Following an evaluation, the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest, the General City Hall, through the General Directorate of Social Assistance of the Municipality of Bucharest, granted funding to the Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Romania (ADRA Romania) in order to support victims of domestic violence within the Emergency Reception Center for Victims of Domestic Violence - ADRA House. The non-refundable financing of local interest for ADRA House, from the local budget of the Municipality of Bucharest for non-profit activities, in the amount of 200,000 lei (€40,362—approx. US$45,000), is granted for a period of six months, starting in July 2023.

The non-refundable financing program aims to support initiatives and actions in the field of social assistance for individuals and legal entities without patrimonial purpose in Bucharest, as well as increase the quality of social services provided to the capital’s citizens. The Municipality of Bucharest allocates funds to projects whose general objective is the development and diversification of social services provided for in the "Social Projects" section.

ADRA Romania, following the project competition, obtained financial backing through funding to support the center and assist the people housed. For this, the application process began in May 2023 with drawing up and submitting the necessary documentation. Following the assessment stages, the funding request was approved, and the funding contract was signed in accordance with the provisions of the HCGMB.

"The city hall of the capital supports the public-private partnership and empowers civil society organizations so that we all have a catalytic role in solving social problems at the local level,” said Cosmina Ioana Simiean Nicolescu, director general of the General Directorate of Social Assistance of the Municipality of Bucharest.

“ADRA Romania is one of the organizations that has created a good reputation and is a reliable partner. The professionalism they show leads us to provide continuity to our partnership and to appreciate every effort. So, following the evaluation, the decision [to grant] the non-refundable financing from the local budget of the Municipality of Bucharest of non-profit activities of local interest for the project ‘Emergency Reception Center for Victims of Family Violence - ADRA House’ came naturally, showing trust in our partners and encouraging activities to assist victims of domestic violence," concluded Nicolescu.

"We are happy and share, with love, the good news of the funding received as a result of the decision of the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest,” said Robert Georgescu, executive director of ADRA Romania.

“ADRA Romania projects carried out in the field of family violence show the constant concern of the organization for this category of beneficiaries. ADRA House is more than a center; it is a place where assisted persons—that is, victims of domestic violence—make a stop on their way to a peaceful life, after some of them have endured years of experiencing humiliation, suffering, and fear. Together with the Bucharest City Hall, through the General Directorate of Social Assistance of the Municipality of Bucharest, we can offer a new start in life to these people," concluded Georgescu.

Since 2009, ADRA Romania has managed the Emergency Reception Center for Victims of Family Violence - ADRA House. The objective of this project is the social reintegration of victims of domestic violence through shelter, social counseling, psychological counseling, emergency medical assistance, food, and legal guidance. The lives of the beneficiaries housed in the center have been changed because they have known a different way of living: without physical, verbal, economic, psychological, sexual, and religious violence, based on spiritual values ​​and cultivating healthy habits in food, physical exercise, training, and recreation.

More About ADRA Romania

Since 1990, ADRA Romania has been particularly involved in development projects that benefit the entire population. Leading the projects undertaken according to the motto "Justice. Compassion. Love," ADRA Romania brings joy and hope to the lives of the beneficiaries by promoting a better future, values, ​​and human dignity.

As an accredited social service provider, ADRA Romania is part of the ADRA International network, the global humanitarian organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, one of the most widespread non-governmental organizations in the world. It is active in more than 118 countries and guided by a philosophy that combines compassion with a practical spirit, addressing people in need without racial, ethnic, political, or religious distinctions, with the aim of serving humanity so all may live together as God intended.

The original version of this story was posted by the ADRA Romania website.