Theresa’s Fund announced the winners of the 2021 Purple Ribbon Awards across 28 categories, as judged by a national panel of respected professionals from the domestic violence field. The Purple Ribbon Awards are the first comprehensive awards program honoring the countless heroes of the domestic violence movement, including advocates, programs, shelters, survivors and members of the community support system. Winners include entries from the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Screenwriter, actress and filmmaker Angela Shelton will emcee the Sept. 15, 2021 virtual celebration of all entries and the live reveal of the entries set to receive up to $30,000 in total grants. Registration to attend the virtual ceremony is now open or the Purple Ribbon Awards Celebration.
“This is a major step forward in the domestic violence field that I’ve had the privilege to be part of since the early 1980s,” explained Rita Smith, vice president of external relations and an internationally recognized expert on the topic. “So many people have poured so much of their professional lives into helping victims and ending domestic violence, and it is so good to see these incredible efforts deservedly being honored on a national basis.”
Winning entries were notified via email on July 16, 2021, along with a certificate signed by Theresa’s Fund founder Preston V. McMurry, Jr. that will be followed by receiving an official Purple Ribbon Award medallion that combines a purple ribbon and custom circular gold medal engraved with the winner’s category. All other entries have received an honoree certificate because everyone’s heroic efforts to help victims of domestic violence deserve acknowledgment and applause.
Each entry was scored by three judges and each judge scored each entry on a 1-25 scale across four factors: 1) Challenge & Impact (the scope of the challenge faced and overcome), 2) Creativity & Originality (the inventiveness of the nominee in their endeavor), 3) Submission Excellence (the caliber of the materials accompanying the entry) and 4) Overall (the overall performance of the entry relative to other entries). The scores for an entry were averaged and up to the three highest scores in a given category received a Purple Ribbon Award.
To ensure parity, entries were classified into one of three groups based on the size of a nominee’s organization: 1) Less than $500,000, 2) Between $500,001 and $2,000,000 and 3) Greater than $2,000,000, and entries were judged within the size classification within each category. In other words, there were three separate competitions within each category to provide organizations the opportunity to be reviewed among their peers.
There are multiple options for learning more about the awards program and how to get involved, including visiting www.purpleribbonawards.com, reading the FAQ
and watching this video. Entries for the 2022 program will be accepted Jan. 1, 2022, and people who have not entered previously and are interested in the 2022 open period for entries can sign up to receive a reminder notification.
2021 Purple Ribbon Award Winners
Best COVID-19 Response Plan
Less than $500,000
- Becky’s Fund (Becky Lee Women’s Support Fund), Washington, DC
- Safe In Harm's Way, Lee's Summit, MO
Greater than $2,000,000
- Safe Berks, Reading, PA
- Stand Up Placer, Auburn, CA
- Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault/Shelterhouse, Midland, MI
Outstanding National Organization
- Speak Your Truth Today, Fullerton, CA
- Jana's Campaign, Inc., Hays, KS
- Safe In Harm's Way, Lee's Summit, MO
- Alliance for HOPE International, San Diego, CA
Program/Shelter of the Year
Less than $500,000
- Asian Services in Action Inc - Ahimsa Department, Akron, OH
- WomenSV, Los Altos, CA
- Becky's Place Haven of Hope, Haines, AK
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Bright Future Foundation for Eagle County, Avon, CO
