Thirty years ago, the House Of Ruth Maryland started as a small, grassroots shelter providing safety for battered women. As a society, we still were in denial about the pervasiveness and destructiveness of this crime, notes Executive Director Carole Alexander.  But over the years the funding community, including the France-Merrick Foundation, Marion I. & Henry J. Knott Foundation, Hoffberger Foundation, Linehan Family Foundation, Wright Family Foundation, Charles Crane Family Foundation, Zanvyl & Isabelle Krieger Fund, United Way of Central Maryland, and Verizon Maryland joined with the House Of Ruth to cast a bright light on this shameful and secret behavior. 

Over the past 30 years, philanthropic support of the House Of Ruth's mission to end domestic violence and change the attitudes and behavior that perpetuate it has been firm and enduring.  The foundation community helped build a new shelter and create the most comprehensive service delivery system that exists in Maryland.  Most importantly, local funders including the Morton K. & Jane Blaustein Foundation and the Fund For Change have helped the House Of Ruth advocate for system reform and challenge government practices and policies that harm victims or fail to hold their abusers accountable.

Local funders have focused funding on domestic violence prevention because violence within relationships is prevalent, impacting our families and children.  Nationally, one in every four women report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives.  Every day, more than 3 children die as a result of child abuse in the home.  The effects of physical, sexual and psychological abuse can be devastating for both the victims themselves, as well as those who witness the violence.

The House Of Ruth Maryland offers a range of services for victims, their children, friends and family, teens, and abusers. This year, the House Of Ruth served 8,449 victims, including 1,002 teens and 390 children. In addition to its professional staff and community advocates program, hundreds of volunteers play a role in helping women and their children remain safe from abuse. House Of Ruth also offers extensive information and referral services and a website that attracts at least 1,000 visitors per month.

Local funders have been critical partners with the House Of Ruth in their growth and expansion, and to ensure that their critical services continue to strengthen. 

"The philanthropic community came together to support a total expansion of their services," says Rosanne DiFonzo, Assistant Secretary of the France-Merrick Foundation.  "The funds made it possible not only to expand its facilities but to address a whole family's needs through job training, life-skill counseling, and other services to help victims of abuse get back on their feet."