ThinkTV, with the support of our Local and National Sponsors, awards a Community Investment Grant(s) to a non-profit (501(c)(3)) organization(s) in the Dayton and Miami Valley area to further the mission of the National Speaking of Women’s Health Foundation of “educating women to make informed decisions about their health, well-being and personal safety.”
2008 Grant Recipient
Family Violence Prevention Center of Greene County
The Greene County Domestic Violence Project began as a two-bedroom apartment in Yellow Springs in 1979 as a project of the Greene County Welfare Department. In 1980, the agency incorporated as a private, not for profit corporation and the shelter moved to its first house in Xenia. Since then this project has had a rich history of providing shelter, crisis hotline, victim advocacy and school based programs to prevent family violence and reduce its impact in Greene County.
Although the program is open to all genders, historically 97% of FVPC’s clientele are women and children. The safe haven (or shelter) is the first step many women take in their road to leaving and recovering from domestic violence situations. Their clients’ first priority is safety that is offered in the shelter’s state of the art facility. Clients staying in the safe house are also provided three meals per day, clothing, personal care items and any other item they may need to live more comfortably.
Once the basic needs of safety, security, shelter, food and clothing are met, FVPC works with clients to heal the emotional scars left behind by family violence through individual and group counseling as well as education. Counseling is focused on realizing that abuse is not the fault of the victim, recognizing self worth and building self esteem. Sessions are also goal driven, working each week to take small steps toward the larger goal of recovery and healthy living. Educational classes focusing on life skills including a variety of topics from cooking to resume writing, with more advanced skills also offered with the goal of client self sufficiency in mind. Through counseling and education, clients are able to begin to feel whole again to move to the next phase of their life.
After a recent strategic planning session with the FVPC Board of Trustees and staff, a goal of empowering clients through education and employment opportunities was set. With the help of National College, any FVPC client can now attend classes at National College free of charge; a vital step in their clients’ being able to obtain education to procure employment. With educational opportunities in place the final barrier to be eliminated was helping clients get to and from classes at National College. The ThinkTV Community Investment Grant will help in removing this barrier by providing $2,000 to the Family Violence Prevention Center of Greene County to be able to either provide transportation to clients or to help clients with their own transportation to be able to afford fuel to get back and forth to class. With education and transportation in place, FVPC clients will be well on their way to gaining independence, supporting themselves and their children to living violence free lives.
