State ups funding for The Haven

After dealing with a round of statewide budget cuts, things may be getting back to normal soon for The Haven in Houma.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services announced this week that it has lifted funding for domestic violence providers by more than $840,000 for the 2013-14 Fiscal Year.

That increase will give The Haven a $326,585.50 budget – up from the $261,385.44 budget the center operated under last year following a round of mid-year reductions.

“I’m extremely grateful to have received back what was cut from us here,” The Haven Executive Director Julie Pellegrin said. “We’re extremely happy and grateful that they were able to do the work to restore us to the levels that we were at before the mid-year cuts.”

For The Haven, the money jump couldn’t come at a better time.

The local center, which provides shelter, counseling and other support to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, had its budget slashed from just more than $300,000 to the $261,385.44 number in last year’s cuts.

“The Haven had its budget reduced by more than $49,000 in those cuts,” Pellegrin said.

Even with a hefty round of cuts, Pellegrin said The Haven was able to keep all of its services and programs in tact following its reductions.

She said that the Houma office lost workers during the tough time, but those employees all left on their own because of various reasons.

Pellegrin said that the additional money will be used to refill those positions and keep everything running smoothly.

“We were going to have to probably reduce some of our programs and services had we not received that money back,” Pellegrin said. “This will allow us to not have to reduce anything, which we’re grateful for, certainly.”