Will you support survivors this holiday season?
“Getting off your feet after a traumatic incident can be extremely hard emotionally, physically, and mentally without the added financial boulder to push up what feels like an impossible hill.”
The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence is committed to aiding survivors of gender-based violence in Illinois, and you help ensure that we can continue to provide this critical assistance via the Illinois Domestic Violence Hotline, our Policy & Advocacy work, our Housing Advocacy initiatives, our Centralized Training Institute, and most recently, the institution of the Survivor Fund.
The importance of our programs like the Survivor Fund cannot be overstated. In a world where every person will be, or has been, impacted by domestic violence in some form, providing financial assistance to survivors is critical. The financial burden of leaving an abusive situation is one of many potential reasons a victim can be stuck in their situation. Enter The Network, who established the Survivor Fund during the COVID-19 pandemic to address critical gaps in the safety net for survivors of gender-based violence. More than ¾ of the first million dollars of payment were used on rental and mortgage assistance.
“I am eternally grateful for this assistance. I have a broken leg, this caused me many more expenses. I already live check to check and do not make enough especially since the quarantine began and cost of living tripled on many basic living needs. This helped me and my child get through one more month. Thank you so much.”
“The Survivor’s Fund helped me and my babies through the rockiest time of our lives. I gave birth to my daughter after having an emergency c-section and the funding was able to cover medical expenses, home aid expenses and childcare. I’m so grateful for the support!”
The Network’s Survivor Fund has already had a huge demonstrable impact on our community. As of September 2023, two of three rounds of funding have been distributed to eligible applicants, reaching 2,963 survivors with more than $2.9 million. In the next three months, it is expected to provide another $2.5 million to 2,525 survivors before the end of the year. But in the face of the growing demand for assistance and only a $1 million commitment from DFSS, we need your help to make sure this program can continue to provide this critical support.
We count on you to help us build supportive communities and thriving programs like the Survivor Fund that benefit survivors so much. Please consider donating to The Network today to ensure that we can continue this critical work. On behalf of us all at The Network, thank you in advance for being a stalwart champion for survivors. We wish you all the best this holiday season.
