Impact

It Starts With Our Children

Kristin Palumbo Longo

Kristin loved children. She was a mother of four and a beloved aunt to six.

As a registered nurse, she spent time working in the maternity department helping bring children into the world.

On Kristin's behalf and on behalf of our community, we recognize the importance of educating our children to give them the knowledge they need to build the foundations for healthy relationships.

Education & Awareness Can Save Lives & Deliver Results

Advocating for a Safer Community

Oneida County Implements a Domestic Violence High-Risk Team: Research shows that many domestic violence homicides are predictable; and if they are predictable they are preventable. The Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center  developed the Domestic Violence High RIsk Team (DVHRT) model to leverage this predictability. When Gina learned that communities can be trained to set up and execute the DVHRT model--which dramatically decreases domestic violence homicides, she knew she had to take action. After years of advocacy and support from Oneida County Sheriff, Rob Maciol and YWCA Mohawk Valley's CEO, Dianne Stancato, along with a $15,000 grant from Kristin's Fund, Oneida County now has a HRDV team. The team includes the YWCA  of Mohawk Valley, Oneida County Sheriff's Department, Oneida County Distict Attorney's Office, Oneida County Probation, Oneida County Deparment of Social Services, Utica Police Department and Rome Police Department. 

Teaching young men respect and equality

Knowledgeable young men, taught at the right time about respect and equality of women results in fewer abusers and lives being saved.

Kristin's Fund Awards More Thank $100K in Grants

Since 2018, Kristin's Fund has awarded more than $100,000 in grants to domestic violence service providers in New York State to create awareness about domestic violence and the danger of unhealthy relationships. 

in 2023, Kristin's Fund awarded a $10,000 grant to the YWCA Mohawk Valley to provide for emergency needs of victims of domestic violence. 

Recognizing risk factors

Knowledgeable communities result in individuals recognizing risk factors in their own relationships.

Recognizing that someone might need help

Knowledgeable communities result in parents, families, friends, and co-workers recognizing that someone might need help.

"A Call to Men"

Hosting the first "A Call to Men" Free football skills and healthy masuclinity camp--helping young men and boys develop healthy respectful attitudes toward women. Reaching young men through football and other sports can make the difference between them becoming potential abusers or becoming the leaders of a new generation of men who hold healthy attitudes toward women and realtionships, this can save lives! We hosted over 80 student athletes from 10 different school districts, role models for their football programs and peers!

Better resources

Knowledgeable communities provide better personal and professional resources.

Red Flag Campaign

A grant for the Red Flag Campaign at Utica College—an awareness campaign encouraging bystander intervention and a "see something, say something" outlook.

Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign

Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign and publicity from attendance at Gala events (1,000 attendees), the Boilermaker Expo (20,000+ attendees) and a Utica Comets hockey game (3,000+ attendees).

Services that can be life-saving

Knowledgeable communities lead to more people accessing services that can be life transforming and life-saving.

Signs of abuse

When we talk about the signs of abuse and abusive relationships, members of the audience often realize for the first time that they or someone they know are in an abusive relationship.

Victim of violence

In 2014, 67 people disclosed to a community outreach presenter that she/he was a victim of violence or abuse—that’s at least one person per week.