Local nonprofit receives funding for housing victims of domestic violence

A DeKalb County-based nonprofit that provides resources to domestic violence victims has been given a grant from a DeKalb County commissioner.

“To champion the efforts of the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence (WRCDV) and in honor of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, DeKalb County’s Super District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has given the organization a $50,000 grant to be used for emergency and long-term housing for survivors of domestic violence,” stated a press release from WRCDV.

Jean Douglas, executive director of WRCDV, said the need for housing for domestic violence victims has “increased dramatically” in the last year.

“Commissioner Cochran-Johnson’s generous grant highlights the continued support of DeKalb County and county leaders’ commitment to our work to end domestic violence and support our neighbors who are impacted by abuse,” stated Douglas. “While we support survivors throughout metro Atlanta, we were founded with seed funding from officials in DeKalb County, who recognized the urgent need for services for our community.”

According to officials, in 2022 the nonprofit:
• provided 47 families, which included 64 children, with emergency housing in its safe house
• provided 17 families with transitional housing assistance
• helped 20 families flee Atlanta for their safety
• helped 46 families receive rapid rehousing assistance
• gave 53 families emergency hotel stays when the nonprofit’s safe house was full

“This grant will go towards assisting more families with safe housing opportunities as they escape from their abusers,” stated WRCDV officials.
Founded in 1986, the WRCDV was established to provide domestic violence resources, system changes, and greater community education on the issue of violence against women, states the nonprofit’s website.

For more information, visit wrcdv.org.