In a collaboration between the Gilmore Foundation and the Community Foundation of Central Illinois (CFCI), the Center for Prevention of Abuse (CFPA) received an $86,464.87 gift to help fund new technology and increase accessibility to services for survivors of interpersonal violence in Central Illinois. The Gilmore Foundation contributed $66,464.87 and the Community Foundation of Central Illinois contributed $20,000.
“We are incredibly grateful to receive this gift of nearly $90,000 from the Gilmore Foundation and the Community Foundation of Central Illinois,” said Carol Merna, Chief Executive Officer at the Center for Prevention of Abuse. “This partnership between the Foundations shows the true power and impact of collaboration and what can happen when the needs of the community are prioritized. This funding comes at a particularly crucial time as many of our services for survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual abuse and assault, elder abuse, and our prevention education programming in schools are primarily remote and supported through telehealth. We are confident that with these improvements, we can provide top-notch virtual programming while prioritizing the health and safety of our staff and clients.”
The funds will help CFPA provide increased accessibility to clients, including a new server and fiber optic internet at the agency’s Joan Court location to improve connection for video therapy services and telehealth for survivors of sexual abuse, sexual assault, human trafficking, and domestic violence and new software to support remote programming provided by the Prevention Education department in Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford County schools.
“Gilmore Foundation is thrilled to support CFPA’s technical upgrade to help them more efficiently continue their good work into the future,” said Laura Cullinan, President of the Gilmore Foundation. “Our intention is to spark unified giving efforts in the community and this partnership with the Community Foundation of Central Illinois is a great start.”
CFPA began providing telehealth services and offering its prevention education curriculum remotely in March 2020 during COVID-19. The emergency safe shelters for domestic violence and human trafficking survivors remain open and fully operational 24 hours a day and CFPA continues to provide therapy, counseling, and some additional services over the phone and through video platforms.
“The Community Foundation of Central Illinois is pleased to partner with the Gilmore Foundation in support of CFPA’s critically important work helping survivors of abuse,” said Mark Roberts, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois. “The $20,000 grant from our Central Illinois Disaster Recovery Fund is made possible through the generosity of all those who have donated to help CFCI respond to emerging issues related to COVID-19 in our community.”
CFPA’s mission is to help all people live free from violence and abuse and these funds will help the agency remain client-centered, trauma-informed, and continue to prioritize the needs of survivors of interpersonal violence in central Illinois.
CFPA provides safe shelter, therapy, counseling, casework, medical and legal advocacy, safety and financial planning, and more to survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual abuse/assault, elder abuse, and abuse of adults living with disabilities. The crisis hotline is available at CFPA 24/7 at 1-800-559-SAFE (7233). For more information, please visit www.centerforpreventionofabuse.org.
