GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — Latimer House held a luncheon November 2 to help raise awareness for intimate partner violence.

Latimer House is a program under Hilltop, a community outreach organization, that provides resources to those experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual assault. The program offers a variety of services falling under three categories: crisis intervention services, case management advocacy services, and prevention and education services.

Hilltop President Will Hays tells WesternSlopeNow the program is “an integral part of the safety net” for people experiencing intimate partner violence or sexual assault.

“Latimer House has been around for years, well before I got here in 1999. So we’ve been kind of a bedrock program in the community for a long time.”

Latimer House’s ‘Men in Heels’ fundraiser, which ran for 12 years, ended with last year’s event. Paige Cadman, Hilltop’s marketing director who came up with the idea for the run, says its life cycle was waning. “Now we’re looking forward to the future of how do we engage the community in an education and still fun way.”

At the luncheon, to commemorate the end of Men in Heels, District Attorney Dan Rubinstein accepted an award on behalf of the District Attorney’s office for “Best Fundraising.” Rubinstein says Latimer House is extremely important to the DA’s office. The office even enlisted Latimer House’s help in setting up a domestic violence response team.

“This program, the Latimer House, is very much part of our core mission and an amazing community partner to us,” said Rubinstein.

Men in Heels was a major fundraiser for Latimer House, but with the event coming to a halt, supplemental funding for the program will have to come from somewhere else.

“We rely heavily on the community to support us and those funds being able to be directed directly to the people who need it the most,” Cadman tells WesternSlopeNow.

While Latimer House doesn’t have another fundraiser in place yet, they’re working to create new ways to raise funds and awareness going forward. Funds that will help people in need in Mesa, Montrose, Delta and Ouray counties.

Latimer House accepts both volunteers and donations. More information on the services Latimer House provides and ways you can support them can be found on their website.