The Arc of Bristol County, Inc. & New Hope, Inc. awarded a Grant

Attleboro Massachusetts, USA- The Arc of Bristol County, Inc. & New Hope, Inc. have been awarded a 3 year collaboration federal grant from the Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). OVW’s FY23 Training and Services to End Violence and Abuse Against Individuals with Disabilities and Deaf People Program Solicitation.

Congressman Jake Auchincloss responded “Societies may be judged by how their most vulnerable members are treated. The Arc & New Hope are working to protect the disabled community from sexual & domestic violence, and I will continue to support their efforts.”

The Arc of Bristol County, Inc. is a 501C3 non-profit organization formed in 1959 with offices located throughout Southern Massachusetts and Northern Rhode Island. The Arc and its Rhode Island affiliate, proAbility, offers an innovative menu of services and programs for individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities and their families.

New Hope, Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization formed in Attleboro, MA in 1979. Working across 41 cities/towns in Bristol, Norfolk, Plymouth and Worcester County in Massachusetts to end both sexual and domestic violence New Hope’s spectrum of care includes: Prevention Education; Crisis Intervention (Hotline & Advocacy); Shelter; Counseling; Housing Stabilization; Legal Assistance, Family Reunification, and a psycho-educational program for those who have perpetrated violence in their intimate partnership. Our programs seek to illuminate a path to violence-free self-sufficiency for each of our clients, regardless of immigration status, race, nationality, age, income level, gender, gender identity, disability or sexual orientation.

This collaboration will address the needs of individuals living with a disability who are, have been or to prevent them from becoming victims of domestic or sexual violence. The Office for Victims of Crime at the Department of Justice, https://ovc.ojp.gov/topics/victims-with-disabilities  reports “Research shows that individuals with a disability are more than twice as likely to be a victim of violent crime as those without a disability. Yet, many victim assistance agencies report that they rarely serve crime victims from this population because acts of physical aggression, domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes against people with disabilities often go unreported.”

The Arc President & CEO Michael Andrade and New Hope CEO Diana Mancera have both expressed excitement to begin the process of educating staff, the individuals we serve and family members to reduce cases against one of our most vulnerable populations.

For questions about our programs and services, please feel free to call The Arc at (508)226-1445 or New Hope at (508)226-4015.