St. Augustine, Fla. (Feb. 18, 2019) – Local Mary Kay Directors met up with Betty Griffin Center staff and board members last week to make a $20,000 check presentation to the nonprofit agency.
Betty Griffin Center received a $20,000 unrestricted grant from the foundation to support local survivors of domestic violence in St. Johns County.
We truly appreciate The Mary Kay Foundation for making a difference in the lives of thousands of survivors and for providing healing and hope to those in need. As we begin 2019, this substantial gift will help ensure that we are able to continue providing critical, life-saving programs and services to some of our most vulnerable in the community.
Betty Griffin Center offered counseling, group therapy and advocacy to more than 1,300 people while providing 24,000 nights of shelter to 400 women and children, assistance to 51 victims of sexual abuse, and community education to 12,800 people. “As the county continues to grow, this gift will allow us to keep pace with the increasing demand and help us take care of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault throughout the year.”
Last October during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, The Mary Kay Foundation announced it was awarding $3 million in grants to 150 domestic violence shelters across the country. The grant contribution brought the Foundation’s total investment in its shelter grant program to $50 million nationwide.
The Mary Kay 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 of these resources support women and children as they seek refuge and relief on their journey to an abuse-free life. This year, more than 1,200 organizations applied for the Mary Kay Foundation shelter grants.
“At Mary Kay, we believe in helping women improve their circumstances and live their best lives. 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,” said President of The Mary Kay Foundation Board of Directors Michael Lunceford. “At the heart of The Foundation’s work is the shelter grant program which is actively supported by our independent sales force. We’re proud that our commitment makes such a powerful impact in local communities and in the lives of domestic violence survivors across the country.”
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 of time, more than 11,000 requests for services are unmet due to a lack of resources.
Applications for the 2019 shelter grant program became available in January 2019. Please visit marykayfoundation.org for more information. To view the complete list of 2018 shelter grant recipients, click here.