Tri-County Safe Harbor's ninth annual Drive Away Violence 4-Person Scramble Golf Outing Fundraiser will take place Thursday, July 9 at the Highland Golf Course. (Courtesy photo)

ESCANABA — As demand for services continues and funding uncertainty grows, Tri-County Safe Harbor is inviting the community to tee off for a cause at its ninth annual Drive Away Violence 4-Person Scramble Golf Outing Fundraiser.

The event will take place Thursday, July 9 at the Highland Golf Course with registration beginning at 10 a.m. and a shotgun start at 11 a.m. Participants will enjoy 18 holes of golf, contests, prizes and food.

The annual fundraiser brings together golfers, businesses and community supporters to help fund critical services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking across Menominee, Delta and Schoolcraft counties.

Proceeds from the outing help sustain emergency shelter services, advocacy programs, crisis intervention, prevention education, counseling referrals and other essential services that provide safety and support to individuals and families impacted by violence.

“This fundraiser is an opportunity for our community to come together in support of survivors and help ensure that critical services remain available to those who need them most,” said Liz Reed, executive director of Tri-County Safe Harbor. “Every team registration, sponsorship and donation helps make a meaningful difference.”

During the last fiscal year, Tri-County Safe Harbor provided shelter and support services to 145 survivors, including 104 women, 38 children and 3 men. The organization provided 1,574 safe shelter bed nights and responded to 1,207 helpline calls from individuals seeking assistance, safety planning and crisis intervention.

Providing these life-saving services requires significant resources. Last fiscal year, the average cost to provide one night of safe shelter for an individual escaping violence was approximately $209. That figure does not include the additional expenses incurred when the shelter reaches capacity and Tri-County Safe Harbor must secure temporary emergency lodging elsewhere to ensure every survivor has access to a safe place to stay.

Tri-County Safe Harbor officials said the organization recently learned that Michigan domestic violence agencies could face a 20 percent reduction in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding during the upcoming fiscal year.

The anticipated decrease follows an approximately $70,000 reduction in VOCA funding that Tri-County Safe Harbor experienced before the start of the current fiscal year.

“Domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking affect individuals and families in every community,” said Tri-County Safe Harbor Board President Julia Gudwer. “As public funding becomes increasingly uncertain, community support becomes even more important.

Although the final funding reduction percentage has not yet been determined, agency leaders across the state have voiced concerns about the potential effect on services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

“In speaking with my peers, I know we are not alone in facing significant funding reductions through the state,” Reed said. “As executive directors, we have expressed our concerns to both our state funder and our coalition. Locally, I am working closely with our Board of Directors and the Community Foundation for Delta County, which provides our financial administration services, to identify cost-saving measures while preserving services for survivors.”

For example, Tri-County Safe Harbor recently changed the company that provides its required cybersecurity insurance and expects to save approximately $6,200 annually as a result.

Gudwer concluded, “We are grateful for the donors, volunteers, grant partners and advocates who help make our mission possible and ensure that survivors have somewhere to turn when they need help most. We are deeply appreciative of our dedicated staff, whose compassion, professionalism, and commitment provide hope, safety, and support to survivors during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.”

To register, sponsor the event or learn more, contact Samantha Clark at 906-789-9207 ext. 2, email samantha@safe3c.com or visit www.safe3c.com.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.