FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Donna Giberti,
Director of Development and Marketing
Independence House, Inc.
508-771-6507 x221, Fax 508-778-0143
donnag@indhouse.net
Independence House Awarded $3.46 Million in Appropriations Bill to Support Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence on Cape Cod.
Hyannis, MA, February 16, 2023—With the support of Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren, Edward Markey, and Congressman William Keating representing the 9th District in Massachusetts, Independence House has been awarded $3,460,000 as part of the Omnibus Spending Bill of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 2617). On December 22nd, the Senate passed the Bill followed by the passing on December 23rd by the House of Representatives. President Joseph Biden signed the Bill into law on Thursday, December 29, 2022.
This award (announced on February 166th in a joint press conference arranged by Congressman Keating’s office at the Mary Pat Flynn Conference Room in Barnstable) will appropriate spending to support Independence House Services for Domestic and Sexual Violence victims/survivors on Cape Cod and will result in the construction of a new counseling and resource center adjacent to the agency’s main office at the current location of 160 Bassett Lane in Hyannis. The building will include energy efficiency construction, ADA compliancy, and increased and adequate space, safety and privacy to meet the need for new and additional services for victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Barnstable County. The space will include an expanded and upgraded accessible food pantry for use by domestic and sexual violence survivors, therapeutic art space to aid healing and enhanced well-being, specialized therapeutic spaces to support the mental health and safety needs for adults and children exposed to domestic and sexual violence, and tailored services to support most underserved survivors including BIPOC victim/survivors and survivors living with different disabilities.
Independence House Executive Director, Lysetta Hurge-Putnam shared, “Independence House has dreamed and planned for three years for an optimal space upgrade that is safe, healing, restorative and one where survivors of domestic and sexual violence in our community experience a haven, free from violence and abuse; this funding 100% achieves exactly what we dreamed of. Independence House is beyond grateful to our outstanding Massachusetts delegation, senators Elizabeth Warren, Edward Markey and Congressman William Keating, for their enormous demonstration of support for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. We could not be happier about this funding, and on behalf of the survivors we serve, are excited to bring our vision to fruition in the coming year. Thank you to our delegation for heeding our request and providing Independence House with this significant funding.”
“This $3.4 million federal grant is a powerful resource for Independence House and will support important work to help address and prevent domestic and sexual violence,” said Senator Warren. “I fought to secure this funding, and I’ll keep making sure the federal government is a strong partner for organizations across Cape Cod and the Commonwealth that do crucial work in our communities.”
“I was proud to work in partnership with my colleagues Senator Warren and Congressman Keating to secure nearly $3.5 million in funding for Independence House,” said Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass). “This investment will help enable Independence House to build a new, safe and supportive environment that empowers survivors of sexual and domestic violence on their journey to heal and to build a new life on Cape Cod.”
“We selected the Independence House project for Congressionally-directed funding because we recognized both the needs in the community and the strong track record that Independence House has in using their existing limited resources to meet the needs of the up to 10,000 Cape Cod residents each year who seek their assistance,” said Congressman Bill Keating. “Unlike broad competitive grants, this grant was chosen by myself and Senators Warren and Markey for funding, and I was proud to work with them to advocate for this $3.46 million that will transform the existing facility in Hyannis and provide comfort and a sense of security for Cape Codders who need it most.
Independence House. Inc. is Cape Cod’s leading domestic and sexual violence emergency housing resource, counseling and advocacy center addressing and preventing domestic and sexual violence. As a comprehensive organization focused on prevention and services to domestic and sexual violence survivors, Independence House is an unmatched resource and proven leader on Cape Cod for 44 years offering free and confidential critical response programs and services that assist children, teens and adults of all gender identities, races, sexual orientations, abilities, and cultures who have been impacted by domestic or sexual violence.
Independence House provides services to between 7,000-10,000 Cape Cod residents annually. The agency operates four Cape Cod offices: Hyannis, Falmouth, Orleans and Provincetown; provides a full court advocate staff in Falmouth, Barnstable and Orleans District and Barnstable Probate Court Houses; meets and assists sexual assault survivors at Cape Cod and Falmouth Hospitals and all Barnstable County Police Departments 24-hours a day; and maintains both a 24-hour hotline and confidential emergency domestic and sexual violence shelter residence on Cape Cod. To learn more, visit independencehouse.org.
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