- What is The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program?
- Why is The Allstate Foundation taking leadership on the issue of domestic violence?
- What are the key components of The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program?
- How large is the financial commitment that The Allstate Foundation is making to the Economics Against Abuse Program?
- Who is eligible to receive funding from The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program?
- What is the Financial Empowerment Curriculum?
- What is the Education and Job Training Assistance Fund?
- How is The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program different from other domestic violence programs?
- Is there a Web site I can visit for more information?
- What is The Allstate Foundation?
- What is the National Network to End Domestic Violence Fund?
1. What is The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program?
Domestic violence is a pervasive, often overlooked social crisis that will affect one out of every four adult women at least once in her lifetime1. In response to this crisis, The Allstate Foundation developed a signature program to address the barrier domestic violence poses to the safety and financial security of victims and their families.
The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program provides comprehensive programming to energize, empower and equip domestic violence survivors with the resources, knowledge and skills they need to achieve economic empowerment. The Allstate Foundation is working in partnership with the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) Fund to reach survivors and advocates across the country. NNEDV and its membership of domestic violence coalitions assist The Allstate Foundation in effecting social change, while providing valuable grassroots support to local service providers.
Studies from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Institute of Justice, and Centers for Disease Control all conclude that victims of intimate partner violence are overwhelmingly female. A 2005 report noted that women comprise 84 percent of spousal abuse victims and 86 percent of victims of abuse by a boyfriend or girlfriend. In terms of victimization, intimate partner violence against men is overwhelming committed by male perpetrators.
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2. Why is The Allstate Foundation taking leadership on the issue of domestic violence?
The Allstate Foundation is committed to helping all members of society feel not only better protected today but also become better prepared for the future, by lending support to communities throughout the United States. With more than 1.35 million American women and their children accessing domestic violence services each year,2 The Allstate Foundation believes that targeting resources to end domestic violence will effect the real, long-term social change that is crucial to building healthy, strong communities. No other corporation is working with both survivors and advocates to address these economic hurdles on a national level.
Experts agree that there is a significant gap in resources for programs designed to assist survivors with economic challenges resulting from domestic violence. As the corporate foundation of a financial services company, The Allstate Foundation has unique expertise and resources to provide economic empowerment options to survivors of domestic violence. The Economics Against Abuse Program provides knowledge and skills to help survivors connect to resources that will help them live safer and more financially secure.
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3. What are the key components of The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program?
Through The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program, The Allstate Foundation serves as a leader on the important issue of domestic violence, and a catalyst for social change within our communities. The program provides a holistic network of economic and personal empowerment services and support to energize, empower and equip domestic violence survivors and their advocates.
Through its partnership with the NNEDV Fund and its network of state coalitions, The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program focuses on enabling domestic violence survivors to transition to more stable and financially secure lives. The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program accomplishes this through:
- Direct services: Providing programming and funding support through a financial empowerment curriculum and training materials; community volunteerism by Allstate employees, agents and agency staff; and a grant program that allows service providers to address the complex, broad and often immediate range of survivors’ needs.
- Thought leadership: Supporting domestic violence advocates and service providers through national conferences, other events and research.
- Public awareness: Creating a national effort to raise public awareness and change societal attitudes about domestic violence and the devastating effects of economic abuse.
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4. How large is the financial commitment that The Allstate Foundation is making to the Economics Against Abuse Program?
Through its signature Economics Against Abuse Program, The Allstate Foundation has established a multi-year, multi-million dollar commitment to address domestic violence issues. Since the program’s inception in spring 2005, The Allstate Foundation has awarded over $4 million to domestic violence organizations. In fall 2007, it committed more than $650,000 in funding to support development and distribution of Financial Empowerment Curriculum nationwide.
Through its partnership with the NNEDV Fund and its network of state coalitions, The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program focuses on enabling domestic violence survivors to transition to more stable and financially secure lives. The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program accomplishes this through:
- The Allstate Foundation has provided the NNEDV Fund with over one million dollars to support the program and economic empowerment initiatives throughout the movement.
In 2008, The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Program awarded nine grants, of up to $100,000 ($650,000 total) to domestic violence coalitions collaborating with local programs to support the immediate and long term economic needs of domestic violence survivors.
