Government shutdown dsrupts Families in Transition

Government shutdown dsrupts Families in Transition

Domestic violence support service appealing to public for support as funds dwindle

By John Rech

news@theeveningtimes.com

The federal government shutdown has hit home for one local nonprofit organization.

Families in Transition, which provides a home for family victims of domestic violence, began a countdown of the days of operation before suspending services and closing its shelter. While many are aware of a friend or relative working a federal job furloughed, or deemed essential and working without pay, the funding spigot for FIT was shutoff as part of the federal budget debate. The local shelter issued an urgent plea for donations to bridge the gap.

The shutdown might be a little more understandable to FIT Director Cassie Rutledge if the funds involved were tax dollars.

However, money that helps the shelter in West Memphis comes through the courts for restitution from domestic violence perpetrators and then to the Department of Justice and other government agencies for accountability. Money to help the local shelter is dammed up in Washington, D.C.

“Our money is collected from fines and restitution and goes into a big pot; it is not tax revenue,” said Rutledge. ’’It’s processed through the Department of Justice. It’s an issue for us that there is a freeze on funds that aren’t taxes.”

FIT received word about funding from the Arkansas Coalition for Domestic Violence. The memo outlined the ramifications of the government shutdown.

“The employees that monitor your grants are on furlough. What that means to you is you will not be reimbursed until the end of the shutdown. This is likely to put you in a difficult situation, “ read the memo.

Rutledge said the local shelter had cash on hand to run normal operations for about two weeks and appealed to the public for donations for operating expenses. FIT has two weeks worth of cash to continue full operations. Staff has already met to discuss skeleton operations or shut down on January 26.

“In the next two weeks, we are fearful that we may have to close our shelter due to a lack of available

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funds.”

FIT also provides teen dating violence education and support as a preventative strategy. The group has placed 2000 brochures at the local truck stops and motels on human trafficking and aids victims of that abuse. The shelter staff also monitors a domestic violence hotline 24-7.

Closing the shelter would displace two women and five children and suspend other program services.

“At this point they would

be homeless and at risk of returning to their abusive situations,” said Rutledge.

The director acknowl-

edged the fund raising request might take some people by surprise.

“Because we operate in complete confidentiality, we are probably the best kept secret on the county,” said Rutledge. “People don’t contact us unless they need our services. The public doesn’t really know

about us.”

ways to help. She asked that people contact their federal representatives about the impact of the continued federal budget debate. Second she asked that people spread the word and share the shelter’s fund raising request posted on Facebook at Families in Transition – FIT.

To give, either press the donate button on their Facebook page or mail a check to Families in Transition, P.O. Box 15, West Memphis, AR, 72303.