Emporia’s SOS received a pair of grant awards in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Tuesday, the Office of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced over $1.4 million in funds to support survivors of domestic violence and their families. Among the 20 organizations was SOS, which is set to receive just under $58,000, with those funds specifically earmarked to provide outreach and education services on a variety of topics, including family violence prevention, emergency shelter for victims of violence and their dependents, support groups and crisis intervention services, advocacy in obtaining protection from abuse orders, court accompaniment, and transportation assistance.
In the news release Tuesday, Governor Kelly stated, “Through this funding, we are taking tangible steps to prevent domestic violence from occurring in the first place, as well as providing crucial supports to survivors and their families,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “These grants are critical to making Kansas communities stronger, safer, and more resilient.”
The grant announcement came the same day that SOS revealed it had been made a recipient of an additional $20,000 in unrestricted grant funds from the Mary Kay Ash Foundation. SOS Director Mickey Edwards stated in a news release from the agency Tuesday, “We are so grateful for these funds from the Mary Kay Ash Foundation. This $20,000 grant will help us continue to maintain critical services and programs for domestic violence survivors. Unrestricted funds allow us to address our residents’ and shelter’s most emergent needs.”
According to the news release on Tuesday, in 2025, 40 adults and 46 children found safe shelter at SOS while they got back on their feet.
SOS was one of 51 recipients selected out of more than 300 organizations that applied for the funding through the foundation this year.
