Legacy Challenge Grant to Benefit Freeman Center04:42PM / Monday, August 03, 2009
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Legacy Banks Foundation is offering a $10,000 challenge grant to the Elizabeth Freeman Center to assist victims of domestic violence as well as raise awareness about this rising concern.
The grant is in response to an increased number of domestic violence cases in Berkshire County in recent months. The center offers safe shelter, individual counseling, education, advocacy and support, and safety planning to all survivors of domestic violence or sexual abuse.
To assist the center's mission, the Legacy foundation is asking individuals to contribute donations of any denomination, which it will then match dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000.
Donations may be made at any one of Legacy Banks' 11 Berkshire County branch offices.
"It seems that current economic conditions have played a contributing factor in the increase of domestic violence cases reported locally, including the tragic death of Rebecca Moulton in June," said foundation President Richard Sullivan. "As a community bank, we feel a responsibility to take pro-active steps to help reverse this trend or at least raise awareness to the problem and bring additional resources to assist victims of domestic abuse.”
The Freeman Center has been providing frontline emergency and ongoing support services in Berkshire County for 35 years and is the largest and oldest service organization in Berkshire County dedicated to this work.
"In the past several months, we have been receiving an increasing number of calls for help, every one of which could be a matter of life and death. At the same time, our funding has been cut," said Executive Director Janis Broderick. "We are grateful to Legacy Banks for this generous challenge grant. We really need the support of our community to continue our important work."
During fiscal 2009, 80 women and their 61 children moved into the secure shelter because they were in danger from their abusers and could not remain safely in their homes. During this same period, the center received and responded to more than 1,200 calls to its 24-hour a day, seven-day-a-week toll-free emergency response hotline with physical response. In addition to domestic violence and sexual assault services, it offers legal advocacy to help victims obtain restraining orders, safe supervised visitation, emergency financial support, prevention and educational outreach services and support groups.
To find out more about contributing, contact Legacy Banks at 800-292-6634 or the Elizabeth Freeman Center at 413-499-2425. Donations will be accepted in the form of cash or checks made payable to the Elizabeth Freeman Center.
In top photo, Legacy Banks VP Jodi Briggs, left, Senior VP and Freeman Center board member Kim Mathews, Freeman Executive Director Janis Broderick, foundation President Richard Sullivan, VP Dianne Supranowicz, Freeman board secretary Susan Gordon, and foundation secretary Heather King pose with the grant's goal check.
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