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 is Awarded Grant for “Game Change” Partnership with New England Patriots
Hyannis, MA, December 27, 2015 — A formal announcement was made by Attorney General (AG) Maura Healy’s office just days before Christmas that Independence House, Inc. based in Hyannis, MA. has been named as one of six domestic violence and sexual assault prevention organizations to receive part of over $250,000 in grant funding to partner with, and provide support to schools participating in “Game Change: The Patriots Anti-Violence Partnership”.
The AG’s office made the six-agency selection, which along with Independence House included Womanshelter/Compañeras in Holyoke; Pathways for Change, Inc. in partnership with the YWCA of Central Massachusetts in Worcester; the YWCA of Greater Lawrence; REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, Inc. in Waltham; and New Hope, Inc. in Attleboro.
As quoted in the AG’s announcement, Robert Kraft indicated he and the New England Patriots are committed to supporting both prevention and access to resources for domestic and sexual assault survivors and are proud to partner with these organizations in that work.
Debra J. Robbin, Executive Director of Jane Doe Inc.(The Massachusetts Coalition against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence), said, “Sexual and domestic violence programs like Independence House make a difference in their local communities every single day. We applaud them and all the recipients and participating schools throughout the Commonwealth for their commitment to be part of the solution in ending gender based violence.”
Independence House Executive Director, Lysetta Hurge-Putnam, said, “We are excited about this grant because it will keep us moving in the direction of working to prevent domestic and sexual violence; it is a tremendous opportunity for our agency and our community because with this grant we now have the final portion of funds needed to implement our dedicated division of prevention at Independence House. Bob Kraft, the Attorney General’s office, our coalition – Jane Doe Inc. and so many others are true partners in the vision and implementation of strategies to prevent domestic and sexual violence. We are honored and deeply thankful to have been awarded this grant.
The “Game Change” partnership involves a number of phases. Phase one includes staff from Independence House participating in a regional training in our area along-side participants from selected schools, conducted by Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) and run by the Center for Sports in Society at Northeastern University. Phase two will include a more in-depth training for staff, students, parents, and administrators from 30 high schools that will be selected by the AG’s office. Independence House will provide this training for the schools in our region to help train parents and school staff as well as work with school administrators on policies and services for students and their families who may be dealing with violence. Independence House will continue to train students from these schools to be peer leaders, be active by-standers, and be able to share their learnings among their own peers and with younger students. Currently, Independence House facilitates the Mentors in Violence Prevention curriculum in Barnstable High School, Falmouth High School, Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School and Lower Cape Regional Technical High School.
The “Game Change” grant award will complete an obligatory match to a beneficiary award from the Davenport Companies 2015 Seaside Lemans, The Race for the Cape Cod Community. Independence House was awarded $50,000 from the Davenport Companies in the fall of 2015 with the funds restricted to the expansion of the Independence House Prevention Division. Additional matching funds were awarded by the Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation 2015 Targeted Grant Program with a $10,000 award to focus on violence prevention. With the expansion of the Independence House Prevention Division, more students than ever before will be reached across Cape Cod, receiving important education on primary prevention practices that promote safe and healthy relationships.
Independence House, Inc. is Cape Cod’s leading resource, counseling and advocacy center to address and prevent domestic and sexual violence. To learn more about Independence House, visit www.independencehouse.org or their dedicated teen website at www.independencehouseteens.org.
