DomesticShelters.org, the leading online resource for domestic violence victims, professionals and allies and Alliance for HOPE International hosted the third annual 2023 Purple Ribbon Awards Celebration on May 18, 2023. During the celebration event, six PRA-winning organizations were honored with $30,000 of grants.
Watch the 2023 Purple Ribbon Awards Celebration
The PRAs were launched in 2021 by Theresa’s Fund and DomesticShelters.org as the first comprehensive domestic violence awards program, honoring those doing difficult but crucial work to support domestic violence victims and survivors, as well as working to end domestic violence.
“2023 saw a record-breaking number of nominations for the Purple Ribbon Awards,” said Ashley Rumschlag, National Director of DomesticShelters.org. “Every year, we are thrilled to see the reach of the PRAs spread so that we can keep expanding how we celebrate and honor those leading the way in the domestic violence field. The celebration event brings the community together joyfully and inspires hope - a precious resource in this work.”
During the Purple Ribbon Awards Celebration, six organizations were announced as the recipients of $30,000 in grants. Recipients were selected from all eligible Purple Ribbon Award winners and reflect the most innovative, impactful and inspiring people and organizations of the 2023 PRA winners.
2023 Purple Ribbon Award Grant Winners
Court Watch Montgomery (Silver Spring, MD)
Annual or Impact Reports of the Year
$10,000
The Cocoon (Bowling Green, OH)
Program/Shelter of the Year
$5,000
Phoenix Project (Lake Frederick, VA)
Volunteer of the Year (Roz Lewis)
$5,000
Surviving Beauty Peer & Advocacy Services (Indiana, PA)
Legal Advocate of the Year
$5,000
Pathways to to Family Peace (a program of Global Rights for Women) (Minneapolis, MN)
Rural Initiative of the Year
$5,000
The event also featured The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus lead singer, Ronnie Winters. Winters shared a congratulatory message for winners and a special screening of the music video for “Face Down (Symphonic Edition),” which was released in October 2022 in partnership with DomesticShelters.org.
Casey Gwinn and Gael Strack, co-founders of Alliance for HOPE International, concluded the event with a special message of appreciation.
“The Purple Ribbon Awards are an opportunity to celebrate so many that don't get recognised for the day-to-day work that happens in the trenches, when you're working with both adults and with kids who have experienced trauma, violence, and abuse, “ Gwinn said in his message. “I have never been more certain than I am right now, after almost 40 years in this work, that not only do we need to honor each other, but we need to make sure that we profile programs that are working, things that are being done to make a difference in the lives of those in need.”
About the Purple Ribbon Awards
Each year, three Purple Ribbon Awards are given in each of more than 30 categories, while all entries are acknowledged as honorees. Categories include Program or Shelter of the Year, Program/Shelter Employee of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Survivor of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Outstanding Pet Program. New in 2023 are two categories: Outstanding Domestic Violence Blog and Outstanding Healthcare Professional. PRA winners receive a trophy, media kit to publicize their win and gifts from DomesticShelters.org and its partners.
Select entries receive grants totaling up to $30,000, awarded at the Purple Ribbon Awards digital celebration.
See past winners discuss the impact of winning a Purple Ribbon Award and grant.
All entries are judged by a national panel of respected professionals from the domestic violence field. Each entry is scored by four factors:
- Challenge & Impact (the scope of the challenge faced and overcome, and the entry outcomes)
- Creativity & Originality (the inventiveness of the nominee in their endeavor)
- Submission Excellence (the caliber of the materials accompanying the entry)
- Overall (the overall performance of the entry relative to other entries)
To ensure parity, each entry is additionally 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. Entries in a category and size are always judged, scored and awarded separately from entries in the same category and different size. In other words, there will be three separate competitions within each category to provide organizations the opportunity to be reviewed among their peers.
Learn more about the Purple Ribbon Awards at PurpleRibbonAwards.org.
About DomesticShelters.org
DomesticShelters.org was founded In 2014, by Arizona-based Theresa's Fund, before merging with Alliance for HOPE International in 2023. DomesticShelters.org is the first online 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. It is also the host of the Purple Ribbon Awards, 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. Learn more at DomesticShelters.org.
About Alliance for HOPE International
Alliance for HOPE International is one of the leading systems and social change organizations in the country focused on creating innovative, collaborative, trauma-informed, hope-centered approaches to meeting the needs of survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking. Our programs focus on increasing measurable Hope, Resiliency, Safety, and Well-Being in the lives of children and adults. The Alliance programs serve more than 200,000 adult and child survivors of domestic and sexual violence every year in the United States and around the world. For more information about the Alliance, go to www.allianceforhope.org.
