Des Moines, Iowa – Bank of America recently awarded Children & Families of Iowa (CFI) with a $10,000 grant in support of the Compass program.
CFI’s Compass program provides supportive, short-term housing for domestic violence survivors and their children. Victims who chose to leave their abusers often have little to no access to financial resources that allow them to establish independent, violent-free lives, and thus often return to their abusive situation. The goal of the Compass program is to help survivors transition to their own permanent housing that is affordable and safe.
“Funding for the Compass program is essential to helping domestic violence survivors break free from their abusers,” says Amy Stapp-Arpy, CFI’s Chief Development Officer/VP of Development and Communications. “We are thankful for the generous support of companies such as Bank of America who are committed to giving back to those in their communities who face adversity.”
In addition to paying rent based on a sliding scale, residents of the program receive case management and participate in skill-building classes, including money management and budgeting. This training helps residents move toward a new independent and abuse-free life.
“It’s an honor to support an organization that focuses on such important issues and helps set families on a path toward emotional and financial stability,” said Deon Pitsor, Iowa State President at Bank of America and former board member of the CFI Foundation. “Investing in the communities where we live and work is a top priority for Bank of America. It’s organizations like Children & Families of Iowa that help our great state thrive.”
Thanks to Bank of America support, domestic violence survivors like Rita have found the support they needed to begin new, violent-free lives.
“Never in a million years would I have thought I’d be in the position I found myself in last year: a victim of domestic violence, unemployed and homeless,” says Rita. Her partner was controlling and physically abusive, and Rita became isolated and withdrawn from friends and other support systems. Feeling lost and afraid, she called the domestic violence crisis hotline operated by CFI.
“I lived at the shelter for three months,” recalls Rita. “I got a job and my counselor recommended CFI’s Compass program, which was literally a life saver for me.”
“I received incredible support from truly caring people, had a roof over my head and help getting my life together,” says Rita. CFI was my safety net while I worked on building a path to a stable life. Now I have a great job and an apartment of my own.”
About Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world’s largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small businesses, middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services.
The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 48 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 4,900 retail banking offices and approximately 15,700 ATMs and award-winning online banking with 31 million active users and more than 16 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world’s leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in more than 40 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
