Jewish Community Foundation Awards $180,000 to 8 Local Orgs. for Programs Addressing Sexual and Domestic Violence

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 2, 2015)—The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles (The Foundation) today announced that it has granted $180,000 to eight local organizations that address domestic and sexual violence prevention and support.

The funding comes through the annual General Community Grants initiative at The Foundation, the largest manager of charitable assets and the leader in planned giving solutions for greater Los Angeles Jewish philanthropists. The General Community Grants program supports initiatives that address high-priority concerns throughout Los Angeles. In recent years, this initiative has made grants locally to address homelessness, youth and adult financial literacy, and for programs that benefit Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans.

Recipient organizations of The Foundation’s latest General Community Grants awards include: 1in6; 1736 Family Crisis Center; A Window Between Worlds; Aviva Family and Children’s Services; Center for the Pacific-Asian Family; East Los Angeles Women’s Center; Jenesse Center; and The Rape Foundation.

This year’s General Community Grants coincide with an audit by the City of Los Angeles Controller’s Office detailing the substantial underfunding of domestic and sexual violence prevention and intervention efforts. Following that report, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued an executive directive ordering the city’s various departments to mobilize and coordinate its efforts, as well as to expand the police department’s Domestic Abuse Response Teams (DART) to each of its 21 geographic divisions.

Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Marvin I. Schotland stated: “The Foundation is proud to take a leadership role locally in supporting these eight outstanding programs in their efforts to break the cycle of domestic and sexual violence across Los Angeles. In view of the City Controller’s recent audit and report, it is clear that there are great strides to be made, as the incidence of reported cases of sexual and domestic violence have risen eight and five percent, respectively this year. It remains one of our most pressing societal issues, crossing all religious, demographic, ethnic and socio-economic lines.”

Aviva Family and Children’s Services, founded in 1915, is the recipient of a $30,000 grant to support its Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Groups, which will provide young women in its residential treatment program with support, education and therapy.

Jeffrey L. Jamerson, Aviva vice president for programs and services, commented: “Children who grow up with frequent exposure to violence in the home are prone to numerous social and psychological problems. As adults, they are at increased risk of becoming a new generation of victims and abusers simply because they learn at an early age that violence is a normal part of life. This grant from the Jewish Community Foundation will support our work to break this cycle of violence among our residents.”

Awarded a $25,000 grant was the Jenesse Center for it Domestic Violence Legal Services Program. The initiative will provide free, culturally sensitive legal assistance and support to domestic violence victims – primarily low income African American women and women of color - participating in Jenesse’s shelter, transitional housing, mental health and vocational program.

Jenesse Chief Executive Officer Karen Earl stated: “We are honored to have the support of the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles. Jenesse Center ensures that each client has a comprehensive assessment so that every barrier to self-sufficiency is addressed. The generous support of the legal program enables us to continue making a difference as we eliminate all obstacles to peace.”

This year’s other General Community Grants recipient organizations and their programs, including amounts awarded, are as follows:

· 1in6, Service Provider Training Program, $20,000—To train and offer technical assistance to service providers in the Los Angeles area that will enhance the quality and accessibility of services for male survivors.

· 1736 Family Crisis Center, Domestic Violence Program, $20,000—To provide training and support for therapists who will treat survivors and to support a DART advocate who will assist victims of domestic violence to leave the batterer.

· A Window Between Worlds, Adult Windows, $20,000—To sustain therapeutic art-intervention workshops for adult survivors of domestic and sexual violence and to provide training and support for new program leaders.

· Center for the Pacific-Asian Family, Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Services, $20,000—To provide continuing service to survivors of sexual assault, particularly members of the Asian community, through support groups, as well as immediate services through a 24-hour hotline and individualized crisis counseling.

· East Los Angeles Women’s Center, Promotoras Contra La Violencia, $20,000—To support culturally responsive training for Latina community leaders who serve domestic and/or sexual violence survivors in Compton.

· The Rape Foundation for the Rape Treatment Center (at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center), Stuart House, $25,000—To support therapists providing expert, comprehensive, specialized, state-of-the-art services to sexually abused children and their families.

About The Foundation

Established in 1954, the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles (The Foundation) manages charitable assets of more than $1 billion (as of 12/31/14) entrusted to it by over 1200 families. The Foundation partners with donors to shape meaningful philanthropic strategies, magnify the impact of giving, and build enduring charitable legacies. Over the past 25 years, The Foundation has distributed $1 billion in grants to thousands of nonprofits across a diverse spectrum. www.jewishfoundationla.org