House of Ruth Also in Funding Struggle

The Save WEAVE campaign may have allowed that domestic violence assistance non-profit to stay open, but with the start of the new fiscal year today, other local groups are facing similar financial problems. House of Ruth, the District's largest nonprofit aimed at helping homeless women and children, most of whom have been victims of domestic violence, this week found out that it has lost nearly $500,000 in city funding, as the Washington Post's Susan Kinzie reported today.

With a total annual budget of $7.5 million, House of Ruth isn't facing the possibility of closing its doors entirely or forcing the roughly 600 women and children it houses out on the street, but it will likely have to cut a number of the services it provides, which includes things like parenting classes, addiction recovery, and help connecting to public legal and medical services. "Although the cutbacks may bring some immediate relief to the city's coffers, these cuts will be harmful to all women and children," said House of Ruth president Christel Nichols in a statement. "The city will see a dramatic increase in homelessness, domestic violence, fatalities, and despair."

The group plans to reach out to donors to close the gap, but in a press release, director of development Carolyn Stevens expressed fears that the figure may simply be too large to reasonably make up.

House of Ruth accepts donations through its web site.