For Immediate Release
May 20, 2003

RICHMOND -- Virginia Department of Social Services Commissioner Maurice A. Jones announced today that the Family and Children’s Trust Fund has awarded $165,108 to local private non-profit agencies to provide family violence prevention, treatment and public awareness activities throughout Virginia.

"The Family and Children’s Trust (FACT) Fund demonstrates the successful public-private collaboration that supports community-based efforts to prevent family violence," Jones said. "Its mission is to raise and distribute funds for family violence prevention, treatment and public awareness about this serious issue."

"Individual grants may seem small, but each grant makes a big difference to the non-profits and to the communities they serve," said FACT Board Chairman David Hewes. "Some grants will help agencies provide direct services to victims of domestic violence and child abuse by offering emergency shelter, counseling and legal representation in court. Other grants will support public education and awareness projects in local communities."

The FACT Board of Trustees awarded grants to 38 local organizations for these services.

Hewes said many non-profit organizations have budget concerns because of the downturn in the economy, and most will use the grants to maintain existing programs that would otherwise be reduced or eliminated.

In addition, FACT awarded $500 grants to 23 private non-profit agencies to support the development or enhancement of Web-based technology for public awareness in their local communities.

Hewes said FACT raises funds to support the grant program through the sale of special license plates, such as the KIDS FIRST license plate and the Virginia State Income Tax Check-Off Program. "All funds raised benefit families and children in Virginia," he said.

The following agencies received grants:

Local Services Grantee	Amount
Abuse Alternatives, Inc. Bristol, TN	$1,343
Amherst County Commission Against Domestic Violence Amherst, VA	$4,000
Bethany House of Northern Virginia Falls Church, VA	$5,000
CASA of Central Virginia Lynchburg, VA	$4,000
CASA of the New River Valley, Inc Christiansburg, VA	$3,335
Childhelp USA Children’s Center of Virginia Fairfax, VA	$4,000
Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol/Washington County Bristol, VA	$4,000
Children’s Advocacy Programs of the Blue Ridge Rocky Mount, VA	$4,000
Choices: Council on Domestic Violence for Page County, Luray, VA	$4,000
Citizens Against Sexual Assault Harrisonburg, VA	$4,000
Community Housing Partners Corporation Christiansburg, VA	$4,000
F.O.R. Kids, Inc. Norfolk, VA	$4,000
For the Children Partners In Prevention Coalition Martinsville, VA	$5,000
Franklin County Perinatal Education Center, Inc. Rocky Mount, VA	$4,000
Hanover Safe Place (HDVTF) Ashland, VA	$4,000
Healthy Families Northern Shenandoah Valley Winchester, VA	$5,000
Help & Emergency Response, Inc. Portsmouth, VA	$4,100
Hispanic Committee of Virginia Falls Church, VA	$5,000
Hope House of Scott County Gate City, VA	$4,000
Loudoun Abused Women’s Shelter Leesburg, VA	$4,000
Lynchburg Community Action Group, Inc. Lynchburg, VA	$4,000
Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc. Big Stone Gap, VA	$3,000
People Incorporated of Southwest Virginia Abingdon, VA	$4,000
Prevent Child Abuse Now of Montgomery County & Radford City Christiansburg, VA	$4,950
Children’s Advocacy Center of the Roanoke Valley (Formerly Prevent Child Abuse Roanoke Valley) Roanoke, VA	$3,000
Rappahannock Area Council for Child Abuse Prevention Fredericksburg, VA	$4,000
Response, Inc. Woodstock, VA	$4,000
Reston Interfaith, Inc. Reston, VA	$3,000
Services to Abused Families, Inc. (SAFE) Culpeper, VA	$4,000
Sexual Assault Victims Advocacy Service Woodbridge, VA	$4,000
Shelter for Help in Emergency Charlottesville, VA	$5,000
Spousal Abuse Friend and Educator Program Friends of the Norfolk Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Norfolk, VA	$4,000
The Shelter for Abused Women Winchester, VA	$4,925
Time to Fly Foundation Falls Church, VA	$4,000
Virginia Peninsula Shelter for Abused Children (Safehaven) Newport News, VA	$4,000
Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley Radford, VA	$5,000
YWCA of Central Virginia Lynchburg, VA	$4,000
YWCA of Richmond Richmond, VA	$4,000 ________
Total	$153,653
Technology Services Grantee	Amount
Children, Youth & Family Services, Inc. Charlottesville, VA	$500
Crisis Link Arlington, VA	$500
CASA of Central Virginia Lynchburg, VA	$500
For the Children Partners in Prevention, Inc. Martinsville, VA	$500
Greater Richmond SCAN Richmond, VA	$500
Rappahannock Area Council for Child Abuse Prevention Fredericksburg, VA	$500
Family Crisis Support Services Norton, VA	$500
Family Resource Center Wytheville, VA	$500
Garfield F. Childs Memorial Richmond, VA	$500
Sexual Assault Victims Advocacy Service Woodbridge, VA	$500
Total Action Against Poverty Roanoke, VA	$500
Children’s Advocacy Programs of the Blue Ridge, Inc. Rocky Mount, VA	$500
Childhelp USA Children’s Center of Virginia Fairfax, VA	$500
Warren County Council on Domestic Violence Front Royal, VA	$500
Friends of the Portsmouth Juvenile Court, Inc. Portsmouth, VA	$480
Time to Fly Foundation Falls Church, VA	$500
Franklin County Perinatal Education Center, Inc. Rocky Mount, VA	$500
Choices, Council on Domestic Violence Luray, VA	$500
Hope House of Scott Count Gate City, VA	$500
Roanoke Valley CASA Program Roanoke, VA	$500
Citizens Against Sexual Assault Harrisonburg, VA	$500
New Directions Center, Inc. Staunton, VA	$500
Project Horizon, Inc. Lexington, VA	$500 ________
Total	$11,445

Marcella Williamson
Division of Public Affairs
(804) 692-1031
mkw900@email1.dss.state.va.us