In 2009 Bradley Angle was one of the first domestic violence agencies in Oregon to introduce economic empowerment programs. Since its inception in the early 70s, the movement to end violence against women has characterized domestic violence as a pervasive social problem that knows no class boundaries. Early on, advocates stressed the paramount importance of addressing needs for safety and legal recourse. Despite altering public thinking about domestic violence, establishing shelters for those survivors seeking safety, and transforming the criminal justice response, survivors who also struggle with poverty remain at risk for repeated abuse. We recognize that in order to interrupt the cycle of violence it is critical that survivors attain economic security.

 

We began this work by providing financial education classes at our Resource Center in N Portland, with funding and curricula from The Allstate Foundation. In the last six years, we have added one-on-one advocacy support to address credit repair, budgeting, and building savings. We added asset building tools such as matched savings accounts and IDAs. Last October, our Economic Empowerment Program team received the 2014 Judge Herrell Award for Outstanding Community Collaboration, issued by Multnomah County’s Family Violence Coordination Council.

 

Today, Bradley Angle is the leading agency providing economic empowerment services and tools to survivors of domestic violence, and co-manages the Savings for Survivors program, which benefits survivors across the state.