Crisis Center receives $20,000 grant from the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation

The Grand Island Crisis Center has received one of 150 grants awarded by a national anti-domestic violence organization, the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation.

The $20,000 grant will be used for day-to-day expenses of the center's three shelters, such as paying bills, buying supplies and making minor repairs, said Shellie Pointer, executive director of the Crisis Center.

The Crisis Center is a non-profit agency that provides 24-hour emergency and supportive services for victims of family violence and sexual assault in Hall, Howard, Hamilton and Merrick counties.

Pointer said the grant is a difficult one to get because it is awarded on a national scale.

"I feel very fortunate," she said. "The problem of domestic violence in Grand Island isn't going away and neither is the need for funding. Programs to help battered women and their children require a lot of resources. We're grateful that the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation is stepping up to the plate in helping us help families in Grand Island."