MONTGOMERY—Free, professional assistance will remain available for abuse victims in nine southeast Alabama counties with the assistance of two grants totaling $317,309 awarded by Gov. Robert Bentley.
The House of Ruth will use the grants to provide emergency shelter, a crisis hotline, counseling and advocacy services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Barbour, Bullock, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties.
House of Ruth staff members also offer supplemental training for police, medical professionals and prosecutors who routinely deal with abuse victims.
Based in Dothan, the organization started assisting abuse victims in 1983. In addition to grants, House of Ruth depends on private donations to support the free, 24-hour-per-day assistance offered to victims.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available by the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, workforce development, water resource management and recreation development.
Bentley notified Vincent P. Vincent, president of the organization’s board, that the grants had been approved. Matching funds of $79,327 are supplementing the awards.
Contact: Mike Presley, Larry Childers