Posted: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 1:48 pm

Rutherford County’s Domestic Violence Program served more than 1,300 victims last year.

In order to provide services to the abused, the local nonprofit held its 6th annual “Tip the Waiter” Luncheon.

“It’s a great public awareness program and we get to reach people we normally don’t reach,” said Deborah Johnson, executive director of the Domestic Violence Program.

The lunch raised more than $13,000 last year with all the funds benefiting the Domestic Violence Program.

The Domestic Violence Program has several up-coming fundraising events, including Murfreesboro Little Theatre’s “How I Learned to Drive” the weekends of March 19 and 26. A portion of the proceeds from each ticket sale will benefit the organization.

Click here to see a photo gallery of the "Tip the Waiter" Luncheon.

The Domestic Violence Program is a nonprofit organization committed to ending violence and discrimination in the lives of victims suffering the pain, fear and shame of domestic abuse.

The Domestic Violence Program was founded in January of 1986, in consultation with the Nashville YWCA, as a voluntary effort of residents of Rutherford County. In July of 1987, the Domestic Violence Program became fully independent from the YWCA.

In 1988, the Domestic Violence Program secured two small houses to use as our first safe shelters. After 15 years of increased use and limited space, grant funding was obtained from the Christy-Houston Foundation, along with significant donations from the Charity Circle of Murfreesboro, to build a new shelter that opened in December 2003.

The Domestic Violence Program is a certified nonprofit organization, which is partially funded by the State of Tennessee and is a participating United Way agency.

More info ...
www.dvpshelter.com