Knoxville Family Justice Center Will Expand Counseling Services With Grant From Verizon

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., October 31, 2013 /3BL Media/ — To coincide with Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), Verizon has issued a grant to the Knoxville Family Justice Center[i] to assist in the vital work they do each day. The $20,000 grant stems from the Verizon Foundation’s initiative to invest in organizations that provide domestic violence education, prevention, victim relief and empowerment resources.

Founded in 2006, Knoxville Family Justice Center aids domestic violence and sexual assault victims through outreach and education. The center is one of 15 Presidential Family Justice Centers in the country funded through the Office on Violence Against Women, which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice.

“Almost 20,000 domestic violence-related calls were dispatched in Knox County in 2011,” said Amy Dilworth, the center’s executive director. “However, most domestic violence cases are never reported to the police. It’s important that we educate the community on domestic violence and build awareness for safe havens like the Family Justice Center.”

“The effects of domestic violence often reach beyond the victim,” said Jerry Fountain, president for Verizon Wireless in the Carolinas and Tennessee. “Verizon Wireless is dedicated to supporting organizations like the Knoxville Family Justice Center that offer a range of services and programs to help heal families.”

For more than a decade, Verizon, through its various business units and its philanthropic foundation, has been a champion of ending domestic violence.  For more information on the Verizon Foundation, please visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

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