In advance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, The Mary Kay Foundation℠ is awarding $3 million in critical, unrestricted grants to 150 domestic violence shelters across the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. This year’s highly sought-after grant slate brings the total investment in The Foundation’s annual shelter grant program to nearly $42 million.
According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, lack of resources at domestic violence shelters across the country is often the reason survivors don’t get the help they so desperately need. To narrow the gap between funding and the demand for services, The Mary Kay Foundation is awarding $20,000 in unrestricted grants to help combat domestic violence, educate local communities and provide rehabilitation services. The Foundation’s grant cycle also includes relief funds for several shelters impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
“More than 700 domestic violence shelters nationwide applied for The Mary Kay Foundation shelter grants this year, which demonstrates the overwhelming need to maintain critical services and provide a safe haven for the survivors of an epidemic that impacts one in every four women,” said Anne Crews, Board Member of The Mary Kay Foundation and Vice President of Public Affairs for Mary Kay Inc. “Working to prevent and end domestic violence is a cornerstone of The Foundation, Mary Kay Inc. and for countless members of our independent sales force. Since 2000, The Foundation has invested tens of millions of dollars in our shelter grant program and without a doubt, we know these funds continue to make a difference in homes and communities across the country.”
While more than half of the grant recipients use the unrestricted funds for basic operating expenses, others hire much needed personnel, complete repairs and facility renovations or add programs and resources based on the unique needs of their shelter and the clients they serve. The Haven House in McDonough, Georgia, plans to use the funds to purchase six new sets of washers and dryers for its laundry facility. In Marion, Ohio, at the Turning Point shelter, funds will go towards building a new playground for children staying at the shelter, giving them a safe place to play. At the Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center in Paducah, Kentucky, the grant will be used to purchase and install an advanced security system to ensure safety at a new 26-acre campus.
“While offering emergency housing for the vulnerable clients we serve, that also means providing meals, laundry facilities, counseling, childcare and an untold number of other resources to help survivors get back on their feet after experiencing unspeakable abuse,” said Tosha Connors, Executive Director at My Sister’s House, Inc. “Every dollar counts and a grant from The Mary Kay Foundation is often the lifeline we need to keep the doors open and continue to provide life-saving support services.”
Mary Kay Inc.’s global cause-related program, Beauty that Counts®, helps support The Foundation’s annual shelter grant program. Applications for the 2018 shelter grant program will be available January 15 through April 30. For the full list of 2017 shelter grant recipients, click here.
The Mary Kay Foundation was created in 1996, and its mission is two-fold: to fund research of cancers affecting women and to help prevent domestic violence while raising awareness of the issue. The Mary Kay Foundation has awarded $70.7 million to shelters and programs addressing domestic violence prevention and cancer researchers and related causes throughout the United States.
