CONGRESO AND VERIZON PARTNER FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS

Yvette Nunez (267.241.9361 or nunezy@congreso.net)

Verizon presents $25,000 grant to agency’s Latina Domestic Violence Program

Philadelphia, PA—Congreso’s Latina Domestic Violence Program, along with Verizon, hosted a family-focused event on Friday, October 7th at Norris Square Park, Norris and Howard Streets, to raise awareness about domestic violence in the family and community, and to promote healthy, healing relationships. “Uniendo La Familia en la Lucha Contra Violencia”/ “Uniting the Family in the Fight against Violence,” offered exciting activities for the whole family, including a children’s musical show and face painting, a teen art competition, salsa dance lessons and a domino competition for adults.

Guest speakers included State Senator Leanna Washington, District Attorney Bureau Chief Angel Flores, Pastor Emma Gonzalez and Edwin Desamour of Men in Motion in the Community (MIMIC). Verizon continued its long standing commitment to ending domestic violence in Philadelphia by presenting a $25,000 grant to Congreso’s Latina Domestic Violence Program (LDVP) through Verizon Wireless HopeLine and Verizon Foundation. The grant will be used for a variety of program-specific needs, including support for Congreso’s counseling services for children who have experienced domestic

violence and groups held for survivors of abusive relationships. In addition, bins were made available at the event to collect used phones benefiting Verizon Wireless’ HopeLine Program, which puts the nation’s most reliable network to work in the community by turning no-longer used cell phones into support for domestic violence victims and survivors.

Congreso’s Latina Domestic Violence Program (LDVP) is committed to ending intimate and family violence by providing FREE, confidential, non-judgmental and supportive options, including counseling in a safe, bilingual and culturally sensitive environment. The program is devoted to changing community systems that condone and perpetuate violence, oppression and abuse to build a stronger movement for justice, and to reduce barriers for victims of abuse. Through the LDVP education component, more than 1,500 individuals as well as health care providers, social workers and community groups are educated on domestic violence issues and other related topics affecting Latino families. LDVP provides counseling for individuals and families who have experienced, or are currently dealing with an abusive relationship as well as serves victims through the 24/7 City Wide Domestic Violence hotline, 1-866-SAFE-014.