Through the efforts of U.S. Rep. Lois Capps, the Women’s Shelter Program of San Luis Obispo County has been awarded a three-year, $300,000 transitional housing grant by the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women.

“We are very excited to have been awarded this much-needed funding to assist us in better meeting the transitional housing and self-sufficiency needs of domestic violence victims in our community,” said Jason Reed, deputy director of the Women's Shelter Program.

Specifically, the funding will allow the Women’s Shelter Program to provide transitional housing, rental assistance and support services to 30 to 45 domestic violence survivors and their children, with the goal of assisting survivors in increasing their household income and finding permanent housing.

“This important federal funding for the Women’s Shelter Program, which does such amazing work in our communities, will make a marked difference in the lives of domestic violence survivors and their children,” Capps said in a news release.

“Since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act, we’ve seen so many women use the tools provided by the law to escape abusive relationships and build new lives for themselves and their children,” she added.