Our Victims of Violent Crimes Program is a Joint Effort
| Nevada State Law Enforcement Officers' Associaton www.nevadaleo.org |
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| Left to Right: NSLEOA Secretary-Treasurer Natalie Brough, Shade Tree Associate Director Rebecca Morris, NSLEOA President Ron Cuzze, and Senator Dina Titus. |
a grant of $10,000.
President Ron Cuzze was quoted as saying, “Our Victims of Violent Crime Program is intended to
provide some financial relief for crime victims in Nevada. The Shade Tree is a non-profit program
operated to assist and provide initial shelter and a safe-haven for battered women and children,
all victims of violent crime.”
Senator Dina Titus attended and co-presented this Victims of Violent Crime grant with Ron Cuzze.
Senator Titus has been noted for being tough on crime in Nevada during her career, and she is
especially sensitive to domestic violence issues.
Prior to the presentation, The Shade Tree Executive Director Brenda Dizon provided a brief
update on the status of the program and a tour of the facility. The Shade Tree is preparing to
expand their facility on the prepared site directly west of their location at One West Owens, at the
south west corner with Main Street in Las Vegas. Included in their new facility will be Noah’s
Animal House, the first shelter of its kind in the United States, built for animals involved in
domestic violence. Director Dizon explained that often battered women and children will not leave
a household setting involving violence if they have to leave a pet behind. And when a mother and
children leave a home, often the family pet is the unseen, silent victim in their stead, and can
become the focus of violence or threats which will later force them to return to a bad situation.
This new shelter for animals will enable the all the victims, including the pets, to have a safe,
nurturing refuge, in close proximity together, so that healing and health can be restored to all.
“No one likes to hear about Domestic Violence. But there are still those who use violence in our
communities, and others still who ignore it, turning away from victims in need. The Shade Tree is
doing a truly remarkable job in assisting women and children whose lives have been devastated
by the crime of domestic violence.”, Cuzze said. “Thanks to the citizens and businesses in Nevada,
we are in a position to assist the The Shade Tree shelter with this grant.”
Senator Titus and her aide both participated in the tour, and the Senator made note of the
important programs offered beyond the food and shelter which many may believe are the only
services. The Shade Tree has access to social services, medical care, education for adults and
schooling for children, job training and counseling, which are available for clients at The Shade
Tree. Started in 1990, The Shade Tree is now Nevada’s largest shelter for women and children,
serving more than 6,000 people a year.
Ron Cuzze remarked that with the continued success of the Victims of Violent Crime program he
would like to present an annual grant to The Shade Tree. “We support the exceptional work done
by The Shade Tree for women, children and now family pets. It is our hope that by helping to bring
the work of The Shade Tree to our members, the community and our agency leaders, that many
more individuals and families will volunteer to assist, or make donations to this worthwhile
program themselves.” Associate Director of Development Rebecca Morris accepted the grant of
$10,000 on behalf of The Shade Tree.
The NSLEOA continues to provide grants to individual victims and advocate programs throughout
Nevada on a quarterly basis through their Victims of Violent Crime Program. Our Victims of Violent
Crime program was created in 1997 for the association by Ron Cuzze and Tom Ely, and has served
to assist crime victims in all areas of the state. The Program derives its funds from advertising in
the Association’s quarterly magazine, The Nevada Law Enforcement Officer’s Journal, and through
the donations made to the Victims of Violent Crime program by very generous Nevada businesses
and citizens.
As always, the public, representatives from the community, judicial and law enforcement agencies,
as well as the media were invited. Those who are interested in the program are encouraged to
visit the NSLEOA website, www.nevadaleo.org, and go to the Grants for Victims page.