- In July 2006, The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program launched The Education and Job Training Fund, administered by NNEDV, which helps survivors through smaller, direct grants to access financial resources to covers expenses related to building a more secure financial future. To date, contributions to the fund total nearly $1 million.
- Numerous regional Allstate offices are also financially supporting domestic violence programs operating in their home communities.
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5. Who is eligible to receive funding from The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program?
The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program continually evaluates ways it can provide support to the domestic violence community. It currently offers funding to national, state and local organizations. To date, funding has been provided to partner organizations, state domestic violence coalitions and local domestic violence service providers who partner with coalitions to provide economic empowerment services to survivors of domestic violence. Local funding is provided through The Allstate Foundation in Allstate’s 13 regional offices and Allstate New Jersey. As new funding opportunities become available, The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program will announce the criteria and priorities for these specific grants.
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6. What is the Financial Empowerment Curriculum?
A key component of The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program is its Financial Empowerment Curriculum—a comprehensive package of financial tools and information designed to (1) empower victims of domestic violence to achieve economic self-sufficiency, and (2) educate and train advocates and Allstate volunteers to work with domestic violence victims as they move forward on the path to financial security.
The curriculum includes the following components:
- Approaches for locating and effectively accessing local, state and national personal safety and financial resources;
- Information on how to protect personal and financial safety while remaining in an abusive relationship and after leaving an abusive relationship;
- Strategies for dealing with the misuse of financial records;
- Strategies for addressing the complex financial and safety challenges of ending a relationship with an abusive partner;
- Strategies for working through the financial and safety challenges of identity change;
- Tools to help people of all incomes and earning power work toward long-term economic empowerment. In addition, Allstate personal financial representatives partner with domestic violence coalitions to train local domestic violence service providers to use the curriculum.
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7. What is the Education and Job Training Assistance Fund?
The Education and Job Training Assistance (EJTA) Fund assists domestic violence survivors in overcoming financial obstacles by helping them access education and job training opportunities. It provides individual grants of up to $1,000 each to survivors to help with the costs of tuition, school supplies, books, public transportation and other expenses that allow them to finish school, secure and keep a job, and support their families. The EJTA
Fund supports career-advancement activities such as professional licenses, workforce tools and additional job training. Domestic violence service providers may apply for grants on behalf of survivors. The Allstate Foundation has contributed close to one million dollars to the fund since its launch in June of 2006.
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8. How is The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program different from other domestic violence programs?
The Allstate Foundation has great respect for the many outstanding advocates, political, business and philanthropic leaders who have worked so hard to support and improve the lives of survivors of domestic violence.
Allstate protects millions of people from life’s uncertainties, and we help them prepare for the future. We are leaders with over three generations of success—success that is driven by tens of thousands of Allstate employees who are committed to our customers and our communities. The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program leverages the commitment of our employees and our collective financial expertise and resources to give battered women more choices and a brighter path to economic security.
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9. Is there a Web site I can visit for more information?
To learn more about The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program, visit www.ClickToEmpower.org
Who can I contact for more information about The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program?
For more information about the program, contact:
The Allstate Foundation Economics Against Abuse Program
Kyle Donash, Communication Consultant
Phone: (847) 402-7893
Email: kdonb@allstate.com
If you are in danger due to domestic violence, please call 911. In addition, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-SAFE (7233) provides crisis intervention, safety planning, information and referralsfor victims and anyone calling on their behalf from all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S.Virgin Islands. Language translation services are available.
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10. What is The Allstate Foundation?
Established in 1952,The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation. Allstate and The Allstate Foundation sponsor community initiatives to promote “safe and vital communities”; “tolerance, inclusion, and diversity”; and “economic empowerment.” The Allstate Foundation believes in the financial potential of every individual and in helping America’s families achieve their American dream. For additional information, visit www.allstate.com/foundation.
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11. What is the National Network to End Domestic Violence Fund?
The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) Fund is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt social change organization representing state domestic violence coalitions. The NNEDV Fund is dedicated to creating a social, political, and economic environment in which violence against women no longer exists. The NNEDV Fund accomplishes these goals through capacity building for coalitions, public education, training, and technical assistance to maintain and develop the professional expertise of advocates. The NNEDV Fund strives to strengthen advocates as organizers and activists in the tradition of social change movements. For additional information, visit www.nnedv.org.
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