Aroostook Band of Micmacs Awarded $900,000 to Combat Violence Against Women

The U.S. Justice Department has awarded nearly $900,000 to the Aroostook Band of Micmacs for its Violence Against Women Tribal Government Program. 

It was one of 206 awards totaling more than $97 million to American Indian tribes, Alaska Native villages, tribal consortia and tribal designees.  Wednesday's announcement was made at the 2015 Tribal Leader Briefing, sponsored by the National Congress of American Indians.

Maine's Penobscot Nation received two grants totaling nearly 1.2 million dollars. One award of $876,889 will help fund the its Violence Against Women Program and the other award of $307,891 will go to its Juvenile Healing to Wellness Courts.

Todd Lowell, the Tribal Liaison for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine said, “These awards to support efforts to reduce domestic and dating violence and to promote wellness and healing for tribal youth will undoubtedly help make these two Maine tribal communities safer and healthier.”