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Senator Whitehouse Visits Sojourner House to Announce $850,000 in Federal Support to Provide Safe Housing for Victims
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On Monday, August 29th, Sojourner House was joined by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Providence Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, and Rhode Island Secretary of Housing Josh Saal to announce $850,000 in federal funding for the agency to support safe housing for victims of abuse in Rhode Island.
“Survivors and advocates have made it clear that access to safe housing saves lives in a moment of crisis,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Sojourner House provides many Rhode Island victims and families with shelter and helps them reclaim their lives from abuse. I’m thrilled to have delivered this federal funding that will go toward increasing the safe housing inventory in our state.”
With this federal funding, Sojourner House will be able to expand its residential housing portfolio by purchasing an additional building(s) that will be rehabilitated and eventually leased to families who have experienced abuse. The funding will also allow Sojourner House to provide supportive services to the clients who lease these safe, confidential apartments, including individual case management, clinical counseling, immigration advocacy, youth programming, and more.
"Sojourner House is extremely grateful to Senator Whitehouse and the entire RI delegation for their on-going support of our work to provide safe, secure housing to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. This generous appropriation will allow us to expand our housing portfolio to secure additional properties that we eventually will be able to lease as permanent housing to families impacted by abuse," said Sojourner House's executive director, Vanessa Volz. "Due to our work, we are too familiar with the fact that safe, secure housing is often a barrier for a victim to flee from an abusive situation. The more stable, permanent housing options we can provide for families to rebuild their lives, the more successful we can become in breaking the cycle of abuse that often forces victims to return to an abusive situation."
Increasing the inventory of safe housing is one of the most pressing needs for domestic violence survivors in Rhode Island and across the nation. The National Network to End Domestic Violence reported that, on any given day in 2020, nearly 10,000 requests for services went unmet, and of those unmet requests, 64 percent were for safe housing. For those individuals who are not able to find safe housing, the consequences can be dire, including continued exposure to life-threatening violence or homelessness.
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This big news was also featured in the Boston Globe! You can read their coverage on the story by clicking below!
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Join us as a sponsor for our Masquerade Ball!
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We are thankful for the many corporations and organizations who have joined us as 2022 year-long partners and as event sponsors. Haven't come on board as a sponsor and still want to get in on the fun? There's still time to join!
We offer fantastic opportunities for your company or organization to gain recognition for partnering with us on this important work. Now more than ever, with the need for our services continuing to rise, and a lack of safe housing statewide, we need your support.
If you're interested in supporting, visit our event site www.sojournerri.org/masquerade-ball and check out our sponsorship opportunities. You can also contact our Manager of Special Events at ahutner@sojournerri.org with questions or if interested in partnering with Sojourner House!
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Thank you to our wonderful 2022 partners!
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