Washington, DC (August 31, 2006) – Today, Congressman Rubén Hinojosa (TX-15) announced that U.S. Departments of Justice has awarded Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and the Women Together Foundation with federal funding through the Office on Violence Against Women.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid received $600,000 under the Legal Assistance for Victims Grants Program. This program supports projects that provide legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking. Eligible applicants include nonprofit, nongovernmental legal services organizations; nonprofit nongovernmental victim service agencies; public entities operating in their nongovernmental capacity; and Indian tribal governments.
The Legal Assistance to Rural Shelters Project (LARS) was created in 1999 to address the need for legal services in rural and underserved communities of central, south, and west Texas. The project is a collaboration between Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and 20 domestic violence shelters and victim-serving organizations. Texas RioGrande Legal Aid and its partners will use the funds to ensure that the Rural Shelters Project continues to provide seamless legal services critical to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. The program will be expanded to victims and their children in 68 counties.
Specific project goals and objectives are: provide comprehensive legal services; train shelter partners to better understand the legal system; increase awareness of domestic violence and legal remedies in rural and underserved communities.
“Many victims of domestic violence do not have access to the legal counseling and aid that they need; and, this is especially true in low- to moderate-income and rural communities,” said Hinojosa. “Texas RioGrande Legal Aid provides domestic violence victims and their families with the guidance and resources they need to ensure that their lives are safe, healthy and happy.”
The Women Together Foundation received $350,000 under the Transitional Housing Grant Program, which awards funds to programs that provide assistance to minors, adults and their dependents who are homeless or in need of transitional housing or other housing assistance, as a result of fleeing domestic violence; and for whom emergency shelter services or other crisis intervention services are unavailable or insufficient.
Grants may be used for local projects that provide short-term housing assistance, as well as support services. Local transitional housing programs will provide a broad range of individualized services such as transportation, counseling, child care services, case management, employment counseling, and other assistance.
“Oftentimes, when an individual decides to leave a violent environment, they do not have anywhere to go, which makes the decision to leave that much more difficult,” Hinojosa continued. “Providing safe, affordable, and comfortable housing for victims and their families ensures that they can get the counseling and assistance they need to break the cycle of violence.”