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 that the Foundation has 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,” Debra Greenwood, CFJ’s President and CEO, said. “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. The Foundation 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, 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. 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. Please visit MaryKayAshFoundation.org for more information, and to view the complete list of 2023 shelter grant recipients.
Guided by Mary Kay Ash’s dream to enrich the lives of women everywhere, the Mary Kay Ash FoundationSM raises and distributes funds to end domestic violence and invest in breakthrough cancer research to find cures for women-related cancers. Since 1996, the Mary Kay Ash Foundation has contributed more than $92 million to organizations aligned with its two-fold mission. In addition, the Foundation supports awareness initiatives, community outreach programs, and advocates for legislation to ensure women are healthy and safe. Together, we can make the world better for women. To learn more about how to educate, advocate, volunteer, donate, and join life-saving work to support and empower women, visit marykayashfoundation.org, find us on Facebook and Instagram, or follow us on Twitter.
About Center for Family Justice
The mission of The Center for Family Justice is to break the cycle of domestic, sexual, and child abuse and violence by providing services that create hope, restore lives and drive social change through education and community collaboration.
Our vision is to end domestic and sexual abuse and violence in our communities.
We believe that:
- Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.
- Collaboration with our clients, partners and communities is vital to achieve individualized choice, success and empowerment.
- Trust is essential for our work in building self-sufficient survivors.
- Compassion and hope allow people to thrive and feel safe.
- Community education, awareness and outreach are essential to drive and maintain social change and justice.
For more information about The Center for Family Justice, visit www.centerforfamilyjustice.org or call (203)334-6154. CFJ is located at 753 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport, CT and serves the towns of Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford, and Trumbull.
24/7 Hotline Numbers:
- Domestic violence (203) 384-9559
- Sexual abuse (203) 333-2233
- Spanish (203) 568-8332