- Dove Center (Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Resource Center, Inc.), Oakland, MD
- Artemis House, Reston, VA
Greater than $2,000,000
- GreenHouse17, Lexington, KY
- Stand Up Placer, Auburn, CA
- Safe Berks, Reading, PA
Program/Shelter Executive of the Year
Less than $500,000
- Carol Dvoor, Flemington, NJ
- Ruth Darlene, Los Altos, CA
- Lorena Halwood, Chinle, AZ
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Deborah Tomov, Beaumont, TX
- Andrea Anderson, FRANKLIN, NC
- Beverly DeMeyer, PALM BAY, FL
Greater than $2,000,000
- Sandra Jackson, Washington, DC
- Mereliss Colon-Ortiz, Reading, PA
- Lisa Rupert, Vancouver, BC
Program/Shelter Turnaround of the Year
Less than $500,000
- Becky's Place Haven of Hope, Haines, AK
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Laurens County Safe Home, Clinton, SC
- My Sisters' Place, Newport, OR
Outstanding Board of the Year
Greater than $2,000,000
- Board of Directors - Haven Society, Gabriola, BC
Board Member of the Year
Less than $500,000
- Stanly Mazeikas, Haines, AK
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Courtney Ignarri, Endicott, NY
- Doe Browning, Avon, CO
- Dr. Elizabeth Karagosian, Nashua, NH
Greater than $2,000,000
- Brian Kraatz, Claremont, CA
Program/Shelter Employee of the Year
Less than $500,000
- Melanie Smith, Ahoskie, NC
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Anna (Katie) Rudacille, marathon Shores, FL
- Rachel Enriquez, Columbia, TN
- Jacqueline Vanderby, Palm Bay, FL
Greater than $2,000,000
- Jennifer Rey, Delray Beach, FL
- Chivas Mays, Auburn, CA
- Sarah Ohlsen, Arlington, VA
Hotline Employee/Operator of the Year
Greater than $2,000,000
- Lavontte Chatmon, Arlington, VA
Volunteer of the Year
Less than $500,000
- Ida Petkus, Kissimmee, FL
- Laura Abbott, Cabot, AR
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Courtney Clarke, Mt Pearl, NL
Survivor of the Year
- Neisha Himes, Chesapeake, VA
- Deborah Fallon, Salisbury, MA
- Caroline Hammond, Lees Summit, MO
Lifetime Achievement Award
Less than $500,000
- Brenda Abbott, Lytton, BC
- Candice (Annie) Slaughter Warmke, Philo, OH
- Rita Ryan, Chicago, IL
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Marilyn Seymann, Phoenix, AZ
- Nedda Simon, Princeton, IL
- Margie Harris, Rexburg, ID
Greater than $2,000,000
- Paige Flink, Dallas, TX
- Regina Braham, Morristown, NJ
- Linda Ludgate, Reading, PA
Outstanding Thrift Shop of the Year
Less than $500,000
- New To You Market, Fairview, AB
Greater than $2,000,000
- Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County, Media, PA
Outstanding Pet Program
Greater than $2,000,000
- Oklahoma Humane Society, Oklahoma City, OK
- Samaritan House, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA
- Stand Up Placer, Auburn, CA
Most Innovative Service
Less than $500,000
- Control Alt Delete, LLC, Mesa, AZ
- The Ohio Domestic Violence Network, Columbus, OH
- Becky’s Fund (Becky Lee Women’s Support Fund), Washington, DC
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Eliza Bryant Village, Cleveland, OH
- My Sister's House, Sacramento, CA
Greater than $2,000,000
- GreenHouse17, Lexington, KY
- Mariposa Montessori - Hogar Ruth, Vega Alta, PR
- Newhouse, Kansas City, MO
Outstanding New Service Launch
Less than $500,000
- S.H.A.D.E. (Safe Housing And Directed Empowerment) Inc., Winnipeg, MB
- My Sister's House for Girls, Toledo, OH
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Jessie's House, Morinville, AB
- eBodyGuard, Englewood, CO
- Total Action for Progress Domestic Violence Services, Roanoke, VA
Greater than $2,000,000
- Jersey Battered Women's Service, Inc. (JBWS), Morristown, NJ
- Adsum Association for Women & Children, Halifax, NS
Outstanding Fundraising Event
Less than $500,000
- Bringing Awareness to Students (B.A.T.S.), Springfield, OH
- Domestic Violence and Abuse Center, Inc., Grafton, ND
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Middle Way House, Bloomington, IN
