Contact: Russell Sellers, Mike Presley