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12.07.2006

ER - Domestic Violence gets grant

Domestic Violence gets grant
by Christine Bensen-Messinger, 10/14/2005

Since she began working as the executive director of Humboldt Domestic Violence Services in June, Sharyne Harper has secured approximately $200,000 in grants.

“I’ve been writing them since I got here and so far they’ve all been funded,” she said.

Soon Harper will find out if two more grants she applied for will come through.

One of the most recent grants the program received was $20,000 from the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation.

The foundation was started by Mary Kay Ash in 1996 and focused on researching cancers that affect women. In 2000 it expanded its mission to include prevention of violence against women.

To date, the foundation has donated $13 million to these two causes, according to the foundation’s Web site (www.mkacf.org).

Harper said she is pleased that the foundation approved the shelter’s grant.

“(I’m) excited. I only applied for $15,000 and they gave me $20,000,” Harper said.

David Dunnigan, the foundation’s spokesman, said it was glad to give the shelter the extra money because the foundation “(felt) like it was a worthwhile institution.

“There were several shelters that were in the same situation, (and) we wanted to make every shelter gift equal,” he said. “I’m sure they’ll find a way to spend that extra $5,000.”

The shelter will not have a problem putting the extra money to use, Harper said.

“It will help our children’s program which is always under-funded,” she said.

The shelter is 85 percent grant funded. Approximately 15 percent of the grants come from private sources.

“The major funding comes from the office of emergency services … and the department of health,” Harper said.

The shelter provides confidential emergency services and ongoing support programs for Humboldt County residents who are or have been in abusive relationships and their children.

The shelter also has a 24-hour crisis line that can be reached by phoning (707) 443-6042 or toll-free (866) 668-6543.

Copyright (C) 2005, The Eureka Reporter. All rights reserved.

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