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Broadband and cable company Spectrum paid a special Saturday visit to the Genieve Shelter to celebrate its new addition and donate to the nonprofit’s efforts.

As part of the Spectrum Employee Community Grant Program, the division of Charter Communications presented $10,000 to the shelter during its Saturday, July 27 cookout event to help combat sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking as well as helping survivors recover. The cookout also celebrated the grand opening of the Nora Safehouse, a new home designed to help assist with the overflow of survivors. The house is named after Board Member and Clinician Nora D. Butler, who has served the shelter and survivors of abuse for over three decades.

Following the presentation, Genieve Shelter Executive Director Marleisa Montgomery had a chance to talk further about the donation. Montgomery says the funding will go towards Nora Safehouse and their operating budget.

“Because now, after building the house, we have to operate. And so, we’re raising funds to operate the shelter and we’re also trying to pay off the last $77,000 [for] construction,” Montgomery said. “So that’s what the funds are going to go for. Mainly it’s to help the families when we start moving them in in the near future.”

Spectrum Senior Manager of Communications Stephanie Richin says it’s “an honor” to help the Genieve Shelter keep residents safe.

“This is the fourth grant we have provided them over the past few years and it takes our funding from them up to $28,500, and it’s all really thanks to Christopher Hearn, one of our employees that nominates them every year,” Richin said. “He’s been volunteering with the organization for almost 20 years, and he is doing great work in this community and brought Genieve Shelter to our attention and we couldn’t be more pleased…”

Spectrum Supply Chain Supervisor Christopher Hearn followed, saying that he is “glad to be able to be a piece to make all this happen.” On continuing to work with Spectrum to combat abuse, Montgomery calls Spectrum “a tremendous help.”

“I look forward to getting that call that they’re ready to help us. It’s always perfect timing,” she said. “…they have been helping us because a lot of our people that are coming in, even though they’re survivors, they reside in [the] shelter and a lot of them end up staying in Suffolk and connecting to the Spectrum services. So, I think it’s a win-win situation, because they’re helping us and we’re helping them. Because [we’re] always telling our clients when they’re moving out, ‘Put this on your budget cause you’re going to need internet for the children…’”