Family Services of So. Wisconsin receives funding

From United Way Blackhawk Region

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Kelsey Hood Christenson, President and CEO

Phone:(608) 364-1083

Email: khood@familyservices1.org

URL: www.familyservices1.org

For Immediate Release: September 5th, 2023

Family Services of S. WI & N. IL, Inc. Receives Funding from United Way Blackhawk Region

Beloit, WI – Family Services of S. WI & N. IL, Inc. has been awarded a $100,000 grant from United Way Blackhawk Region for continued support of the domestic violence advocacy program, Defy Domestic Abuse Beloit. This funding will assist the program in maintaining operations and services to survivors residing in the program’s emergency shelter and in the community.

Kelsey Hood-Christenson, President and CEO of Family Services of S. WI & N. IL, Inc. states “We appreciate United Way Blackhawk Region’s support of our services and the many others they also help to bring to our community. We are honored to have partnered with United Way Blackhawk Region for several years and their continued support allows us to maintain our services to survivors of domestic violence while also pushing forward with new services to meet emerging needs.”

In 2022, Defy Domestic Abuse Beloit served 209 number of survivors with a total of 889 hours of direct services. Of those served, 105 survivors received shelter through the program’s emergency shelter for a total of 7165 bed-nights; the average stay for a resident in the program’s emergency shelter was 59 nights. The program also received a total of 2730 hotline calls in 2022 and provided 5827 items for direct assistance such as bus tokens, personal hygiene items, gas cards, household items, linens, and clothing. The program also provided $69000 in financial assistance to survivors for legal fees and representation, motel vouchers, veterinary care, and moving assistance.

DEFY Domestic Abuse Beloit is a part of Family Services of Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, Inc. It extends to survivors of domestic abuse all the support offered by Family Services. This includes parenting support; therapy and counseling; legal advocacy; and community outreach.

Family Services also includes the following programs: Individual & Family Counseling Program; Sexual Assault Recovery Program; Praxis Employee Assistance Program; Youth2Youth 4 Change; and The Neighborhood Resilience Project.

For more information about Family Services, visit www.familyservices1.org.

Family Services is a funded partner of United Way Blackhawk Region and United Way of Green County.

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The mission of Family Services of Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, Inc. is to restore, sustain, and enhance the lives of members of the community by providing an array of empowering services that focus on prevention, advocacy, case management, education, counseling and therapy.

Family Services of Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, Inc

416 College Street Beloit, Wisconsin

53511 Phone: 608-365-1244 Fax: 608-365-4097

Website: www.familyservices1.org