WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Dan Maffei today announced that Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. has been awarded $250,000 through the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women. Oswego County Opportunities is a private, nonprofit human service agency serving 30,000 people each year through more than 50 programs including services for victims of domestic violence. The agency will use this funding to strengthen and enhance services for survivors of domestic violence and their children.
“This money is absolutely critical to better protect victims of sexual violence,” said Senator Schumer. “People who have been in abusive relationships don’t just need a safe place to stay, they need comprehensive services that can help them get back on their feet and move forward with confidence. Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. will help these people by providing safe, supportive services to survivors of domestic violence. I have long fought for this kind of funding and will continue to do so in the future.”
“When we do more to protect families from domestic violence, we can give survivors a sense of justice and help put their lives back together,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This funding for Oswego County Opportunities will help keep more New Yorkers safe by providing quality housing for survivors of sexual and domestic violence who are looking for a way out.”
“This funding is great news for Oswego County Opportunities and the community it serves,” said Rep. Maffei. “We must work to provide local agencies with the resources necessary to assist survivors of domestic abuse and their families. This grant will help ensure Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. is able to continue its already outstanding work to support some of the most vulnerable in our communities.”
“We are so pleased to receive this critical funding to support our work to empower people, support our community, and change lives,” said Sarah Irland, Deputy Executive Director of Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. “We appreciate all that Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Rep. Maffei continue to do to stand up for survivors of domestic abuse and bring these life-saving federal resources back to Central New York.”
Authorization of funding for the Office of Violence Against Women was included in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act in 2013. Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Rep. Maffei were cosponsors of this legislation. In September 2013, Rep. Maffei announced $300,000 in federal funding for Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. to help survivors locate transitional housing and secure permanent housing.