Operation: Safety Net

Your Support Can Save Lives When Federal Funding Disappears

Crisis Threatens Lake County's Most Vulnerable

Federal funding that has supported domestic violence and sexual assault services for decades has vanished overnight. Attorney General Pam Bondi has already cancelled over $800 million in funding for gun-violence prevention, sexual assault and domestic violence services, and victim advocacy programs — with more cuts promised.

Rural communities like Lake County face the steepest impact from these federal reductions. While urban areas may have multiple resources, we serve as the primary lifeline for survivors across our entire region. When federal support disappears, local support becomes the difference between safety and danger for the families who turn to us.

ALC Refuses to Let Survivors Down

For over 40 years, Advocates of Lake County has provided uninterrupted services to survivors when they need us most. We've weathered economic downturns, natural disasters, and global pandemics — and we will weather this crisis too. But we need your partnership to make it happen.

Your donation directly funds immediate, life-saving support for survivors who have nowhere else to turn. Every dollar you contribute joins our general operating fund, enabling us to respond instantly when someone's safety depends on it.

Here's How Your Donation Makes an Impact

Your contribution provides concrete help that transforms crisis into hope:

• $10 — Toiletries and personal care essentials for a survivor staying in our safehouse, including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, and feminine hygiene products

• $25 — Fresh food for survivors and their children staying in our safehouse, including milk, eggs, and produce to supplement shelf-stable donations from local food pantries

• $60 — Mobile phone with unlimited service for 1 month, connecting a survivor to emergency services, their children's schools, medical care, and job opportunities

• $100 — Professional therapy session to help a survivor begin healing from the trauma of abuse and assault

• $150 — Emergency hotel accommodations when our safehouse reaches capacity and we need alternative shelter options

• $250 — Transportation to safety via plane ticket, helping a survivor relocate away from their abuser

• $500 — Housing security through rental assistance to prevent eviction or establish a survivor in a new, safe home

• $1000 — Safe childcare for 1 month, allowing a survivor to work while knowing their children receive protection and care

Major Donors Transform Lives

If you can contribute $1,000 or more, please contact us directly at advancement@advocatesoflakecounty.org. Major gifts create lasting change and help us plan for sustained service delivery during uncertain times.

Take Action Beyond Your Donation

Contact your elected representatives today and demand they protect funding for gun violence prevention, domestic violence services, sexual assault programs, and victims' advocacy. Use Resistbot or 5Calls — free apps that connect you directly with your representatives and provide pre-written scripts to make advocacy simple and effective.

Stand With Survivors Today

Lake County survivors cannot wait for federal funding to return. They need shelter tonight. They need advocacy tomorrow. They need hope for their future — and that hope depends on community members like you stepping forward when government steps back.

Every gift matters. Every voice counts. Every action saves lives.

Your support ensures that when someone in our community faces their darkest moment, they won't face it alone. Donate today and become part of the safety net that catches our neighbors when they fall.

Thank you for standing with survivors and with ALC as we continue our four-decade commitment to creating a community where everyone can live free from violence.