NEARLY $600,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING AWARDED TO COMMUNITY LEGAL AID FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT PROGRAMS IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN MASS.

For Immediate Release – 6 September 2016

 

NEARLY $600,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDING AWARDED TO COMMUNITY LEGAL AID FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT PROGRAMS IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN MASS.

 

Worcester, MA – Community Legal Aid, Inc. (CLA), the legal aid provider for central and western Massachusetts, was awarded a $596,440 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice on September 1st 2016. The grant will enable CLA to provide services to sexual assault and domestic violence survivors in partnership with Worcester County’s Pathways for Change, Hampden County’s YWCA of Western Mass., Franklin County’s New England Learning Center for Women in Transition, and Berkshire County’s Elizabeth Freeman Center.

 

“This grant will help legal aid and our partners provide effective, holistic services to hundreds of survivors and help them break free from abuse,” said Jonathan Mannina, Executive Director of Community Legal Aid. “We are grateful to the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women for this opportunity to help our clients attain safety and security.”

 

“Domestic violence is sadly something that impacts families across the country. Investing in programs like these is essential to ensuring that victims have the protection and support they need,” said U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02). “I am grateful to the Department of Justice for providing this funding to support the incredibly important work these agencies do to help local families in Central and Western Massachusetts. We must do all we can to support these local efforts so that every victim gets the help they need.”

 

“Community Legal Aid and its partner organizations provide vital services for women and families in Central and Western Massachusetts,” Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA) said. “This federal funding will go a long way to help survivors of domestic violence in our community access the legal support and other assistance they deserve.”

 

“We have Community Legal Aid on speed dial,” said Janis Broderick, Executive Director of the Elizabeth Freeman Center in Pittsfield, MA. “I can’t even imagine our work with survivors of domestic and sexual violence without the help and expertise of Community Legal Aid at the ready. This grant will magnify and extend our efforts and collaboration exponentially – we are truly grateful.”

 

CLA and its partners developed the Legal Advocacy for Women (LAW) Partnership, uniting CLA’s broad legal expertise with providers’ in-depth knowledge of the dynamics of sexual assault and domestic violence. Together, the agencies provide a strong, comprehensive continuum of services designed to help victims and their families escape the violence and trauma they have suffered and plan for their long-term safety and security. The overall goal of the LAW Partnership is to expand and improve services to help victims obtain abuse prevention orders as well as broad-based legal advice and representation for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

 

Jonathan Mannina, Community Legal Aid, (508) 425-2804

James McGovern,  U.S. Congress,  (508) 831-7356

Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senate,  (202) 224-2292

Janis Broderick, Elizabeth Freeman Center,  (413) 499-2425