- Eliza Bryant Village, Cleveland, OH
- Haven, Bozeman, MT
Greater than $2,000,000
- Women Aware, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ
- House of Ruth, Inc., Pomona, CA
- Jersey Battered Women's Service, Inc. (JBWS), Morristown, NJ
Outstanding Fundraising Campaign
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Wellspring, Saratoga Springs, NY
- Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Seattle, WA
Greater than $2,000,000
- The Retreat, East Hampton, NY
Outstanding Awareness Campaign
Less than $500,000
- Finding Our Voices, Camden, ME
- Connecticut Protective Moms, Cos Cob, CT
- Safe In Harm's Way, Lee's Summit, MO
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- PurpleOne/Safe Journey, Union City, PA
- SOS violence conjugale, Lévis, QC
- Artemis Center, Dayton, OH
Greater than $2,000,000
- The YWCA Wall for Women, Vancouver, BC
- Sanctuary for Families, New York, NY
- Newhouse, Kansas City, MO
Outstanding Awareness Event
Less than $500,000
- Finding Our Voices, Camden, ME
- Purple Light "Shedding Light on Domestic Violence, One Purple Light at a Time", West Bloomfield, MI
- Love Life Now Foundation, Inc., Avon, MA
Greater than $2,000,000
- House of Ruth, Inc., Pomona, CA
- YCC Family Crisis Center, Ogden, UT
Outstanding Youth Initiative of the Year
Less than $500,000
- Women's Leadership Project, Los Angeles, CA
- Jana's Campaign, Inc., Hays, KS
- Becky’s Fund (Becky Lee Women’s Support Fund), Washington, DC
Between $500,001 and $2,000,000
- Shalom Task Force, New York, NY
Greater than $2,000,000
- Jersey Battered Women's Service, Inc. (JBWS), Morristown, NJ
- Safe Berks, Reading, PA
Annual or Impact Reports of the Year
Greater than $2,000,000
- GreenHouse17, Lexington, KY
- House of Ruth, Inc., Pomona, CA
Outstanding Community Presentation
- Women Aware, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ
Outstanding Community Education
- Speak Your Truth Today, Fullerton, CA
- Safe Havens Interfaith Partnership Against Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse, Boston, MA
- WomenRising, Inc., Jersey City, NJ
Outstanding Advocate Training Program
Less than $500,000
- Schiller DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center, Chicago, IL
Business Partner of the Year
- Better Homes / VRI Realty, Keyport, NJ
- Verizon, Morristown, NJ
- Mi Casa Su Casa, Reading, PA
Law Enforcement Partner of the Year
- John Klafka, Houston, TX
- Wayne Ivey, Titusville, FL
Community Service Org of the Year
- P.U.R.S.E. Foundation, Inc., Atlanta, GA
- Blankets of Hope, Reading, PA
About Angela Shelton
Shelton is best known for her unique, unabashed style and creativity. She currently hosts the popular comedy cooking show Stirring Up Trouble and owns a recording studio in Nashville. Her mission started with the award-winning documentary Searching for Angela Shelton (2004) where she discovered that child sexual abuse, rape, and domestic violence are a pandemic. In 2008 she authored the book Finding Angela Shelton: The True Story of One Woman's Triumph over Sexual Abuse.
About Theresa’s Fund
Theresa’s Fund is an Arizona-based 501(c)3 non-profit charity started in 1992 by Preston V. McMurry, Jr. At a time when domestic violence wasn’t yet a headline, Theresa’s Fund focused on changing the landscape of domestic violence services in its home state through grantmaking, board development and fundraising for Arizona-based organizations like East Valley Child Crisis Center, Sojourner Center, Florence Crittenden, Emerge, UMOM, and West Valley Child Crisis Center. In 2014, it developed the DomesticShelters.org concept as a way to expand its reach to people across the U.S. and Canada. DomesticShelters.org is the first online and mobile searchable database of programs and shelters in the U.S./Canada, and a leading source of helpful tools and information for people experiencing and working to end domestic violence.
