Latest news with #Cost
Time Magazine
a day ago
- Politics
- Time Magazine
'People Are Going to Die': Cuts Leave Domestic Violence Support Groups Reeling
Domestic violence survivors and their families frequently ask Amanda Cost for financial assistance, spots in a shelter, or other help. Lately, Cost and her staff have gotten used to turning down these requests. 'As we continue to see reductions in funding, we have to say no,' says Cost, executive director of Partners for Peace Maine, one of the oldest domestic violence organizations in the country. Partners for Peace is one of hundreds of domestic violence support groups that have endured dramatic budget cuts over the past few years, impairing their ability to operate. Their predicament will likely become even worse at the end of this year: President Donald Trump's 2026 budget, which kicks in on Oct. 1, 2025, proposes $200 million worth of cuts to grant programs in the Office of Violence Against Women, one of the main sources of funding for many on-the-ground organizations. The funding reductions have already forced groups to shut down shelters for victims of domestic violence, curtail the hours of hotlines and other emergency help, scrap long-running prevention and community programs, and lay off workers or keep staffing levels low through attrition. These organizations are already operating without enough money or staff, says Terri Poore, policy director of the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence, a D.C. nonprofit that represents 1,000 community-based rape crisis centers. 'Many of these programs operate on a shoestring budget with little in reserve,' she says. 'They're small employers in their communities, and not knowing whether they'll be able to rely on these grants has meant some tough decisions, which has a huge impact on their ability to provide services.' Read More: The Surprising Reason Rural Hospitals Are Closing One of the biggest reasons for the cuts is that the Crime Victims Fund—one of the main funding sources for programs like these—is dwindling. The fund was created by the 1984 Victims of Crime Act, or VOCA, and had for years been relatively stable. It gets VOCA money entirely through fines and penalties collected through federal criminal cases concerning corporate fraud, white-collar crimes, and other federal offenses. But because the Justice Department has reached more settlements in white-collar criminal cases in recent years, that funding is lagging behind what it used to be, Poore says. In 2024, for example, VOCA funding fell 40%, she says. Advocates for victims of domestic and sexual violence used to have to beg the government to release more funds from VOCA, she says, because there was a lot of money sitting there. They don't have that problem anymore. Read More: Why So Many Seniors Can't Afford Long-Term Care The many layoffs at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier in 2025 also impacted domestic violence groups because they cut key staffers in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, including those overseeing programs like Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances (DELTA) and Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) programs. The president's 2026 budget proposes combining the funding of those programs, which currently receive $7.5 million and $61.75 million annually, and significantly reducing it to just $38 million annually for both. 'What we know is that there is a perfect storm in the funding world where a lot of COVID funds have dried up; we've experienced cuts from VOCA, and there's just a flat-out fear of what the new budget may bring,' says Stephanie Love-Patterson, president and CEO of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. The CDC layoffs mean that domestic violence groups no longer have anyone overseeing their programs at the federal level, says Kathleen Lockwood, policy director of the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence, one affected program. That means less coordination between state coalitions and domestic violence prevention programs in the community, she says. The NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence has seen a 60% decrease in funding between 2018 and 2024 because of decreased VOCA funding, she says, at a time when demand for services is increasing. The group served 75% more victims in 2023 than it did in 2018, Lockwood says, even while funding fell. 'Right now, we are working on trying to create something sustainable on what's left,' she says. Read More: Abortion Vans Worsen Violence in Relationships, Study Finds Wisconsin saw its VOCA funding fall to just $13 million in 2024 from $44 million in 2019, which has caused big disruptions in domestic violence organizations across the state, says Monique Minkens, executive director of End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, a statewide coalition that helps support domestic violence organizations. Programs that used to get $1 million in federal grants now just get $250,000. One of the programs' partners lost 9 staff members because of the cuts; another closed its shelter. Yet another curtailed the hours of its crisis hotline. 