How you can help victims of domestic violence
Helping some of the Hunter region’s most vulnerable women and children will be the focus of a charity gala later this year.
The McCloy Family Foundation will hold the event in September to raise vital funds for Jenny’s Place, which sees more than 1200 women come through their doors every year.
Jenny’s Place provides relief and support for women and children experiencing or at risk of experiencing domestic violence or homelessness.
The service has relied on community donations for years, after they opened their first women’s refuge in Newcastle in 1977.
“Domestic violence is a serious issue in Australia and in the Hunter region,” said Jenny’s Place executive manager Marcia Chapman.
“Too many women continue to lose their lives to their intimate partners each year. Thousands more live in fear in violent relationships.”
The fundraising event will be held on Friday, September 9 at Merewether Surfhouse from 6:30pm to 11pm with auction items, raffle prizes, live music and entertainment.
All funds raised will go toward delivering early domestic violence intervention and prevention services through Jenny’s Place Domestic Violence Resource Centre.
From 2020 to 2021, Jenny’s Place Domestic Violence Resource Centre relied on donations to provide counselling and support to 221 women.
“The funds raised will also contribute to supporting children in our care with counselling when they need it most and raise awareness in the community about Jenny’s Place services,” said Ms Chapman.
The McCloy Family Foundation was established by Hunter-based development group McCloy Group to support Hunter communities into the future.
Every year the McCloy Family Foundation highlight a Hunter based charity that is committed to helping others within the community.
Jenny’s Place saw a 15 per cent increase in the amount of people seeking their services from 2020 to 2021.
Without enough funding or resources, only 12 per cent of the people referred to the service were able to be housed in their refuges.
The issue is occurring across the country, with one in three women seeking accommodation to flee family or domestic violence unable to be housed.
McCloy Family Foundation CEO Hayley Van de Stadt said raising money to help women and children experiencing domestic violence was now more important than ever as the issue continues to grow across the country.
“For us, Jenny’s Place stood out as a charity doing incredible work in the Hunter, one which could achieve even higher goals with additional support,” said Ms Van de Stadt.
“Being able to provide this support and seeing the funds immediately help women and children in need, but also educate and spread awareness within our community to help stop domestic violence at the source is something we are all passionate about.”
The costs of the event will be covered by the foundation so that 100 per cent of the ticket sales and earnings can go toward vital funding needed for Jenny’s Place.
The fundraising gala will be hosted by Newcastle’s Hit 106.9 presenter Jess Farchione, with performances from dance-band Jerome and comedian Cam Knight.
Tickets are on sale online now and can be purchased for $189 per person or $1690 for a table of 10 through the McCloy Family Foundation website.
NEWCASTLE HERALD | PAIGE BUSHER
18th July 2022
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