Hope and Healing Survivor Resource Center, which said earlier this summer that it was still waiting for federal confirmation for grants that should have been approved months ago, will receive some of the money it was waiting on.

A $600,0000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women will go toward addressing abuse in adults aged 50 and older. The money is from Training and Services to End Abuse in Later Life Program.

The announcement of the award, from U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, comes after leaders at Hope and Healing expressed concerns about long delays in award announcements for funds that should have already been allocated. 

CEO Teresa Stafford-Wright said previously there was about $3 million in funding at risk over three years. 

“We should’ve heard months ago,” Katherine Robbins, Hope and Healing’s chief development officer, said of the five grants that are still pending.

Robbins said Hope and Healing was informed that two grants were denied:

  • One for $500,000 over three years for child and youth programs
  • A second for nearly $182,500 over three years to improve criminal justice responses

Despite not receiving those monies, Robbins said, she was glad to have answers about the proposals that were not awarded — and “very enthusiastic” about the award to address abuse in older adults.

Stafford-Wright, in a statement, said the award “represents an important investment in the safety, dignity, and well-being of older adults experiencing abuse.”

“Together, we will strengthen services, improve access to support for older survivors, and ensure our community is better equipped to prevent, identify, and respond to abuse in later life,” Stafford-Wright said.

The four-year grant runs from Aug. 1 to July 31, 2030. Robbins said it will allow Hope and Healing to work with partners throughout Summit County, including the county’s health department and the Akron Police Department to train them about crimes targeting older adults..

“We’re thrilled we have all these excellent partners who are going to come together,” Robbins said. “It really is an enhancement of the work we do.”

Economics of Akron Reporter (she/her)
Arielle is a Northeast Ohio native with more than 20 years of reporting experience in Cleveland, Atlanta and Detroit. She joined Signal Akron as its founding education reporter, where she covered Akron Public Schools and the University of Akron.

As the economics of Akron reporter, Arielle will cover topics including housing, economic development and job availability. Through her reporting, she aims to help Akron residents understand the economic issues that are affecting their ability to live full lives in the city, and highlight information that can help residents make decisions. Arielle values diverse voices in her reporting and seeks to write about under-covered issues and groups.