'I think about how we are usually the last resort when people call,' says Minkens. 'It's helpful not to receive a recording.' Minkens worries that these cuts are coming as an economic downturn looms, which often makes situations worse for victims of domestic violence because of financial stresses. 'This is life or death,' she says. 'People are going to die.' The VOCA reductions and other cuts have also affected the SANE Program at the Crisis Center in Birmingham, Ala. The SANE program helps nurses perform sexual assault nurse exams for people who have been sexually assaulted; it's important for those nurses to be available 24/7, no matter the time of year, says Angela Trimm, the SANE coordinator for the Crisis Center. Yet the program's funding was cut 22% earlier this year, and Trimm said she recently learned that her funding was going to be cut again between 10-25%. When other centers or organizations for victims of sexual assault close, the SANE program's workload increases, Trimm says. 'We're dealing with an increased client load and decreased funding,' she says. Staffing reductions are also putting pressure on remaining workers, who handle mentally and emotionally challenging tasks every day. Some leave after getting burned out, and organizations have difficulty recruiting trained professionals willing to do the work for low pay and long hours. Many people who work in domestic violence support organizations are survivors themselves. Read More: Abortion Bans Worsen Violence in Relationships, Study Finds 'There is a tremendous amount of absorbing trauma, of bearing direct witness to suffering and danger, but they can't do that five days a week and be on call at night too,' says Francine Garland Stark, executive director of the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence. Advocates say that the federal government needs to figure out a new way to fund these important organizations, because VOCA funding is not sustainable. Many domestic violence support programs don't receive any state funding and rely on federal funding, which is a difficult position to be in right now because of sudden cuts and budget uncertainty. Some groups support the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act, which was introduced in the House in 2024 and which would redirect money from the False Claims Act, which allows the government to sue people who have defrauded it, into the Crime Victims Fund through 2029. 'Imagine you have a woman, and she has a small window of opportunity where it feels like this is the right time for me to leave; she reaches out for the hotline, and there's no staff there,' says Love-Patterson, of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. 'She's going to stay; she's going to get discouraged, and the unfortunate reality is that she and her children are going to continue to be harmed.' In Maine, Amanda Cost has held positions open because of looming cuts. When VOCA funds disappeared in 2024, the state of Maine put up its own resources to replace them, she says, but she knows that can't happen forever. She's been combining positions and asking staff to do more with less, ending some programs like support groups for survivors. As she restricts funding and pares down programs, she feels like she's seeing the same thing happen in the community around her: rural hospitals anticipate cuts, law enforcement can't find enough officers, and public schools try to cobble together money to keep programs running. 'So many of the systems that we rely on every day are tapped and strained and stressed,' she says. 'It feels like every place around us is struggling.'
The Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Tabung Pahlawan raises RM2.18 mln for MAF veterans in 2025
ALOR GAJAH: The 2025 Tabung Pahlawan Campaign has successfully raised RM2.186 million as of July 24, demonstrating strong public support for the welfare of Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) veterans. The initiative, launched in conjunction with Warriors' Day, aims to provide financial aid and assistance to veterans nationwide. Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari highlighted the introduction of a QR code donation campaign to simplify contributions and encourage wider participation. 'Malaysia has over 34 million people. If everyone donates at least RM1, the impact would be tremendous,' he said during a high tea event with Melaka MAF veterans at Dataran Gangsa. The event also honoured 120 veterans from Melaka, representing 22 associations, with contributions such as Cost of Living Aid, Higher Education Aid, Home Repair Assistance, and food baskets under the 'Bakul Rahmah' initiative. Adly further noted that 151,000 MAF veterans have registered for the Veteran Digital Card, introduced in September 2024. 'The digital card eliminates the need for a physical card, providing easier access to health, welfare, and service information,' he explained. The Veterans' Affairs Department (JHEV) continues to update the system to enhance service efficiency and modernise welfare management. – Bernama
Scotsman
3 days ago
- General
- Scotsman
