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FROM STAFF REPORTS 

MONTGOMERY — Safe House of Shelby County and the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama are among several organizations to receive grants from Gov. Kay Ivey totaling $374,155 toward support services and education to victims of child abuse and domestic violence.

“Children and adults experiencing abuse should be given the help they need in order to escape from dangerous situations and, in some cases, take steps to repair broken relationships,” Ivey said. “I commend these organizations for their efforts to assist those who’ve been abused and to bring awareness and education to local communities.”

Safehouse of Shelby County will use a $55,000 grant to provide awareness, professional trainings, workshops and educational sessions to middle school, high school and college students in Clay, Coosa and Shelby counties. These outreach events will be used to bring awareness and prevent domestic, dating and family violence.

The Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama is using grant funds of $90,000 to perform culturally specific outreach and prevention education in Jefferson, Blount and Shelby counties. HICA distributes Spanish language educational materials at community events and gives talks about domestic and dating violence to small groups. The organization will also use funds to lead a Spanish-language marketing campaign promoting the National Domestic Violence hotline.

A $94,155 grant will help 2^nd Chance Inc. provide schools in Calhoun, Cleburne, Etowah and Talladega counties with information to increase awareness of the dangers of dating violence and of the assistance available to victims. Students will receive information about how to establish healthy relationships, signs of controlling behaviors and methods to prevent or escape from abusive situations, according to 2nd Chance officials.

A $135,000 grant will assist YWCA Central Alabama with education and prevention programs to increase awareness of domestic violence and the services offered to victims. Funds will also assist in continuing the supervised visitation and exchange program for parents that do not have full custody of their child to help build a safe and healthy relationship between them while significantly reducing the potential for harm to parents and children. YWCA Central Alabama serves Blount, Jefferson and St. Clair counties.

The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grants from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.

“ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in supporting organizations like these that provide much-needed assistance to victims of domestic violence and child abuse,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “These partnerships create access to services that provide healing and awareness in local communities.”