2023 Purple Ribbon Award Winners Announced

May 22, 2023 – DomesticShelters.org announced the winners of the 2023 Purple Ribbon

Awards across 34 categories, as judged by a national panel of respected professionals from the domestic violence field.

BrightHouse staff nominated Executive Director Sue Wray and she was recognized as one of 3 winners in the Program/Shelter Executive of the Year for programs between $500,000 and $2 million. Executives from Union City, Pennsylvania and New Orleans, Louisiana also won in this category, which had record breaking numbers of nominations, according to DomesticShelters.org. “It is an honor to be recognized in this way when there are so many people working very hard in this field across the Unites States and Canada. The best part of this was to be nominated by staff,” said Wray.

2023 marks the third year of the Purple Ribbon Awards, presented by

Theresa’s Fund, the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that operates DomesticShelters.org

The Purple Ribbon Awards are the first comprehensive awards program honoring the countless heroes of the domestic violence movement, including advocates, programs, shelters, survivors and members of the community support system.

One other agency from Kansas was recognized with an award in this year’s Purple Ribbon Awards: YWCA of Northeast Kansas won for Most Innovative Service for agencies with budgets greater than $2 million.

All winners receive an official Purple Ribbon Award medallion, along with other items. "Working in the domestic violence field can often feel like an uphill battle. The annual Purple Ribbon Awards offer a moment of reflection, celebration and idea-sharing. It sheds light on the remarkable efforts that would otherwise go unrecognized," said Ashley Rumschlag, CEO and President of Theresa's Fund.

Each Purple Ribbon Awards nominated entry was scored by three judges on a 1-25 scale

across four factors:

1) Challenge & Impact (the scope of the challenge faced and overcome)

2) Creativity & Originality (the inventiveness of the nominee in their endeavor)

3) Submission Excellence (the caliber of the materials accompanying the entry)

4) Overall (the overall performance of the entry relative to other entries).

There were three separate competitions within each category to provide organizations the opportunity to be reviewed among their peers. Nominations for the 2024 Purple Ribbon Awards will open on January 1, 2024.

For more information about the Purple Ribbon Awards, contact Sue Wray at BrightHouse at 620-665-3630 or suew@brighthouseks.org

To reach BrightHouse offices call 620-665-3630, or learn more at the website at www.brighthouseks.org

If it’s an emergency, call the 24-Hour Crisis Line at 620-663-2522 or come to the BrightHouse offices at 125 W. 2nd Ave. to speak with an Advocate between 8 am and 4:30 pm.