Michigan has benefitted from federal Recovery Act funding.
While the position of women in American society has improved markedly since the feminist movement brought gender inequities into focus in the 1960s, on average women in the workforce in 2010 still earn 75 cents for every dollar earned by men and they have broken through the "glass ceiling" to head only 11 percent of Fortune 500 companies. States like Michigan offer a variety of grant programs to keep the progress moving forward. As a rule government grants are formally gender-neutral but a number of programs primarily serve women.
Domestic Violence Prevention
Programs to prevent domesitc violence are mainly aimed at helping women.
2009’s federal Recovery Act provided funds for Michigan to provide transitional housing program grants and money for STOP Violence Against Women funding. In 2009 the state distributed $13.3 million in grants to train community service people and police and prosecutors to take a team approach to combating domestic violence against women, including grants to Bethany Christian Services and Hispanic Services, both in Grand Rapids. Women’s Center/Harbor House in Marquette County received $47,721 from a STOP Violence Against Women grant.
Transitional Housing
Transitional housing can help women in crisis rebuild their lives.
The state also had $50 million in Recovery Act funds to give out as Transitional Housing Assistance grants. Transitional housing programs are meant to give victims of domestic violence, the large majority of whom are women fleeing abusive partners, a stepping stone to move into permanent housing where they can support themselves. Sexual assault and stalking victims are also eligible for transitional housing help, which includes counseling and other support services in addition to a safe place to live.
WIC
WIC is a state administered program to provide for mothers and their children.
Michigan, like most states, distributes money and other food assistance for pregnant women, infants and young children provided by the US Department of Agriculture’s Women, Infants and Children’s program. Pregnant women and those with children under the age of five can get benefits to allow them to buy milk, cheese, whole grain breads and tortillas, eggs, peanut butter, beans or peas, fresh fruits and vegetables and juice. The program also tries to encourage breastfeeding by giving new mothers who breastfeed extra foods, such as canned tuna.
Tags: federal Recovery, housing help, STOP Violence, STOP Violence Against, Transitional Housing, Violence Against
