DomesticShelters.org, the leading online resource for domestic violence victims, professionals and allies and Alliance for HOPE International hosted the fifth annual Purple Ribbon Awards Celebration on May 12, 2025. During the celebration event, five PRA-winning organizations were honored with $30,000 of grants.
Watch the 2025 Purple Ribbon Awards Celebration
The Purple Ribbon Awards 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.
“Hope is one of the most powerful resources we have in the fight to end domestic violence,” said Ashley Rumschlag, National Director of DomesticShelters.org. “In a time when challenges continue to mount, the Purple Ribbon Awards offer a vital opportunity to honor resilience, recognize progress, and reignite hope through collective celebration.”
During the Purple Ribbon Awards Celebration, five 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 2025 PRA winners.
2025 Purple Ribbon Award Grant Winners
YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee (Nashville, TN)
Executive of the Year, Sharon Roberson
$10,000
A New Leaf (Mesa, AZ)
Judge of the Year, Judge Elizabeth Regina Finn (posthumous)
$5,000
WINGS Program (Chicago, IL)
Interdisciplinary Team of the Year, WINGS Housing Team
$5,000
Friends of Yates, Inc. (Kansas City, KS)
Lifetime Achievement Award, LaDora Lattimore
$5,000
Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA) Marion (Ocala, FL)
Organizational Hope Story of the Year
$5,000
Casey Gwinn, co-founder and president of Alliance for HOPE International, concluded the event with a special message of appreciation.
“In this field it’s so easy to get burned out, discouraged, and cynical. And right now, it’s probably as difficult as it’s ever been in the 40 years that I’ve been in the field of domestic and sexual violence prevention. So, we need to celebrate when we can,“ Gwinn said in his message. “We know you don’t do it for the recognition; you do it because you care. You do it because you want to save lives. You do it because you want to meet hurting people where they are. And you are doing all of those things. These awards really mean something—they mean you are doing transformational work.”
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. Purple Ribbon Award 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. 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.
