DVP's work incorporates a philosophy of collaboration. We work with concerted efforts on all fronts: governmental, law enforcement and at the grass-roots level involving smaller community based organizations will provide the greatest impact. Collaboration provides for greater long-term societal change which in turn ensures greater safety and success for our clients and their children.

The Domestic Violence Project works cooperatively with many agencies and task force groups on the local, city and state level to achieve the best protection with equal access to services under the law for all victims of domestic violence.

NY State Senate Proposes Restoration of critical DV Funding – DVP Needs You To Urge the NY State Assembly to do the same!

You did it! Thanks to your tremendous advocacy, the NY State Senate has proposed restoring the $3M in dedicated domestic violence funds to the state budget! Now we have to urge the State Assembly to do the same by sending the below email. Please also thank the Senators who heard our message to restore these funds by sending. We still have work to do to make sure these critical funds make it into the final budget – and with your help we'll do it!

1. Send the first e-mail below to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assemblymember Amy Paulin, Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, Assemblymember Susan V. John, and Assemblymember John L.T. Wright
   telling them to urge the Assembly to propose a restoration of these funds to the budget today!
2. Please forward this page to your friends and help spread the word
3. Read more about these funding cuts in Albany's Times Union
4. Send the second e-mail below to thank NYS Senator John L. Sampson, Democratic Majority Conference Leader, Senator Carl Kruger, Chair, Finance Committee and NYS Senator Daniel L. Squadron for their support. (hassellt@senate.state.ny.us) and Assembly Member Helene Weinstein (weinsth@assembly.state.ny.us).

Please cut and paste this message and send it to the members listed in item 1 above (feel free to make changes or add a personal note or message in your email): I write as a supporter of the Urban Justice Center's Domestic Violence Project (DVP) to urge you to restore the $3 million in TANF money used to fund non-residential domestic violence programs throughout New York State that Governor David Paterson cut from the 2010-2011 Executive Budget. If this funding is not restored, domestic violence services will be lost to some of the State's most vulnerable and at-risk victims and their children. $1.25M of this funding supports many non-residential domestic violence programs in New York City, including DVP, that provide life-saving services to victims of domestic violence. With this funding, New York City providers deliver social services, such as counseling, advocacy and accompaniment, to more than 3,200 victims and legal services to more than 1,000 per month; and annually answer over 65,000 hotline calls. Cutting these modest funds ultimately results in higher City and State costs in other areas, including increased emergency room visits, public assistance, and domestic violence shelter costs. These New York City non-residential services prevent domestic violence victims from having to go into domestic violence shelters. NYC domestic violence shelter costs alone averages $27,000 a year per family. Preventing shelter placement of just 46 families in NYC will save the $1.25M in one year alone with similar savings throughout the state. The non-residential domestic violence programs in NYC prevent thousands of victims from having to go to shelter each year. Cutting these funds does not make any fiscal sense. I am urging that you protect New York State victims of domestic violence by restoring the $3 million in TANF money to the budget. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. Sincerely, (Your Name)

Please cut and paste this message and e-mail it to those listed in item 3 who have pledged to do all they can to restore these funds. Send them an email telling them: I write to thank you for your steadfast support to addressing domestic violence within New York State and your pledge to do all that you can to help restore the $3M in dedicated non-residential domestic violence services funding through the TANF block grant to the New York State 2010-2011 budget. We know that with your leadership this funding will be restored to the budget, allowing domestic violence service providers to continue to provide critical services to victims of domestic violence in New York State. Thank you. Sincerely, (Your Name)