In its years of service to residents throughout Fayette County, Promise Place has made a difference in the lives of victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse. Continuing that expanding mission led Promise Place Director Sonja Strickland to ask Fayetteville City Council March 2 for funding assistance when council members begin planning expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year. Though no promises for funding were made, council members seemed receptive to the request.
Strickland explained that Promise Place provided direct services to 523 individuals representing 619 children in 2005, including 234 from Fayetteville and unincorporated Fayette County. Also during 2005, 78 women attended the Promise Place support group, 112 victims were assisted in obtaining emergency protective orders, 1,658 participated in the Teen Dating Violence Prevention program and 1,001 community residents heard presentations on domestic violence awareness.
Already receiving funding from Peachtree City Council and Fayette County Commission and a frequent liaison with Fayetteville Police, Strickland asked Fayetteville Council members to consider assisting the organization with its growing needs. Promise Place currently provides services such as counseling, a 24-hour hotline, case management, community outreach, children’s counseling, date violence education, legal advocacy and assistance, domestic violence response team, emergency food and transportation, individual and group counseling for victims and abusers and a transitional residence, she said.
The impact of the assistance provided by non-profit’s two staff and 40 volunteers was made clear in the council chambers March 2 when a Fayetteville resident recalled her own experiences with domestic violence, the trauma it brings and the hope she found at Promise Place.
“These people cared to help us when we were in that situation,” she said, her voice sometimes breaking, with a tone of sincerity that was unmistakable to anyone in the room. “I know my life would have been totally different without them.”
After the comments by Promise Place, Mayor Kenneth Steele explained that council members would consider the benefit to taxpayers and the community that is derived from the services Promise Place provides and that future funding would be considered.
“You made a very strong presentation and we certainly appreciate all the work you do on behalf of the community. And I have researched it and I’ve talked with the Police Department and with Mr. Morton, our city manager,” Steele said. “And we recognize the service you are, in fact, providing with the Police Department for our community as a whole. So I would certainly encourage us to take a good, hard look at it.”