Amie’s Place grant promotes RedRover’s Safe Housing grant program to help families and pets affected by domestic violence stay together
Sacramento, CA, and New York, NY (March 10, 2014) – RedRover, a national nonprofit organization based in Sacramento, California, and Amie’s Place Foundation, a Foundation that funds organizations that create programs dedicated to keeping families and pets together in times of crisis, have partnered to create co-sheltered housing for families and pets at domestic violence shelters across the country.
This first-of-its-kind grant from Amie’s Place Foundation will provide $6,000 to RedRover’s Safe Housing grants program in 2013 and $3,000 to each family violence shelter that applies and qualifies for an in-room RedRover Safe Housing grant in 2014. This grant from Amie’s Place Foundation provides in-room accommodations at no fee for companion animals at family violence shelters when families flee domestic violence.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, up to 65 percent of domestic violence victims are unable to escape their abusers because they are concerned about what will happen to their pets when they leave (www.ncadv.org). One of the greatest barriers to victims of domestic violence who have companion animals and want to leave their abusive situations is the lack of co-sheltered safe housing.
Allie Phillips, founder of Sheltering Animals and Families Together (or “SAF-T”) program reports, “When domestic violence victims with pets consider fleeing abusive homes and there is no safe place to house their pets, they have little choice but: 1) to remain in their homes and subject themselves, their children and their pets to continued violence, 2) to flee with children and pets and become homeless or 3) to flee and leave their pets behind. Because victims of domestic violence understand the extent of harm that their abusers will likely inflict upon their pets if left behind, many victims simply remain in violent relationships.”
RedRover’s Safe Housing program enables families to take their pets with them when they leave their abusers by ensuring family violence shelters have the resources they need to accommodate companion animals. The increased numbers of family violence shelters that have the ability to house pets brings RedRover’s Safe Housing program closer to its goals: to establish at least one pet-friendly family violence shelter in every state in the country by 2015. Currently, 34 states have at least one domestic violence shelter that offers pet-friendly safe housing.
“This first-of-its-kind partnership between RedRover’s Safe Housing program and Amie’s Place Foundation means we will be able to help more families escape abuse with their pets,” says RedRover CEO and President, Nicole Forsyth. “By continuing to promote the SAF-T model and also providing family violence shelters with these in-room shared housing grants, resources and referrals they need, RedRover and Amie’s Place strive to keep people and pets together in times of crisis. Recognizing that families and pets share a special relationship, Amie’s Place Foundation is helping us achieve that vision.”
About RedRover
Founded in 1987, RedRover focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the bond between people and animals through emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education. Learn more at RedRover.org.
About Amie’s Place Foundation
It all began in 1982 in Long Beach, Long Island, with the exceptional work of Lewis Gelfand, DVM who provides pet care treatment and assistance for people too ill to care for their pets. Based on Dr. Gelfand’s work, Amie’s Place Foundation was established in New York City to fund organizations providing programs for people who need assistance caring for their pets, risk losing them during times of crisis, or face barriers limiting access to their pets when they most need each other. In light of the profound healing effect that pets have on individuals who are encountering a difficult, sometimes life-changing event, the Foundation works to provide necessary pet-care assistance and to promote public awareness of the unique relationship a beloved pet and its human companion share. Grants have funded the first Senior Center and hospital-based programs at The Caring Community/1998 and St. Vincent’s Hospital/2003 in Greenwich Village, New York City. Amie’s Place Foundation has funded programs that include Beth Israel Hospital, FACES (Finding a Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures) at NYU Langone Medical Center, JASA, Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, MedicAlert Foundation International, PAWS NY, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, Schervier Nursing Care Center, Search and Care, and Sunnyside Community Services. The Foundation encourages national replication of programs that help prevent the unnecessary forced separation of people from their pets simply because no one is there to help them. www.amiesplacefoundation.org
Media contact
Leili Khalessi
Marketing and Communications Manager
lkhalessi@RedRover.org
916.429.2457 ext. 314
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