Coffee County Nonprofit Receives $549,500 In Federal Funding To Aid Safe Families Project

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The nonprofit Coffee County Drug Court Foundation will receive $549,500 from the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to support its Safe Families Project, announced Acting United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III.

Coffee County’s Safe Families Project will bring together local stakeholders, including the public defender’s office, sheriff’s office, police departments, probation office, batterer intervention providers, and substance abuse prevention providers, in a three-year program that will serve at least 60 families in Coffee County’s Family Treatment Court who will simultaneously be working to overcome the impact of domestic violence, addiction, and custody challenges.

“Helping families recover from the devastating impact of domestic violence and drug addiction is an essential function of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Hamilton. “Our office is pleased to announce this significant grant that will assist the important work being undertaken by the Coffee County Drug Court Foundation to overcome the destructive impact of domestic violence and drug addiction on families in our community.”

This award is one of many that OVW is distributing in 2021 to support projects that meaningfully address the needs of underserved and marginalized survivors, improve access to justice, enhance survivor safety, hold offenders accountable, and build a coordinated community response to violence against women.

“The awards we make this year will touch the lives of millions of survivors of violence and help our nation end these devastating crimes,” said Allison Randall, OVW Acting Director.  “OVW is proud to be the leading federal voice in the country’s fight against sexual and domestic violence.”

The Office on Violence Against Women provides federal leadership in developing the national capacity to reduce violence against women and administer justice for and strengthen services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

                                                                                            ###