Amidst funding cuts, DART sets high goal for Thursday's Radiothon

In 2023, Lincoln Parish law enforcement agencies made 155 arrests over alleged domestic violence — roughly a 20% uptick from 2022.

But as this trend climbs upward, the local nonprofit dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence is grappling with similarly steep funding reductions — also about 20%.

Between $90,000 of cuts in annual federal grants, $60,000 shaved from state funding and the loss of a sizable anonymous donor, the Domestic Abuse Resistance Team is facing the real possibility of having to cut staff, closing offices across the seven-parish area it serves, or even closing its Ruston- based domestic violence shelter.

That makes Thursday’s Radiothon, DART’s premier fundraiser, all the more urgent for this agency striving to meet the needs of those whose lives have been changed by domestic violence.

“It’s pretty serious this year,” DART Community Advocate and Radiothon Co-Chair Terrie Queen Autrey said.

DART provides a survivor shelter, crisis intervention, counseling, children’s services and more to a rural geographic area from Claiborne Parish down to Grant Parish.

It served 379 children, 295 women and 31 men last year alone.

DART is aiming to raise $85,000 at the Radiothon Thursday to help keep its services afloat.

The 23rd Annual Radiothon will be held at Super 1 Foods from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will feature a wide variety of speakers live on Q94.1 FM, sharing their own experience with DART, domestic violence, law enforcement and other perspectives.

Karl Malone Toyota’s 4th Annual Jambalaya Fundraiser will also take place at Super 1, in the parking lot from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with proceeds also going to DART.

The Radiothon’s speakers will include recorded interviews with NBA player, former Ruston resident and longtime DART supporter Justin Holiday, as well as Holiday’s mother, Toya Holiday, whose other sons Jrue and Aaron are also NBA players.

Also speaking will be 17-year-old Samantha Cox Salley. Ten years ago her father, Michael Salley, kidnapped his estranged wife Gwen, Samantha’s mother, and shot both Gwen and himself.

This tragedy gave rise to what is known as Gwen’s Law in Louisiana, which requires a bond hearing for certain types of violent offenses before pre-trial offenders can be released from jail.

Samantha has been raised by Gwen’s father, Bennie Cox, since her parents’ deaths, and now Other speakers include 3rd Judicial District Judge Monique Clement, Grambling State Police Chief and former TV show host Rod Demery, and legendary GSU baseball coach Wilbert Ellis.

As the state of Louisiana faces a looming revenue cliff next year, Autrey said DART knows it will become more dependent on community giving than ever, even as the agency seeks to diversify its funding in other ways.

For now DART still has some federal COVID- 19 relief funding to bolster its services, but Autrey said next year the agency may have to begin considering peeling back its presence in across its service area and/or cutting staff.

“That’s hurtful because we worked hard to grow into these parishes that didn’t have any services,” she said. “We’d hate for those communities to not have any services.”

On Thursday donors can send their gifts to DART at P.O. Box 1223, Ruston, LA 71273, donate online at dartla. org or come by Super 1 throughout the Radiothon and donate in person.

Domestic violence is a growing and pervasive issue, creating 20 victims every minute somewhere in the U.S. and particularly in Louisiana, which consistently ranks top five in the nation for female homicides, according to Centers for Disease Control and Violence Policy Center statistics.

And that’s why DART hopes to be able to retain its wide array of survivor services and advocacy.

In addition to the Radiothon, as October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month DART will also be holding its Candlelight Vigil on Oct. 24, and the Louisiana Tech chapter of Alpha Chi Omega will hold its Walk a Mile fundraiser for DART on Oct. 19.

DART will be 30 years old on Oct. 25. That evening its office will serve as a water station for the Downtown Ruston Wine Walk.