Unbelievable Lottery fortunes left unclaimed — and one of them could be yours
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Don't let your chance slip away — many winners miss out by not checking their tickets 🎟️ Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Millions of pounds in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed every year Winning tickets are often forgotten in pockets, sofas, or unopened emails Winners have 180 days from the draw date to claim their prizes Several major lottery prizes, including jackpots over £1 million, remain unclaimed Joining online lottery syndicates like Lotto Social can boost your chances of winning Every year, millions of pounds in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed — not because the money vanishes, but because winners never realise they've won. Life-changing tickets are left crumpled in coat pockets, buried down the back of the sofa, or lost in unread emails — their owners completely unaware they're sitting on a fortune. Right now, that unclaimed jackpot could belong to you. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With several major prizes still up for grabs, it's well worth checking the list below. One overlooked ticket could change everything. (Photo: SHAUN CURRY/AFP via Getty Images) How long do National Lottery winners have to claim their prize? Winning lottery ticket holders have 180 days (approximately six months) from the draw date to claim the prize. If no valid claim is made within the deadline, the prize money - along with any interest it accrues - goes towards funding National Lottery Projects across the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How can National Lottery winnings be claimed? Prize winnings of £500 and under can be claimed in store from a National Lottery retailer - that is, an authorised store or outlet where you can purchase lottery tickets, like newsagents, supermarkets, and petrol stations. Prizes over £500 and up to and including £50,000 can be claimed online. For prizes over £50,000, and monthly prize winnings (Set For Life), winning ticket holders should call the National Lottery on 0333 234 50 50 to confirm and arrange the winning claim. If your ticket has been damaged or destroyed, you still may be able to make a valid claim, however, an appeal should be filed within 30 days of the draw date. Details on the information you would need to provide can be found on the National Lottery website. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How to increase your chances of winning the lottery Let's be honest: hitting the jackpot isn't easy. The odds are slim, but there are ways to improve your chances and spend less money while pursuing that life-changing prize. Lottery syndicates have been popular for as long as the draws themselves - and for good reason. By pooling resources with others, you can boost your odds of winning. Sure, you'll have to share the prize, but when it's a £100 million EuroMillions jackpot, does that really matter? This is the clever ethos behind Lotto Social, an online syndicate anyone can join in. Not everyone will have a syndicate at work, or in a pub, or a sports club, so this opens the opportunities up to the wider public. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With its simple online platform, Lotto Social unlocks far more opportunities for wins, whether they are big wins or small wins, by increasing the number of entries you're getting. It's completely free to join, so you're in control of how much you're spending, and you choose the syndicates you join, and the prizes you're hoping for. You can even opt in to international lotteries to increase your chances of a win even further. Current unclaimed National Lottery prizes EuroMillions - £106,738.50 A EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed following the draw on January 14. The lucky winner has until July 13, 2025, to claim their prize. The ticket was purchased in the London Borough of Barnet. EuroMillions - £1m A second EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed. The draw in question took place on February 14, and the lucky ticket holder has until August 13, 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in Liverpool. Lotto - £1m Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A millionaire has been made from the May 10 Lotto draw, with the numbers 13, 14, 15, 27, 33, 36 (Bonus 18), but has yet to come forward to claim their prize. The holder of the ticket - which was bought in St Albans - has until November 6 to claim. Lotto - £1m Someone became a millionaire in the May 24 Lotto draw with the numbers 9, 12, 13, 26, 38, 40, (Bonus 4) — but they haven't come forward yet. The winning ticket was bought in Birmingham, and the prize must be claimed by November 20. EuroMillions - £3,613,887.00 A third EuroMillions prize from the June 13 draw is still unclaimed. The winning ticket was bought in Fife, and the lucky ticket-holder has until December 10 2025 to come forward and claim their prize. Are you struggling to make ends meet as costs continue to rise? You can now send your stories to us online via YourWorld at It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers.
