Dominion nuclear connecticut awards grant for weatherization to

Women’s Center of Southeastern Connecticut

 

FUNDING WILL INCREASE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AT EMERGENCY SHELTER AND PHOENIX HOUSE TRANSITIONAL PROGRAM


 

NEW LONDON –  Dominion Nuclear Connecticut has awarded the Women’s Center of Southeastern Connecticut a grant in the amount of $10,000 to support weatherization upgrades for its Genesis House Emergency Shelter and its Phoenix House transitional living program.  Both programs support women and children affected by domestic violence.  The grant is to benefit organizations that provide homeless shelters, shelters for abused women and programs to provide housing for low-income families and will be used to make the shelters or housing units more energy efficient, thereby cutting the operating costs for the recipients. More than $1 million is going to help agencies lower energy costs through efficiency projects in Virginia, Ohio, West Virginia and 11 other states, including Connecticut.

 

Each year, 200 women and children in southeastern Connecticut seek shelter at the Women's Center's Genesis House emergency shelter and its transitional apartment housing, Phoenix House. These facilities provide a safe place for victims and their families to rebuild their lives, foster independence and create financial stability, enabling them to successfully find a safe, permanent place to live. Clients residing in the apartments are required to pay their own electric bills, including heat, and in the winter months these utility costs increase significantly. By upgrading and renovating lighting fixtures, insulation methods, and electrical appliances including air conditioners, clients can allocate their limited finances toward meeting their goals to become self-sustaining more quickly. The Women's Center will also upgrade energy efficiency in the common areas of Genesis House and Phoenix House: support group room, children's areas and counseling offices. With reduced energy costs the Women's Center will be able to re-direct money to serve clients.

 

“By providing funds to support weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades in our housing programs, Dominion is creating a true win-win situation.  Not only is it better for the environment, this funding will also help our agency cut costs and most importantly will cut costs for our clients as they work toward financial independence,” states Catherine Zeiner, Executive Director of the Women’s Center.  She continues, “We are grateful to Dominion for this opportunity to become a ‘greener’ facility.”

 

The grants, announced in December, are made through The Dominion Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion. The Foundation, Dominion and its employees this year will donate millions of dollars and more than 125,000 volunteer hours in programs that help improve the quality of life for people in the states in which the company operates. 

The Women’s Center of Southeastern Connecticut, New London County’s domestic violence and sexual assault service agency, was founded in 1976 and operates two 24-hour hotlines, an emergency shelter and a transitional living program for families working to rebuild lives shattered by domestic violence or sexual assault.  The Women’s Center also provides legal assistance, counseling and advocacy, case management, support groups and educational programs for schools as community groups.  All 21 towns in New London County are served by the agency.

 

During 2009, the Women’s Center sheltered 119 women and children fleeing abuse in Genesis House, the emergency shelter for women and children; provided training and support to 56 women and their children in Phoenix House transitional living program; counseled 5,901 clients seeking assistance for domestic violence; and educated nearly 9000 members of the community in strategies to both prevent and recognize domestic violence and sexual assault.  Services and shelter staffing are now restored to 24/7/365, making the Women’s Center of Southeastern CT one of few agencies within the state to provide round-the-clock accessibility to its services.

 

For more information about the varied services of the Women’s Center that address domestic violence and sexual assault in order to create a violent-free society, visit www.WomensCenterofSECT.org, call (860) 447-0366 x203 or e-mail epalzere-rae@womenscenterofsect.org.  As always, if you or someone you know needs help, call the Women’s Center’s hotline: (860) 701-6000.