Congresswoman Norma J. Torres presents $1 million to House of Ruth

U.S. Rep. Norma J. Torres visited House of Ruth and presented the Pomona-based domestic violence services agency with a $1 million dollar check.

The agency was awarded the funds after applying for the Community Project Funding awards from the House Appropriations Committee. They were among more than 70 applicants. 

The money will be used for House of Ruth’s Domestic Violence Shelter and Outreach Facility Rehabilitation campaign. This capital improvement project will include critical renovations to House of Ruth’s emergency and outreach facilities, with the hope of improving building safety and efficiency. 

“We’re grateful for the support to be able to make some improvements to both our outreach and shelter that will allow us to provide better quality services,” said House of Ruth’s Chief Executive Officer, Pat Bell. 

Bell said the roof in the outreach facility is in need of repair. 

“It’s been an organization that I have worked with going back to 1990 when I was a very young 911 dispatcher,” Congresswoman Torres said. “I recall working in the city of Los Angeles connecting people to the House of Ruth.”

“Domestic violence and family violence is a real issue in our community, not unique to Pomona or California or the U.S., but it is unique because we all care about the victims and survivors and we’re all working toward a better future, not just for them but for our community. So thank you so much for everything that each and every one of you do here to help our constituents,” Torres said.

This award is part of fifteen approved project requests from Congresswoman Torres’ district. 

This project will update and enhance House of Ruth’s aging buildings and provide a quality space for survivors of domestic violence to receive vital care. 

House of Ruth services include emergency and transitional shelter, case management, counseling, a 24-hour hotline, support groups, children's programs, legal advocacy and housing assistance to survivors of domestic violence and their families. 

“We still need to find critical funding for survivor services,” Bell said, mentioning that this award will help House of Ruth’s infrastructure. In Fiscal Year 2024-2025, the federal government announced a 44.7% reduction in the Victims of Crime Act funding allocated to victim service providers. 

The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence said funding cuts endanger victim services. So far, the partnership says that 44 of California’s 80 Assemblymembers have stepped up to support the California Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) Advocacy Alliance to restore funding for California’s emergency response to crime victims’ needs.

“Having the support of Congresswoman Norma J Torres has been vital to our continued ability to provide quality life-saving services to survivors of domestic violence,” said Bell.

To support House of Ruth and their mission to prevent domestic violence and ensure the safety and well-being of those impacted, visit here.