Ronelle Funk Empowers Women with a Purple Purse

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Ronelle Funk (right) with Marilyn Zuckerman Funk (left) on the Purple carpet before the unveiling of the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse in New York City.

Ronelle Funk, owner and president of Ronelle Funk Insurance, and member of the national Allstate Against Abuse Team, recently returned from New York City after attending an unveiling of the Allstate Foundation’s Purple Purse. Allstate Foundation Purple Purse is a public awareness and fundraising campaign aimed at creating long-term safety and security for domestic violence survivors through financial empowerment.

One in four women will be a victim of domestic violence in her lifetime. Most people think only of physical abuse when they consider domestic violence, yet financial abuse happens in 98 percent of all domestic violence cases, leaving women trapped and unable to leave. In fact, the number one reason domestic violence survivors stay or return to an abusive relationship is that they don’t have the financial resources to break free.

“Domestic violence exists across all socio-economic sectors,” says Funk, who attended the fundraising event. “The biggest obstacle women face when it comes to financial abuse is that their abuser controls access to their resources making it almost impossible for women to escape the situation.”

Unveiling of the Purple Purse in NYC

Funk was one of only 14 agents selected by Allstate—out of the more than 900 agents involved nationwide—to participate in the kick-off of this year’s campaign held at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on September 24. The event featured designer Dee Ocleppo, her husband Tommy Hilfiger and actress and spokesperson for the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse campaign, Kerry Washington.

“We personally met with all three of them in Tommy Hilfiger’s private suite in the hotel, prior to the event”, says Funk. “Over 100 purses were personally signed by Tommy, Dee and Kerry, and have been used for fundraising efforts across the country. People can purchase their own purple purse from Saks, and a portion of the proceeds from every sale will benefit the Allstate Foundation’s Purple Purse non-profits.”

ronelle funk purple purse
Ronelle holds one of the autographed Purple Purses that will be auctioned off to raise money to fight financial abuse.

“The Allstate Foundation’s Purple Purse represents the center of a woman’s financial domain,” explained Washington in her public service video. “Our campaign uses a purse as the symbol to educate people about domestic violence and the financial abuse that usually traps women in violent relationships.”

The Purple Purse campaign involves more than 160 national, state and local organizations that provide life-changing services to domestic violence survivors across the country.

In 2014, the community partners that joined in support of Purple Purse fundraising raised over $2.5 million to help give survivors of domestic violence the financial knowledge, skills and resources they need to be free from abuse.

Call for a quote and raise awareness

“I was very inspired to be at the unveiling of the Purple Purse,” explains Funk who has joined with Fund for Women & Girls of the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation to auction off one of the autographed Purple Purses at their 2016 Power of the Purse fundraising luncheon on March 8, 2016.

A 2014 survey, commissioned by The Allstate Foundation, reported that nearly eight in 10 Americans (or 78 percent) say they have not heard much about financial abuse as it relates to domestic violence. Additionally, Americans think that financial abuse is the least likely form of abuse to be recognized by an outsider.

ronelle funk purple purse
Ronelle poses with actress Kerry Washington, the ambassador for the Purple Purse Campaign in NYC.

During October, if you call one of Funk’s offices at (360) 491-3376 in Lacey or (360) 458.6061 in Yelm for an insurance quote, she will donate $10 to SafePlace Olympia. There is no obligation to purchase insurance.

“As a member of the Allstate Against Abuse Team, I am willing to speak to any group about the importance of women’s financial independence and security,” says Funk. “Women who want to leave an abuser are often trapped. And if they do leave, they often come back because they have no resources to escape the situation. As with so many issues, education is the key to empowering and inspiring someone who otherwise would be trapped in the abuse cycle.”

Groups that would like to invite Ronelle Funk to speak on the subject may contact her via email at RonelleFunk@allstate.com.

To make a donation to raise awareness of financial abuse visit www.purplepurse.com.

 

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