October 17, 2017, Fort Lauderdale, FL – Women In Distress will unveil the Leo Goodwin Foundation Outreach Center at a special Season of Giving private, by invitation only, event entitled “Happy Hands-Giving” on Wednesday, November 8 from 5pm – 7pm at the Jim & Jan Moran Family Center campus of Women In Distress in Deerfield Beach. This dedication event will celebrate the Leo Goodwin Foundation Outreach Center which was named in honor of the $250,000 gift the Foundation gave to Women In Distress in 2014. This contribution was made to complete a $5 million capital campaign that was launched in 2009 to expand domestic violence services and double the number of the emergency shelter beds.
The donation expanded the range and scope of services, including therapy services for women, children, and men, infant and early childhood therapy available in the Leo Goodwin Foundation Outreach Center. In addition, the generous donation enabled Women In Distress to expand services to five satellite centers throughout Broward County, bringing services closer to domestic violence survivors in need. Offering services to survivors in different parts of the county allows survivors to receive critical services near their home and eliminate the barrier of not being able to obtain services at their main location in Deerfield Beach due to the lack of transportation.
This leadership gift follows many years of support by the Leo Goodwin Foundation for the agency’s annual operations and completes the Project SAFE Place Capital Campaign for Women In Distress. “We are delighted and honored to make this significant contribution to Women In Distress”, said Alan Goldberg, President of the Leo Goodwin Foundation. The Leo Goodwin Foundation is extremely compassionate and driven to be involved with this Outreach Program so that Women In Distress has the resources they so desperately need to continue to grow the number of people they touch and expand their services to those in need. “The dedication and tireless efforts that all of those at Women In Distress demonstrate every single day are critical to our community,” said Elliot Borkson, Vice President of the Leo Goodwin Foundation.
Women In Distress focuses their efforts on ending domestic violence abuse through intervention, education and advocacy. They offer 24-hour crisis intervention through their 24-Hour Crisis Hotline and emergency shelter, as well as counseling and support for victims and their children. In addition, they provide education and professional training on domestic violence and related topics in Broward County schools and throughout the community. The Leo Goodwin Foundation Outreach Center is home to their 24-hour crisis hotline as well as legal services for survivors. These critical services, offered at no cost, are designed to meet all language needs, as well as the needs of those with any disability. Currently, Women In Distress group and individual therapy sessions are available in English, Spanish, Creole, Portuguese, and American Sign Language interpreters are available to those who need them.
In 2008, Women in Distress embarked on the largest capital expansion program in the history of the organization to address the increased needs of a growing community. The Project SAFE Place Capital Campaign’s goal was to raise $5 million in order to expand all services at the new Jim & Jan Moran Family Center located in Deerfield Beach, which opened in April 2011. Prior to the expansion, Women In Distress was only able to shelter one out of every two domestic violence victims in need because shelter space was at or over capacity. As a result of the capital campaign, services to domestic violence survivors and their children were expanded.
“For many years, The Leo Goodwin Foundation has been a leader by example on the community front, a catalyst for change and a force for bringing other supporters to the table. We are proud to have the Leo Goodwin Foundation Outreach Center as a permanent part of Women In Distress Jim & Jan Moran Family Center campus,” said Women In Distress President and CEO Mary Riedel. “The Leo Goodwin Foundation Outreach Center is the hub for services, a place where survivors of domestic violence and their children come each day for help. Because of this generous legacy gift from the Leo Goodwin Foundation, families now and for generations to come are on the road to lives free of violence.”
The Leo Goodwin Foundation is dedicated to providing funding to a variety of non-profit organizations. Over the years, they have been a major participant in several organizations’ capital campaign efforts. Their goal is to enrich lives, inspire hope, and educate and promote good health through financial contributions to these organizations, striving to fulfill their vision and goals.
ABOUT LEO GOODWIN FOUNDATION
The Leo Goodwin Foundation, a charitable foundation based in Broward County, was established by Leo Goodwin Sr. and Jr. It was the Goodwin family that founded GEICO Insurance Company.
The mission of the Foundation is to improve the lives of all of those who live in the community. Their work began with the youngest and most vulnerable in the community. Their initial investments supported the efforts of Kids In Distress; the Boys and Girls Clubs; PACE Center for Girls; SOS Children’s Villages and many others whose primary focus was on the kids.
The Trustees of the Foundation quickly saw the importance of education and made a significant commitment to Nova Southeastern University. The Goodwin name prominently appears on the buildings of the Law School at Nova’s Davie campus. In addition, the Foundation funds and distributes scholarships each year to numerous deserving students, with needs, at the Nova Law School and Broward College.
The Leo Goodwin Foundation has also sought to tackle some of the more immediate problems facing the community, including mental health issues, with a major grant to Henderson Behavioral Health; and homeless issues, with initial capital funding and ongoing commitments to Broward Partnership for the Homeless.
The Trustees are also proud of the Foundation’s commitment to the Arts, including funding for the Broward Performing Arts Center; The Museum of Discovery and Science; and Young at Art, Children’s Museum.
It is the hope of the Foundation that its efforts will benefit the community as a whole and that their positioning line, “By Doing Good, We All Win”, is fulfilled. To learn more about the Leo Goodwin Foundation, please visit www.leogoodwinfoundation or call 954.772.6863.
ABOUT WOMEN IN DISTRESS
Women In Distress is the only nationally accredited, state-certified, full service domestic violence center serving Broward County. Celebrating 42 years of keeping families safe, their mission is to stop domestic violence abuse for everyone through intervention, education and advocacy. They strive to accomplish this mission by offering services that include 24-hour crisis intervention through our hotline and emergency shelter, counseling and support for victims and their children at various locations throughout Broward County, as well as education and professional trainings on domestic violence and related topics. To donate to Women In Distress, please visit https://www.womenindistress.org/ways-to-donate/donate-now/. For more information on Women In Distress of Broward County, Inc., please call (954) 760-9800 or visit www.womenindistress.org. To learn more about the Women In Distress private, by invitation only, “Happy Hands-Giving” Season of Giving event dedicating the Leo Goodwin Foundation Outreach Building, contact Christine Brown at [email protected] or call 954-760-9800 ext. 1236.
