PENNSYLVANIA Lawmaker lands $150K for shelter

The shelter director said domestic violence is rising is Pennsylvania.
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart has helped secure $150,000 from the U.S. Labor, Health & amp; Human Services Department for the Crisis Shelter of Lawrence County.
The funding came from requests made by Hart of Bradford Woods, R-4th, that were included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2005 passed by Congress last week.
A portion of Lawrence and Mercer counties is in Hart's 4th Congressional District.
Melissa Pearce, shelter executive director, said the money will be used to expand the shelter's efforts to prevent domestic abuse and bolster its free services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
"We truly appreciate the investment to sustain services, especially at a time when there have been funding cuts to such [domestic abuse prevention] programs," Pearce said.
She said Hart regularly communicates with the crisis shelter about its needs, and the congresswoman recently hosted a seminar for nonprofit agencies in the Lawrence County area to help identify new revenue sources.
"Women's shelters are often the first stop for individuals seeking to break the cycle of domestic violence and begin repairing their lives," Hart said. "Yet, many shelters have faced serious financial shortfalls recently, so this infusion of federal help is critical."
Pearce said the domestic violence incidence rate in Pennsylvania has risen 13 percent this year, which means there is a "death attributed to domestic violence just about every other day in this state, and the problem is growing."
She said the grant will be used to expand the shelter's intervention training programs. Community professionals are trained by shelter staff to be able to identify sexual and domestic abuse in the community.