MONTGOMERY— Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded grants totaling $646,513 to help nonprofit organizations in southeast Alabama continue supporting victims of crime and their families.
The grant funds will help the organizations continue providing services including emergency shelter, advocacy, specialized investigative interviews for young victims and counseling to children and affected family members.
“Those who have unfortunately become victims of abuse deserve to have professional assistance and a full range of services to help them begin recovery,” Ivey said. “I commend the staffs and volunteers of these organizations for giving victims the compassionate care at a time they need it the most.”
The organizations also assist local law enforcement with abuse investigations, provide educational materials to residents and support the criminal justice process.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Justice Department. ADECA administers an array of programs in law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, workforce development, water resources and recreation development.
“I stand with Gov. Ivey in her commitment to helping those who’ve been victimized have access to professional assistance,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “ADECA’s partnership with these organizations is an important aspect in assisting victims and their families.”
A list of the organizations receiving grant funds and the counties served follows below.
• 33rd Judicial Circuit District Attorney Office - $120,513 to assist domestic violence victims in Dale and Geneva counties.
• Covington County Child Advocacy Center Inc. - $76,000 to assist child victims of sexual assault and abuse and their family members in Covington County.
• Exchange Center for Child Abuse Prevention - $100,000 to help child abuse victims in Barbour, Coffee, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties.
• Pike Regional Child Advocacy Center - $112,000 to assist victims of child sexual and physical abuse in Barbour, Bullock, Coffee and Pike counties.
• Southeast Alabama Child Advocacy Center, Inc. - $238,000 to help child abuse victims in Dale, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties.
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Contact: Russell Sellers, Mike Presley