Avon Foundation For Women Pledges to Match December Donations to The National Domestic Violence Hotline For #GivingTuesday, Up to $200K

Austin, TX – November 26, 2013 — The advocates at the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) are builders. They work with callers to build safer families and homes. They help survivors build back their self-esteem after it’s been worn down from years of verbal abuse. They help build safer futures free from violence. Now, thanks to a matching donation opportunity from the Avon Foundation for Women, these builders could get a few more helping hands. During the month of December, the Avon Foundation will match donations made to NDVH up to $200,000. To highlight this extraordinary donation opportunity, NDVH employees will build a Gingerbread Hotline on December 3rd, #GivingTuesday.

Katie Ray-Jones, NDVH president said, “As a non-profit organization, we rely on the generosity of private donors and sponsors. Earlier this year, we answered the 3 millionth call to the hotline. Unfortunately, many calls go unanswered because of a lack of resources. With funds raised during this December drive, we will be able to answer more calls for help and continue our work of building better lives.”

The matching gift from the Avon Foundation for Women will allow NDVH to create a pool of advocates who can be called upon to serve when they are needed most. Through this support, the organization will be able to staff more than 12,500 hours of advocate time for answering calls and online chats. This translates into an estimated 23,695 people served. The Avon Foundation for Women’s Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program has been a strong supporter of the hotline, giving more than $500,000 to the organization.

“The Avon Foundation’s #GivingTuesday donation aims to harness the power of our new social media campaign, #SeeTheSigns, to inspire women and men of all ages to raise awareness about a cause that is often hidden from the public eye,” said Avon Foundation for Women President Carol Kurzig. “One in every four women is a victim of domestic violence, and she may be your sister, daughter, friend or neighbor. The most meaningful gift we can give our loved ones, friends and neighbors this holiday season is a future free from violence. Every donation to the National Domestic Violence Hotline will help ensure that someone is available to answer the most important call of a victim’s life.”

When a visitor to thehotline.org makes a donation, he or she can select an embellishment of their choice and watch as it is attached to the Gingerbread Hotline. A pond filled with gummy fish? You’ve got it. A unicorn in the call center? Absolutely!  The NDVH conference room will be transformed into a winter wonderland where anyone can watch the building as it takes place via live video streaming. This Gingerbread Hotline build coincides with #GivingTuesday, the national campaign that harnesses the collective power of charities, families, businesses and individuals to transform how people think about, talk about and participate in the giving season.

Avon Foundation for Women and Avon Speak Out Against Domestic Violence

The Avon Foundation for Women launched Speak Out Against Domestic Violence in 2004 to support domestic violence awareness, education and prevention programs aimed at reducing domestic and gender violence, as well as direct services for victims and their families. Through 2013, the Avon Foundation for Women has donated nearly $38 million in the United States to support domestic violence programs, services and education. Globally, Avon supports efforts to end violence against women in nearly 50 countries by raising funds through special product sales and raising awareness through events and with educational information disseminated by more than 6 million global Avon Representatives. Visit www.avonfoundation.org for more information.