Finding Our Voices awarded Sewall Foundation Grant

Thu, 04/14/2022 - 1:15pm
Many of the Finding Our Voices survivors breaking the silence of domestic abuse across Maine, with their faces and quotes on posters and bookmarks, gathered in March for the nonprofit organization’s three-year anniversary exhibit at the Camden Public Library. From left, sitting:  Eliza, Alison, Patrisha, Hannah; standing, Rebekah, Kate, Eve, Mary Lou, Courtney, Amy, Maegan, Jeannine, Amanda, Kali, Sarah, Betsy and Mel. Photo by Anna Anna Finocchiaro
    Finding Our Voices, the grassroots nonprofit organization marshaling survivor voices to break the silence of domestic abuse, has been awarded $10,000 by the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation. 
     
    The grant is earmarked for the Get Out Stay Out Fund that empowers women to get out and stay out of dangerous intimate partner situations, and get and keep their children safe as well. This Finding Our Voices fund was seeded in 2021 by the Sunshine Lady Foundation and in less than a year has disbursed $40,000 to Maine domestic violence victims for items including first and last month’s rent, car repairs, storage unit fees, utility bills, work certification, gas, clothes and groceries. 
     
    Patrisha McLean, president/founder of Finding Our Voices, said: “The Elmina B. Sewall Foundation values programs that  support systems that work, and changes systems that don’t;  nurtures new ways of thinking and working; and supports individuals and community empowerment. I can’t think of a better way to describe what we are doing, community by community all across Maine, and it is a true honor to now be supported by and aligned with this foundation in such a meaningful way.
     
    “A chief way that domestic abusers keep their victims trapped and terrorized is by controlling the finances. This generous grant from the Sewall Foundation will help women and children all across Maine cross over to the side of safety and freedom,” McLean said.
     
     

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