Jenny Stasio, Director of Operations of Family Crisis Services (FCS), spoke about the evolving role of FCS.  FCS was founded in 1977 and is the domestic violence resource center that serves victims and survivors in Cumberland County.  FCS provides safe and accessible services to all people affected by domestic violence regardless of race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender, age, primary language spoken, or immigration status.

 

FCS provides a wide variety of services including a 16 bed shelter in Portland, youth advocacy, prison advocacy, elder advocacy, and a 24 hour hotline. Anyone looking for help for an individual can call this hotline: friends, family, church family, neighbors, etc.  The two full time elder advocates work with victims of elder abuse and can meet with folks in their homes. In the past grant year, they have seen and worked with over 500 victims who were age 50+.

 

They have outreach offices in Bridgeton, Brunswick and at the Portland Police Dept.  They credit EPIC, Enhanced Police Interest Collaborative, with preventing homicides. They also run a program called Guys with Pies, a program that works with you men (over pizza) to mentor them to break the cycle of abuse.

 

FCS now has 46 active volunteers in addition to their full time staff. These volunteers are being featured on FCS FaceBook page during the month of April:  https://www.facebook.com/FamilyCrisisServices/?fref=ts

 

FCS receives funding for their programs from many sources: the United Way, Federal grants, Community Development Block Grants, by budget line items of Cities and Towns in Cumberland County, and by private donations.  Their Third Annual Gala Dinner & Auction will be held Thursday May 5, 2016 from 6-9PM at the Westin Portland Harborview.  For more information or to purchase tickets: http://newbeginningsgala.com/