Scotsman
4 days ago
- General
- Scotsman
Unbelievable Lottery fortunes left unclaimed — and one of them could be yours
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. Don't let your chance slip away — many winners miss out by not checking their tickets 🎟️ Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Millions of pounds in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed every year Winning tickets are often forgotten in pockets, sofas, or unopened emails Winners have 180 days from the draw date to claim their prizes Several major lottery prizes, including jackpots over £1 million, remain unclaimed Joining online lottery syndicates like Lotto Social can boost your chances of winning Every year, millions of pounds in National Lottery prizes go unclaimed — not because the money vanishes, but because winners never realise they've won. Life-changing tickets are left crumpled in coat pockets, buried down the back of the sofa, or lost in unread emails — their owners completely unaware they're sitting on a fortune. Right now, that unclaimed jackpot could belong to you. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With several major prizes still up for grabs, it's well worth checking the list below. One overlooked ticket could change everything. (Photo: SHAUN CURRY/AFP via Getty Images) How long do National Lottery winners have to claim their prize? Winning lottery ticket holders have 180 days (approximately six months) from the draw date to claim the prize. If no valid claim is made within the deadline, the prize money - along with any interest it accrues - goes towards funding National Lottery Projects across the UK. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How can National Lottery winnings be claimed? Prize winnings of £500 and under can be claimed in store from a National Lottery retailer - that is, an authorised store or outlet where you can purchase lottery tickets, like newsagents, supermarkets, and petrol stations. Prizes over £500 and up to and including £50,000 can be claimed online. For prizes over £50,000, and monthly prize winnings (Set For Life), winning ticket holders should call the National Lottery on 0333 234 50 50 to confirm and arrange the winning claim. If your ticket has been damaged or destroyed, you still may be able to make a valid claim, however, an appeal should be filed within 30 days of the draw date. Details on the information you would need to provide can be found on the National Lottery website. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad How to increase your chances of winning the lottery Let's be honest: hitting the jackpot isn't easy. The odds are slim, but there are ways to improve your chances and spend less money while pursuing that life-changing prize. Lottery syndicates have been popular for as long as the draws themselves - and for good reason. By pooling resources with others, you can boost your odds of winning. Sure, you'll have to share the prize, but when it's a £100 million EuroMillions jackpot, does that really matter? This is the clever ethos behind Lotto Social, an online syndicate anyone can join in. Not everyone will have a syndicate at work, or in a pub, or a sports club, so this opens the opportunities up to the wider public. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With its simple online platform, Lotto Social unlocks far more opportunities for wins, whether they are big wins or small wins, by increasing the number of entries you're getting. It's completely free to join, so you're in control of how much you're spending, and you choose the syndicates you join, and the prizes you're hoping for. You can even opt in to international lotteries to increase your chances of a win even further. Current unclaimed National Lottery prizes EuroMillions - £106,738.50 A EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed following the draw on January 14. The lucky winner has until July 13, 2025, to claim their prize. The ticket was purchased in the London Borough of Barnet. EuroMillions - £1m A second EuroMillions ticket remains unclaimed. The draw in question took place on February 14, and the lucky ticket holder has until August 13, 2025 to come forward. The ticket was bought in Liverpool. Lotto - £1m Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A millionaire has been made from the May 10 Lotto draw, with the numbers 13, 14, 15, 27, 33, 36 (Bonus 18), but has yet to come forward to claim their prize. The holder of the ticket - which was bought in St Albans - has until November 6 to claim. Lotto - £1m Someone became a millionaire in the May 24 Lotto draw with the numbers 9, 12, 13, 26, 38, 40, (Bonus 4) — but they haven't come forward yet. The winning ticket was bought in Birmingham, and the prize must be claimed by November 20. EuroMillions - £3,613,887.00 A third EuroMillions prize from the June 13 draw is still unclaimed. The winning ticket was bought in Fife, and the lucky ticket-holder has until December 10 2025 to come forward and claim their prize.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Jim's Big Cats & The Cost Of ‘Progress'
Jim's Big Cats & The Cost Of 'Progress' Rajiv Bhartari Jul 24, 2025, 21:16 IST IST Corbett's 150th birth anniversary is a good occasion to remind ourselves that while tiger conservation is a roaring success, allowing national parks to become wedding & leisure destinations is a policy failure Corbett Tiger Reserve , initially founded as Hailey National Park in 1936, stands as the first national park on the Asian mainland and a significant milestone in wildlife conservation. It's a popular destination for wildlife tourism today, drawing many visitors from India and around the world. This vibrant wildlife tourism economy is supported by a network of accommodations, both within and outside the reserve, along with vehicle-based safaris across eight designated zones. Each year, approximately 300,000 visitors generate nearly 20cr in revenue, contributing to regional development.
