Allstate Foundation supports financial education for survivors and community
(FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla.) January 31, 2016 – The Allstate Foundation recently awarded Shelter House a grant for $30,625 to continue its economic empowerment program. Shelter House first received this grant in 2009, and has since earned recognition and offered training to other domestic violence centers on its innovative programs.
“Financial abuse and domestic violence often go hand in hand,” said Rosalyn Iovieno, Executive Director of Shelter House. “Learning about financial tools and strategies empowers survivors to establish new lives with safety plans for themselves and their money.”
Tactics that abusers use to exert control include restricting the victim’s access to money, ruining the victim’s credit, forbidding her to work or even harassing her on the job causing a spotty work history. Shelter House advocates in the WAM! (Women and Money) program work with survivors on budgeting, building savings, repairing credit scores and more through the economic empowerment courses. Shelter House also works with the children of abuse survivors so they learn early in life how to handle their own finances.
While the programs for domestic violence victims are a major focus, Shelter House offers workshops that are free and open to the public as well. The agency will hold public workshops on April 4 and June 25. For more information, call 850-243-1201.