DOJ office of violence against women awards $499,961 grant to the One Love Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DOJ OFFICE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AWARDS $499,961 GRANT TO THE ONE LOVE FOUNDATION
Funding Will Be Used to Support Youth Survivors of Sexual Assault and Educate Community Leaders on Youth Sexual Assault Prevention in Yonkers
Yonkers, NY (October 28, 2019) – The One Love Foundation in Honor of Yeardley Love, Inc. (One Love) is proud to announce the receipt of a grant award of nearly $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office on Violence against Women (OVW) through the 2019 Consolidated Grant Program to Address Children and Youth Experiencing Domestic and Sexual Assault and Engage Men and Boys as Allies.
One Love will partner with Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS) to expand and strengthen the Yonkers coordinated community response for youth ages 11-18 who are victims of domestic violence or dating violence and increase the capacity of girls to be leaders and influencers in combating violence against women and girls.
One Love’s goal over the three-year grant period is to reach 4,000 young people and 500 youth-serving professionals in a comprehensive program designed to develop and strengthen the prevention, intervention, and treatment services for youth victims of sexual or dating violence or abuse in Yonkers, NY. Additionally, the project will create a Girl Influencer program to empower young women ages 11-18 to teach their peers about the warning signs of abuse, the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships, and how to help themselves or a friend. Pathways to treatment services and resources will also be taught.
“One Love is honored to receive this funding from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women and we appreciate the support of our federal representatives and local leaders for this work, said One Love Chief Executive Officer Katie Hood. “Our educational programs have helped nearly 1 million young people across the country, and we are thrilled to develop this program with the WJCS that focuses on teen dating violence prevention, safety planning, and youth access to treatment care and victim services.”
The Westchester Jewish Community Services, which operates Margaret’s Place, Center Lane, the Mary J. Blythe Center, and the Trager Lemp Center, among other programs, will facilitate referrals to appropriate services within WJCS. Additionally, WJCS will deliver training in trauma-informed care to staff of youth-serving organizations as well as law enforcement, court officials, and other professionals working with youth victims to add to the prevention capacity of these organizations and ensure the safety of victimized youth.
“WJCS looks forward to working with the One Love Foundation to enhance services to the young people of Yonkers,” said Seth Diamond, CEO of WJCS. “By educating youth about dating and sexual abuse prevention and healthy and unhealthy relationships, we will be empowering them to lead better lives and helping to build stronger communities throughout Yonkers.”
“One of the most important ways we can fight sexual assault and dating violence in our communities is by educating young adults on prevention. This critical funding will help the One Love Foundation do just that, support youth throughout Yonkers who have experienced sexual assault and dating violence, and provide training for community leaders to recognize the signs of abuse,” said US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “We need to do everything we can to help survivors recover from these devastating experiences by supporting them as they seek assistance. I will always fight in the Senate for the resources that help protect survivors.”
“This federal funding will provide invaluable services to the youth of Westchester who have been victims of domestic violence and abuse, as well as boost prevention programs that can help stop these tragedies from happening in the first place. We must send an unequivocal message that domestic violence and violence against women will not be tolerated,” said US Senator Chuck Schumer. “I am pleased that the Department of Justice has provided this funding to the One Love Foundation and will continue fighting to ensure that victims of domestic violence have the services they need.”
“This critical federal funding from DOJ will allow the community to more effectively combat the scourge of domestic and sexual violence among younger populations. Organizations like the One Love Foundation in Bronxville and Westchester Jewish Community Services are doing tremendous work in this area and I’m proud to help support their efforts. Together we will develop effective programming that empowers our youth to stop the cycle of violence,” said Congressman Eliot Engel.
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “I commend the One Love Foundation for teaming up with Westchester Jewish Community Services to develop prevention, intervention, and treatment services to help end the devastating cycle of youth domestic and dating violence. One Love’s educational workshops have equipped nearly 700,000 people across the country with the tools to recognize abuse and save lives. Over the next three years this partnership will provide invaluable programming to thousands of Yonkers youth, help survivors heal, and strengthen our Westchester community.”
State Senator Shelley B. Mayer said, “I commend the One Love Foundation for working with community providers to cultivate leaders who know the signs of sexual or dating violence, have been trained in intervention methods, and know where to find resources to get help. Educating youth to spot the signs of an abusive relationship can save lives. Congratulations to the One Love Foundation on receiving a $500,000 grant from the USDOJ and on partnering with Westchester Jewish Community Services to support survivors of sexual assault and strengthen teen dating violence prevention efforts in Yonkers.”
“As a former special victims prosecutor in Westchester County, I spent 14 years working with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse and other interpersonal crimes. I know the devastation that these types of crimes can cause and how important it is to have organizations like One Love and WJCS receive the support and resources they need to educate the public, help young people heal from their trauma and give them hope for safe and positive future,” said New York State Office of Victim Services Director Elizabeth Cronin.
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said, “One Love provides a service to our young people that will last a lifetime, enriching their lives on how to develop and maintain healthy relationships. This grant will further One Love’s work with Yonkers residents and shed more of a light on abusive and toxic relationships. Thank you to the U.S. DOJ for its support and to all of One Love’s partners including WJCS – together we can save lives.”
“The work of the One Love Foundation in honor of Yeardley Love is remarkable,” said Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr., “and so important in its mission to educate and empower young people to create healthy relationships. We are delighted the US DOJ Office on Violence Against Women is supporting One Love’s programs in Yonkers with a half-million-dollar grant. We know the money will go to excellent use to develop, expand and strengthen the coordinated community response for children and teen victims of domestic violence or dating violence. We applaud One Love’s plan to touch 4,000 lives over three years and look forward to collaborating in our joint mission to keep Westchester safe from violence of any kind.”
“We are proud to have One Love and WJCS as integral partners in Westchester County’s coordinated community response to intimate partner violence, prevention, and response,” said Robi Schlaff, Director of the Westchester County Office for Women and Chair of the Westchester Domestic Violence Council. “We look forward to working with these organizations on this important new project that will benefit Yonkers and the Westchester Community.”
One Love was founded in honor of Yeardley Love, a senior at the University of Virginia whose life was tragically cut short when she was killed by her ex-boyfriend. Today, One Love is a national leader in educating young people about the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships and mobilizing them to prevent relationship abuse in their communities. One Love has developed a series of workshops featuring emotionally compelling films and guided discussions designed to open young peoples’ eyes to unhealthy behaviors while also teaching the skills to Love Better. Working with schools and non-profit groups across the country, through five regional offices, One Love has reached over 750,000 young people since 2010. For more information, visit www.joinonelove.org.
WJCS is one of the largest non-profit, non-sectarian human services agencies in Westchester, offering 88+ programs that serve 20,000 people annually throughout the county. WJCS is a trauma-informed agency. Its integrated network of services includes: mental health treatment and counseling, child and youth development programs, residential and non-residential programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum, and geriatric services. The highest level of professional development and training is offered through the WJCS Educational Institute. For more information about WJCS, please go to www.wjcs.com.