Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the South Fork last week with good news not just for coastal resiliency in Montauk, but also for the Retreat, a domestic violence response and advocacy group in East Hampton.
According to a release from the Retreat, in announcing a $575,000 grant to the nonprofit organization Governor Hochul called domestic violence a “deeply personal” issue. Based on family experiences with it, the governor’s mother had dedicated her life to helping victims of abuse.
During the visit to the Retreat’s Stephanie House shelter, which bears many similarities to a transitional facility that her mother established, Governor Hochul said, “When I
come to a place like this, replicating my mother’s vision . . . it warms my heart.”
The grant money, according to the release, will pay for renovations and technology upgrades at the organization’s shelters and administrative office.
“This is substantial funding for much-needed improvements to our facilities, which will allow us to better serve survivors who need our help every single day,” Loretta Davis, the Retreat’s executive director, said. “To have Governor Hochul deliver the news of this funding personally is a meaningful mark of her dedication to this issue. It’s clear the work we do to help survivors is important to her, and we are so grateful for her support.”
