The funds are part of the Swalm Grant program that was established in 2005 when the Swalm family of Houston gifted the TCFV an endowment fund of $5 million to benefit domestic violence service providers in Texas, according to a TCFV press release.
Grants are awarded annually following an application process, according to the organization, and funds are designed to support operations not usually covered by government grants.
In New Braunfels, the Comal County Family Violence Shelter, also known as the Crisis Center of Comal County, received $30,000 to increase the shelter’s in-school violence prevention education program, according to the release.
The program teaches students about body autonomy, healthy communication, relationship safety, how to report abuse and more.
In 2021, the organization served more than 400 children and provided more than 12,000 victim services to children, according to the release.
The Guadalupe Valley Family Violence Shelter received $29,669 to hire a full-time counselor, according to the release, and the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center received a $30,000 grant for flexible funding.
The HCWC intends to use this funding to cover rental deposits, child care costs, car repairs and hotel rooms to temporarily house survivors, according to the release. The organization has been at or near capacity for over a year.
“[The] TCFV expects these funds to help agencies acquire more resources and open more opportunities to serve survivors and their families, because we have always and will always support agencies who prioritize the survivor’s needs,” TCVF CEO Gloria Aquilera Terry said in the release.
