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The Barge Canal Optimist Club of Lockport recently donated dressed teddy bears to the YWCA of Niagara Frontier Domestic Violence Program to be distributed to the children who parents who need the program.

Barge Canal Optimist Club Holiday Teddy Bear  Co-Chairmen Pauline Leacock and Joan Pickles  present the dressed teddy bears to Kathy Jackson,  Safe House & Transitional Housing Manager  YWCA of Niagara Frontier domestic Violence  Program for distribution. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

“These little bears may be the only gift a small child will receive this Holiday Season, Co-Chairman Joan Pickles said. “Think of the joy on their face when they hug their little bear for the first time. Also we wish that the “dressed to the T” bears will be as much fun for the children to receive as it was for club members to dress them.”

Co-Chairman Pauline Leacock stated “The Barge Canal Optimist Club has been supplying these adorable bears to the YWCA for over 14 years and each year club members tend to out-shine the year before. There are Lion King bears, a princess or two, skating bear, Santa bears and baby bears to mention just a few. Club members are just so creative.“

The Barge Canal Optimist Club has been serving the Lockport Community for 25 years. Youth service projects include Just Say No!, Girl Power, Fifth Grade Basketball, Bike Safety, Internet Safety, Project Backpack, Project Warm-A-Kid, and Senior Awards.  Community service projects such as Partnership in Patriotism, Tee-Off Against Breast Cancer, Salvation Army Bell Ringing, Birthday Cards for Seniors,

Relay for Life and the restoration of the Rose Garden are also a part of the group's community outreach. Members of BCOC strive to maintain an upbeat attitude and help empower young people to be the best they can be.

Women interested in learning more about the Barge Canal Optimist Club are invited to contact President Anita Tice at 433-0162, Membership Chair Pauline Leacock at 438-0890 or visit the Barge Canal Optimist Facebook page.

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Rob Ortt

State Sen. Rob Ortt will present the YWCA of the Niagara Frontier with a $54,000 check Tuesday to help victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and rape.

The money will go toward YWCA’s rape crisis and domestic violence services and programs, providing victims and survivors with free counseling, 24/7 crisis intervention, and shelter. On average, the YWCA provides services to 740 domestic violence victims and 60 sexual assault victims annually.  

The check will be presented at a 2 p.m. ceremony at the YWCA of Niagara's office, 32 Cottage St. Aside from Ortt, representatives from the YWCA will be on hand, as will a mother of a domestic violence homicide victim.

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo

ALBANY — Organizations serving East Niagara will receive $115,700 in federal funds to help combat sexual assault and domestic violence.

The lions share of the local funding will go to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, which was awarded $66,750 to find a domestic violence victim liaison, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office. Also receiving assistance are the YWCA of Niagara, which was awarded $27,590 for sexual assault
services, including partial funding for an advocate and counselor, and the City of Lockport, which was granted $21,450 to fund a domestic violence investigative team, including partial funding for a domestic violence officer and domestic violence victims’ advocate from the YWCA of Niagara.

In all, New York State has received $6.2 million in federal funds that will allow 90 community organizations, hospitals, police departments and district attorneys’ offices to enhance services and protections for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, according to the governor's office.

The grants will also support the work of health care professionals who are specially trained in examining sexual assault victims and collecting evidence that can be used by law enforcement, as well as allowing the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault to develop protocols and training that better address sexual assaults on college campuses.

"This funding will provide much-needed resources to assist victims of sexual assault and domestic violence in every corner of New York State," Governor Cuomo said. "These organizations are proven programs that are helping to create a better system of support and justice for victims, and I am pleased that their good work is being recognized by our federal partners."

The funds will support programs that assist victims and the work of law enforcement professionals, including:

• Advocacy, counseling and legal services;
• Salaries of sexual assault examiners, who are nurses or other medical professionals specially trained to perform forensic exams;
• Salaries of police investigators, prosecutors and probation officers that specifically handle domestic violence and sexual assault cases; and
• Training programs for law enforcement, judges and service providers.

The grants are funded through the federal Violence Against Women Act and administered by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services. The grants process was open and competitive for the first time in more than a decade, which resulted in grants being awarded to 14 organizations and agencies that had not been funded in the past. As a result, services for sexual assault and domestic violence victims will be expanded in the following counties: Albany, Allegany, Chautauqua, Fulton, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Rockland, Schenectady, St. Lawrence and Suffolk counties, as well as New York City.

