During the COVID-19 outbreak, survivors need support and resources for accessing safety and services more than ever. Support from individuals like you truly has the potential to save lives.
During this time, survivors need financial support more than ever to escape violent relationships and access basic needs and safety for themselves, their pets, and their children. Our organization houses a Survivor Emergency Relief Fund, (formerly named the Barrier Reduction Fund) to support survivors with costs associated with accessing safety, such as transportation to shelter or safe housing, moving costs, rent deposits, utilities, childcare, car seats, pet veterinary care following abuse, pet shelter, and counseling. As a result of financial abuse from partners, most domestic violence survivors do not have access to household finances and their credit may have been intentionally damaged by abusive partners as a means of control. We provide one-time payments directly to vendors (e.g., landlords, power companies, stores, moving companies) in order to reduce barriers to safety for survivors. With the Emergency Relief Fund, we have supported hundreds of survivors in escaping abusive relationships and establishing safe and healthy homes with their pets and children.
The Survivor Emergency Relief Fund has been the only statewide, no-to-low barrier financial resource for survivors and an important tool for victim service providers. We are a statewide organization whose membership is comprised of the more than 40 sexual and domestic violence programs throughout Arizona. These direct service providers often work with our advocates to utilize the Emergency Relief Fund to support survivors they are working with in becoming safe and beginning their healing process. To date, the Survivor Emergency Relief Fund has been comprised entirely of foundation funding and donations. Unfortunately, it is completely depleted at this time. Support from individuals like you to rebuild the Emergency Relief Fund truly has the potential to save lives. All funding will go directly to sexual and domestic violence survivors in Arizona to escape abuse and find healing.
To help support sexual and domestic violence survivors’ need for financial and emotional support amidst the ongoing crisis, ACESDV is working to rebuild the Survivor Emergency Relief Fund. Funds raised will help survivors pay rent, utility bills, and essential food and supply subsidies, among related expenses. The Emergency Relief Fund will also help finance groceries, travel and relocation costs, and similar essentials for support survivors access to safety.
Assistance for urgent needs related to the following categories will be provided on a first-come basis until all available resources are exhausted:
-Housing instability or insecurity, including emergency rent payments, deposits or other assistance
-Utility payment assistance such as electric, gas, water, etc.
-Unemployment, underemployment or essential service-related transportation hardships
-Medical Care
-Food Insecurity
-Pet-related needs such as veterinary bills, boarding, and/or pet deposits.
Please know that your contribution to ACESDV will be a qualified contribution under The new CARES Act. The CARES Act created a new above-the-line deduction for total charitable contributions of up to $300 per individual and $600 per couple in 2020. So now all tax payers, whether or not they itemize, will be able to deduct charitable contributions up to this amount.
$25 – provide a tank of gas for a survivor
$50 – sponsor a survivor’s medical copay
$100 – help a survivor pay their electric bill
$250 – help a survivor pay for veterinary fees
$500 – support a survivor’s rental deposit
For survivors and advocates requesting Survivor Emergency Relief Funds, please contact our Sexual and Domestic Violence Services Helpline at 1-800-782-6400 or through online chat www.acesdv.org/helpline.
