Funds dwindle for Lincoln`s safe house

It’s a place women go when they have no where else to turn, and it needs help.
Amy’s House, Lincoln County’s only shelter for victims of domestic violence, provides a safe home for women and their children who have escaped abuse.
Four women and seven children are currently staying at Amy’s House, which is located at an undisclosed location. Since Amy’s House opened in 1995, more than 3,500 women and 5,200 children have sought shelter there.
For the 11th year, Amy’s House has received $25,000 in Federal Family Violence Prevention Funds, said Vicky Lingerfelt, executive director.
The state Governor’s Crime Commission also authorized funding for Amy’s House in the amount of $38,288.
The commission works to address major crime problems in North Carolina communities, like juvenile delinquency, drug abuse and domestic violence. It also funds information and technology programs for numerous agencies so they can improve their management information systems and enhance their criminal history records.
A letter from Gov. Mike Easley commended Lingerfelt and Amy’s House for their dedication, hard work and commitment to a safer community.
“Your proposal is a shining example of how we can have far-reaching impact on the problems that plague our communities,” Easley said in the letter.
Individual donations, like one received from the Heaven Sent Jimmy Wayne Fan Site, a group honoring country singer Jimmy Wayne, have also helped. Members of that organization presented Lingerfelt with a $1,000 donation.
After realizing money was running short at the end of this fiscal year, Amy’s House sponsored a golf tournament, which raised about $3,000.
Despite the recent grants and donations, Amy’s House still needs help. The organization receives no county money and feels the effects of dwindling state funding.
“With state budget cuts, it’s still touch and go,” Lingerfelt said.
Financial help and donations like clothes and personal items are needed, she said.
To help, call Amy’s House at 704-736-1224. Donations can also be mailed to P.O. Box 476, Lincolnton, NC 28093.
“Amy’s House is still here, and we’re still running strong,” Lingerfelt said. “We couldn’t do it without support.”by Alice Smith