BOSTON, November 5, 2018— An annual Domestic Violence Awareness fundraiser hosted by Suffolk County District Attorney John P. Pappas and his staff last week raised $2,800 to support services for victims.

Now in its fifth year, the fundraising event held Thursday night at Bell in Hand Tavern supported Casa Myrna Vasquez, Inc., which provides shelter and services for victims of intimate partner violence and their children and responds to nearly 25,000 calls each year through the statewide domestic violence hotline SafeLink.

Last week’s event generated $2,800 for Casa Myrna, including money raised through ticket sales, raffles of more than a dozen prizes, and a silent auction. Among the generous donors who helped make the event a success were Allstate Foundation Purple Purse, Boston Roller Derby, Boxer Hotel, Capital Grille, Dellaria Salons, The Fours Restaurant and Sports Bar, ICA Boston, Lambert’s Rainbow Market, Legal Sea Foods, Liberty Hotel, Monument Restaurant & Tavern, Roche Bros., West on Centre, Wine Country Gift Baskets, and Shannon Settana, who donated a football autographed by Tom Brady that was auctioned at Thursday’s event. In addition, Bell in Hand Tavern once again this year provided their private event space for the fundraiser.

“Too often, victims of domestic violence believe that they’re to blame for their partner’s abuse, that no one cares, or that there’s no one who will help,” Pappas said. “But there is help, and I hope that this event has raised awareness of the services available from dedicated and compassionate staff at Casa Myrna and from Suffolk prosecutors and advocates who work to help domestic violence survivors every day.”

Casa Myrna was founded in 1977 by volunteers in Boston’s South End to provide a safe haven to victims of domestic violence and today provides shelter, financial literacy education, job readiness programs, counseling, advocacy and other services for survivors, as well as domestic violence awareness and prevention programs for teens and adults. The organization was named for Myrna Vazquez, an actress and activist who organized members of South End’s Puerto Rican community.

–30–