In this week’s Examiner, you’ll read about the dire straits 180, Turning Lives Around finds itself in because of planned and potential state budget cuts.
The Hazlet-based nonprofit, formerly known as the Women’s Center of Monmouth County, is the lone county agency that offers comprehensive services to domestic violence and sexual assault victims.
The agency recently honored special community partners at its 26th annual awards dinner; now it’s time for the greater community to show that we are all partners in supporting this valuable agency.
According to 180 Executive Director Anna Diaz-White, the agency is "looking at $253,000 just vanishing."
The agency has already been told it will lose $100,000 which it cannot make up through fund raising, according to Diaz-White.
That funding shortfall has resulted in the elimination of two rape-care programs. One of the programs taught students how to protect themselves and the other provided sensitivity training to police officers who deal with victims of drug-related sexual assaults.
The deeper cut could result in the loss of the award-winning Amanda’s Easel art therapy program, toll-free hot lines and closure of a Neptune outreach office.
The state budget will not be approved until next month, which leaves ample opportunity to write to your legislators and the governor to let them know this funding is vital and how important the 180 center is to your community.