Fight against domestic violence gets boost

The KIDS Center and Saving Grace in Bend have received grants to help fund programs fighting domestic violence.

Saving Grace got $10,000 from the Verizon Wireless Hopeline Fund.

“It’s definitely the highest it’s ever been, especially in recent years,” Lauren Biskind, development director for Saving Grace, said Monday.

This year, Verizon Wireless has handed out $418,000 in grants across the Pacific Northwest to non-profits battling domestic violence.

“At Saving Grace, we’re wanting as many families as we can, so the more funds we can put towards that, the more people we’re able to help,” Biskind said.

The money will go directly to its Mary’s Place program, in which advocates connect survivors of domestic violence with resources in the community.

The grant is coming from Verizon’s Hopeline fund.

“Hopeline is Verizon’s organization, which has been around for 13 years now,” said Michelle Gant, solutions specialist at Verizon Wireless. “What we do is, we take old phones that people bring in and want to recycle in the store, and they give those phones to victims of domestic violence. “

Bend’s KIDS Center received a $40,000 grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust. The money will fund a program to help children who have witnessed domestic violence.

“They can tell us what they’ve heard, what they’ve seen, what might be going on for them at home,” said Robin Antonson, director of development and prevention at KIDS Center. “At the same time, the adult victim is also getting support and resources from places like Saving Grace.”

The KIDS Center is partnering with local law enforcement, the DA’s office and DHS child welfare to interview children to gather evidence.

“So the child only has to tell their story once,” Antonson said.

If you want to support the KIDS Center, click here. For more information how to support Saving Grace, click here.

If you want to donate your phone, you can do so at any Verizon Wireless store.