Press Releases

Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) awarded a $350,000 Transitional Housing Assistance grant to the Women’s Resource Center in Scranton.

The DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) manages the Transitional Housing Grant Assistance program. OVW provides federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The Transitional Housing Assistance Program provides aid to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking victims who are homeless or in need of transitional housing or other housing assistance, and for whom emergency shelter services or other crisis intervention services are unavailable or insufficient.  The program also focuses on supporting a holistic, victim-centered approach to provide transitional housing services that move individuals into permanent housing.

Additional support services could include:

• Case management, safety planning, transportation, financial literacy, counseling, support groups, job training; 
• Access to civil legal representation and mainstream resources and housing advocacy; 
• Follow-up services for at least 6 months once permanent housing is secured.

“Protecting women from abusers and predators is an enormous priority, and this investment will help keep Lackawanna County families safe,” Rep. Cartwright said.  “I am pleased such an important federal investment is being made and the Center will have access to the support they need to help keep women, children, and families safe.”

The Women's Resource Center (WRC) provides comprehensive services for female and male victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in Lackawanna and Susquehanna Counties. Services include a crisis hotline, crisis counseling, emergency shelter, safe housing, legal services, support services, community education and advocacy.

WRC will collaborate with its 6 partners, which include but are not limited to, the Catherine McAuley Center, Educational Opportunities Center, Inc., and Endless Mountain Learning Center. The WRC will use funds to provide transitional housing and support services to move survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence or stalking who are homeless or without permanent housing.