NEWS loses $200,000 with a stroke of the Governor’s pen!

The Board and Staff of NEWS are deeply saddened by the effects of the Governor’s recent budget veto.  His actions eliminated $20.4 million in state funding for domestic violence programs throughout California.  The cuts to NEWS were extreme.  We lost $200,000 from our annual operating budget, which resulted in major staffing cuts to both the emergency shelter and the administrative office.

Sadly, the need for domestic violence shelter services is at an all-time high, while domestic violence programs are being eliminated state-wide.

Now is the time for your commitment to NEWS to shine through…

We need your help!

What can you do? 

• Write to our local representatives
• Make a donation?  (Every little bit helps!)
• Forward this newsletter to your friends and family           
• Host an event to benefit NEWS
• If you sell a product, perhaps a percentage can be donated to NEWS
• Host a dinner party and pass around the hat for NEWS
• Do you know a potential donor, why not ask them if they might support the cause you believe in (talk to us about our “Anchor Program”)    

Other news items:

Staff changes – we had to say some very sad goodbyes to four of our wonderful and very dedicated staff due to the state budget cuts.  We will miss Sarah, Amanda, Shara Mae, and Jennie. Our hope is that we will quickly find other sources of funding to enable us to re-hire them all, and return the remaining staff to full time status.  In the meantime, we are doing our best to provide the same level of service to domestic violence victims and their children

Luckily, we are blessed to have fantastic trained volunteers who are helping us out by covering shifts at the shelter, providing clerical assistance in the office, responding to calls from law enforcement, making prevention education presentations to the public, and providing other critical support services.

A HUGE “thank you” goes out to all of the volunteers who are stepping up to help out during these challenging times.  We couldn’t make it without your commitment and support, you are truly making a difference in the lives of many women and children.