The Division of Criminal Justice Services was required to follow a long-standing federal allocation formula when awarding the grants. The agency also needed to meet several new federal requirements, including funding efforts to eliminate sexual assault in correctional facilities, reducing domestic violence-related homicides, and ensuring that funds were equitably distributed among urban, suburban and rural communities across the state.

In addition, previously funded entities had no guarantee that they would receive funding this year. The Division of Criminal Justice Services received approximately $10.3 million in requests, exceeding the available funding by more than $4 million.

Division of Criminal Justice Services Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael C. Green said, “During my 25 years as a prosecutor, I saw the devastating impact that domestic violence and sexual assault had on its victims and their families, particularly children, who too often witnessed crimes committed by one parent against another. These grant awards will allow local criminal justice professionals, victim advocates and attorneys to handle cases more effectively, holding offenders accountable and also providing victims the services and support they need to recover and rebuild their lives.”

The New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault and New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence each will receive two grants totaling $231,000.

The Coalition Against Sexual Assault will use its funding to initiate a statewide project to implement best practices to address campus sexual assault by improving the response to these crimes through enhanced coordination among campus personnel, rape crisis centers, local law enforcement and prosecutors, while the Coalition Against Domestic Violence coalition will work to reduce domestic violence homicides across New York through statewide training and technical assistance for service providers. Both organizations also will fund statewide prevention and awareness initiatives and training for advocates who work with domestic violence and sexual assault victims.

Rep. Louise Slaughter, an original author of VAWA said, “Survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault have endured the unimaginable. When Pat Schroeder and I wrote VAWA, we knew that in addition to physical, emotional, and psychological trauma that survivors experience, they are almost always faced with housing needs, legal matters and financial issues. The programs established through VAWA help survivors of domestic violence rebuild their lives with assistance in all these areas. Since 1994, incidents of domestic violence have decreased by 67 percent. I am proud to support VAWA and the excellent organizations here in Rochester that benefit from the grant programs it established.”

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A free workshop that explains and explores the many changes youth undergo during their transition into adulthood will be held at 6 p.m. at the YWCA of Niagara.

The snapshot session is designed to help adults help youth to build a positive identity, increase their self-esteem, develop a healthy body image, and respect diversity.

The program, offered by Native American Community Services of Erie & Niagara Counties is called “Understanding Adolescence: Supporting Our Young People.” It is open to parents, guardians, caregivers, grandparents, role models and youth service providers. There will be free coffee and light refreshments as well as the opportunity to talk with experts in their field.

If you can’t make it to this one, don’t fret. It will be offered again on Nov. 20.

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Two Niagara County service agencies received a combined $115,690 to combat domestic violence, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office announced today.

The YWCA of Niagara, Inc. will receive $58,879, while Family & Children’s Service of Niagara, Inc. will take in $56,811 as part of the $4.3 million the state received through the Federal Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, which supports the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of programs to prevent domestic violence.

The federal program also provides immediate shelter and support services for all victims of domestic violence and their children, as well as specialized services for underserved populations throughout the state.

"Too many families experience violence at home, and my administration has made it a priority to help New Yorkers break this cycle of abuse," Gov. Cuomo said. "This funding will support proven programs that are designed to help victims and combat the problem of domestic violence all across this state."

Awardees had to demonstrate in their proposals that the funds will support preventing incidents of family violence, as well as provide immediate shelter, support services, and access to community-based programs for victims of domestic violence and their children. They also had to offer specialized services for children, underserved populations, and minorities that are exposed to domestic violence.

Acting Commissioner of the Office of Children and Family Services Sheila J. Poole said, “Last year, more than 15,000 New Yorkers received emergency domestic violence shelter services at programs licensed by Office of Children and Family Services. This funding is critical to help come to the aid of adults and children who are desperately seeking help from dangerous situations at home. The organizations benefitting from this funding provide important care to families of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds affected by domestic violence every day of the year. It is important to recognize that there are victims across the state who need services not only to keep them safe, but to help them overcome the trauma of abuse.”

According to a press release from the state, one in four women will experience domestic violence, more than three million children each year will witness domestic violence at home, and without help, girls who witness domestic violence are more vulnerable to abuse, and boys are more likely to become abusers of their partners and children as adults, continuing a cycle of violence we see in families all too often.

Providers statewide received nearly 195,000 domestic violence crisis or hotline calls in 2013 alone. Local domestic violence hotlines provide community-specific information and resources. A list of local hotline numbers can be found on the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence website.

Additionally, the Office of Children and Family Services website contains information about domestic violence service providers. The information listed contains business addresses, and does not represent actual DV shelter locations.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

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