$15,000 Grant For Putnam/N.Westchester Women's Resource Center

CARMEL, NY - The Putnam/Northern Westchester Women's Resource Center will receive a $15,000 grant for victim support services to help stem the rising tide of domestic violence against women. Putnam County will furnish it with office space.

State Senator Terrence Murphy and Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell made the announcements on the steps of the historic Putnam Valley Courthouse, commemorating Domestic Violence Awareness Day, also known as Purple Thursday.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one in every four women experience domestic violence in their lifetime, and an estimated 1.3 million women in the United Stated are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year, Murphy said in the announcement.

The goal of the day, which takes place during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, is to raise awareness about domestic, spousal, and teen dating violence. People wear purple that day, a color that has long been used by women seeking justice.

Murphy was joined at the Courthouse by Odell, a long-time PNWWRC supporter, and Anne Ellsworth, Executive Director for the PNWWRC. A crowd of county employees dressed in purple lined the Courthouse steps in a show of support.

"I learned a great deal about what the Women's Resource Center does during Anne's trips to my office in Albany. Most people come to my office to ask for something. Anne came in and said, 'How can I help?'" said Murphy. "The Center does incredible work, providing services to women who need it the most, and helping them overcome their physical and emotional problems."

At the event, Odell made a surprise announcement. "Thank you, Senator Murphy, for your continued support of Anne and her staff. I'm proud to announce that the County of Putnam will be providing office space in Putnam Valley, which allow the Women's Resource Center to expand its services."

Founded in 1979, the Putnam/Northern Westchester Women's Resource Center provides resources, skills workshops and professional counseling to assist women in making informed choices, while working towards their potential in an ever-changing social environment. Staffed by more than forty volunteers, the Center currently serves over 2,000 women, children and men annually through shelter, 24-hour Hotline, and non-residential counseling and advocacy.

"I want to thank Senator Murphy and County Executive Odell for standing beside us and supporting us," Ellsworth said. "You've helped keep our doors open so that any victim can come to us twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. "

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic Violence Awareness Month evolved from the "Day of Unity" held in October 1981 originated by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. It served as a method to connect advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children.