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Florence, SC, October 21th 2024 – The Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault is honored to announce that it has been awarded a $20,000 grant from The Mary Kay Ash Foundation to support its domestic violence shelter program. This significant funding will help ensure that survivors of domestic violence in the Pee Dee region have access to safe emergency housing and essential resources during their time of need.
In May 2024, the Florence Emergency Safe Shelter (ESS) celebrated 35 years of providing essential shelter needs to women and children victims of domestic & sexual violence. This celebration launched the Shelter Program’s “A Place to Lay Their Heads” Regional Campaign that raised $161,878 funding crucial renovations and repairs to the ESS facility. The Mary Kay Ash Foundation’s donation will directly support Pee Dee Coalition’s Emergency Safe Shelter’s expansion of their life skills services for the shelter residents.
For over 35 years, the Emergency Safe Shelter has been a cornerstone haven for women & children victims/survivors of domestic & sexual violence occurrences. In its duration, the Emergency Safe Shelter has provided over 3,494 women & children residents over 200,000 nights of peaceful sleep.
Pee Dee Coalition’s Emergency Safe Shelter not only provides its residents a safe ‘place to lay their heads’, but they also assist with education and job opportunities, access to financial and housing resources, trauma counseling, children’s services, and safety planning in the event they determine to return home. The Mary Kay Ash Foundation’s grant will help expand these services and increase Pee Dee Coalition’s capacity to meet growing community needs.
“When many of the shelter residents come in, they set goals. When I see they are not meeting those goals, I realize they don’t have the skills to achieve them, so we work with them to build necessary skills.” says Emergency Shelter House Mother/Advocate, Elaine Nero.
“The shelter has survivors that come in that don't know how to budget, save money or do tasks like fill out a job application. It’s important that we provide life skills training at the Emergency Safe Shelter to equip residents for life after they leave the shelter.”
Emergency Shelter Program Director, Shonette Dargan-Richardson said “Our shelter is currently providing services with reduced staff-capacity. Having funds to offset this position will certainly enhance our program to include more groups and counseling with the clients. In addition to hiring a Night Weekend Relief Worker PRN to assist clients at night and on the weekend.”
With the awarded Mary Kay Ash Foundation grant, Pee Dee Coalition will be able to maintain its safe haven and create a safer, more compassionate community. For more information about the Pee Dee Coalition’s shelter services and how you can support their efforts, please visit www.peedeecoaltion.org/shelterprogram. If you or someone you know needs immediate assistance, call the Coalition’s 24/7, free & confidential crisis line at 843-669-4600 or 1-800-273-1820.
Pee Dee Coalition is sponsored by the United Way of Florence.
About the Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Assault The Pee Dee Coalition is a non-profit, volunteer organization dedicated to the reduction of sexual assault, family violence, & child abuse, and to the needs of victims. The Coalition’s shelters and other programs provide critical services to victims/survivors and community education in the Pee Dee region.
About The Mary Kay Ash Foundation Established in 1996, The Mary Kay Ash Foundation has a mission of ending domestic violence and eliminating cancers that affect women. Through financial support of shelters and advocacy programs, the Foundation is committed to helping survivors and raising awareness about the impact of domestic violence. Since 1996, Mary Kay Ash Foundation has awarded over $96 million to eliminate domestic violence
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