MINNEAPOLIS (Dec. 14, 2017) — Asian Women United of Minnesota is partnering with David Dumas, owner of Diamonds & Gold International, Inc. based in St. Louis Park, in holiday toy drive. Other women’s shelters participating include: Eagle’s Nest, Home Free, Hart House, Casa de Esperanza & Women’s Advocate. Toy distribution takes place from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday, Dec. 18 at the Robbinsdale City Hall, 4100 Lakeview Ave N, Robbinsdale, Minn.
In 1988 Dumas began an annual tradition of purchasing Christmas toys to donate to battered women’s shelters. Since then, his business clients have also donated toys to contribute to the tradition & effort.
Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women’s 2014 Annual Report states that more than 63,000 Minnesotans sought advocacy and services from domestic violence programs and 23 domestic violence homicides were recorded in 2014. National statistics: 1 in 4 women (22.3 percent) have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner, while 1 in 7 men (14 percent) have experienced the same. 1 in 15 children are exposed to intimate partner violence each year, and 90 percent of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence.
AWUM is a non-profit organization dedicated to end domestic violence by promoting safe & healthy relationships within the Asian-Pacific Islander community. For almost a decade, AWUM has provided 24-hour emergency shelter (House of Peace) and advocacy to women & children victimized by domestic violence in the Minneapolis/St. Paul and surrounding communities.
