December 29, 2009 — RESPOND, Inc., based in Somerville, recently received a grant of $18,000 to support its emergency shelter program for survivors of domestic violence and their children, provided by the BNY Mellon Charitable Giving Program.

“RESPOND is profoundly grateful for the support of BNY Mellon and the Harriet B. Bayley Trust,” said Jessica C. Brayden, executive director of RESPOND. “We have always had great respect and admiration for the depth of the BNY Mellon Charitable Giving Program’s commitment to the community and to forging lasting relationships with social service providers. We are honored and excited to begin to build a long-term partnership that will benefit survivors of domestic violence of all ages, including adults, teens, children, and infants.”

During the past year, RESPOND’s private and government contributions have decreased substantially while the demand for services has risen sharply, rendering the need for funding more critical than ever, the agency said.

Each year, the organization, New England’s first domestic violence agency, provides direct services to approximately 5,000 domestic violence survivors and their children.

Since the onset of the economic crisis in September 2008, RESPOND reported a 60% increase in the average number of monthly calls to the 24-hour hotline, a 70% increase in the number of individuals in ongoing individual counseling, and a 65% increase in the number of individuals accompanied to court.

In addition, according to RESPOND, shelter residents are finding it more difficult to find housing resulting in longer than average shelter stays for families. Between July 2008 and June 2009, RESPOND received 249 requests for shelter.; Due to lack of space RESPOND was forced to turn away 84% of hotline callers seeking refuge.

“The safety net for individuals and families in need is has grown much weaker in the wake of the financial crisis,” noted RESPOND’s Development Director Daniele Levine. “By supporting core emergency shelter and support services for victims of domestic violence, the BNY Mellon Charitable Giving Program is helping to ensure that the most vulnerable among us don’t fall through the cracks during tough times.”