Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Domestic Violence topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pee Dee Coalition urges Kingstree leaders to support domestic-violence survivors amid funding cuts
Summary
Freda Cox of the Pee Dee Coalition told Kingstree council members the organization served 97 domestic-violence victims countywide in the past year and is facing a funding cut from the Attorney General’s Office; she asked for local support and invited council and residents to visit the Coalition’s facility.
Freda Cox, a representative of the Pee Dee Coalition, told the Kingstree Town Council on Oct. 20 that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and that the coalition served 97 domestic-violence victims in the county over the past year. She said some clients face multiple, simultaneous hardships and that referrals for homeless individuals often extend to shelters in Florence County, including the Courtney McGinnis Graham Shelter and House of Hope.
Cox said the coalition has expanded services to include the DuRant Children’s Center but is contending with reduced funding. She said a “significant cut in funding from the Attorney General’s Office” this year has created substantial financial challenges and asked for local support, adding, “every little bit counts.”
Cox invited councilmembers, community leaders and the public to visit the coalition’s facility at 2 Courthouse Square and offered to speak at churches or civic groups to explain the organization’s services. She praised executive director Ellen Hammett for success in fundraising and encouraged continued community engagement to maintain services for survivors.
The presentation did not include a request for a specific Town appropriation or motion; Council acknowledged the report and heard the coalition’s request for outreach and support. The coalition’s ongoing fundraising and referral work means its operations rely in part on partnerships with local governments and nonprofit donors.
