Earlier this month, a woman from Leslie was shot and killed by her estranged husband in the parking lot of the Best Western hotel in Washington. She had gone there to hide from him. Unfortunately, this tragedy is not uncommon.
Domestic violence is an enormous problem in Franklin County. In 2021, there were 964 adult abuse cases filed in the county courts. The figure is even more alarming when you consider that only half of all domestic violence incidents are reported to law enforcement. So, the actual figure likely exceeds 2,000 cases a year.
Unfortunately, there are few options for victims of domestic violence in Franklin County. ALIVE is a wonderful organization; however, their Nights of Safety program only provides emergency shelter. After a few days, these victims have to either find a domestic violence shelter or return to their abuser. The nearest shelters are in Rolla, northern Warren County, and St. Louis.
While sending a victim to a shelter in another county may sound like a good way to move them away from their abuser, it often creates other problems. The victim is moved away from their job, friends, doctor, and children’s school. They lose the little stability and support they may have remaining in their lives.
In late 2021, a group from Franklin County met with the Board of Directors for Turning Point, a domestic violence shelter in northern Warren County, about opening a second facility here. They were receptive to the idea, but of course, funding was an issue. After that meeting, Franklin County Auditor Angela Gibson and I agreed to join Turning Point’s Board with the goal of getting the organization to open a shelter in Franklin County.
In fall 2022, Turning Point was awarded $620,000 in ARPA funds to purchase a house in Franklin County and convert it into a domestic violence shelter with enough beds for around 12 women and children. Unfortunately, the funds are only for the construction of a shelter, not operating it. As a result, Turning Point has only agreed to accept the ARPA funds if it can find funds to operate the shelter.
As you might imagine, domestic violence shelters cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to operate. They provide their clients with court advocates, counselors, around-the-clock staff for safety purposes, and even food. The shelter in Warren County, which has 36 beds, has an annual budget of around $900,000.
There is funding for domestic violence shelters available. The Warren County shelter receives about 70 percent of its funding from the Greater St. Louis Area United Way, Federal VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) funds, and some other state and local funding sources. Similar funding can be used to operate a Franklin County shelter, but there will still be a projected shortfall of about $75,000 a year. Donations are needed to fill this gap.
Fortunately, domestic violence shelters have a unique advantage for fundraising. A donation made to a domestic violence shelter is eligible for a tax credit for 70 percent of the contribution. A donation must be between $100 and $50,000, and be cash, stocks, bonds, or real estate. Unlike a tax deduction, a tax credit is a dollar-for-dollar reduction of income. For example, if the total tax on your return is $1,000, but you are eligible for a $1,000 tax credit, your net liability drops to zero.
Unfortunately, if the remaining operating funds for a shelter are not found, Turning Point will have to turn down the $620,000 award. I don’t think anyone wants that to happen. There’s obviously a tremendous need for a shelter, and ARPA funds are a once-in-a-generation opportunity. A local domestic violence shelter will help women break the cycle of abuse and even save lives.
Anyone interested in making a donation, or who belongs to a church, service organization, or business that is interested in contributing, should contact me at swcampbell@scenicregional.org or 636-583-0652 ext. 101. All donations will be earmarked solely for operating a domestic violence shelter in Franklin County. Donations can also be made electronically on Turning Point’s website, and designated for Franklin County, at https://www.turningpointdvs.com/donate/.
Steve Campbell has been director of Scenic Regional Library since 2012. He has served on the Turning Point Board of Directors for the past year; currently, he is vice president.
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