Safe Steps has joined forces with Ritchies Supermarkets, enabling shoppers to support the work of Victoria’s 24/7 Family Violence Response Centre every time they make a purchase at the supermarket.

The Community Benefit program, synonymous with the business has donated more than $50 million to customer chosen charities and organisations since its launch 27 years ago with shoppers nominating their preferred recipient to receive 0.5% of the purchase value each month.

Safe Steps Family Violence Centre CEO, Rita Butera believes that awareness of family violence and its impact on the community is crucial, and that businesses like Ritchies can play a key role in ensuring that the awareness continues to grow and the organization is able to continue its vital work in helping women and children escape family violence. 

“Last year, the Safe Steps Crisis team took 74,377 calls from people escaping family violence as well as people concerned about loved ones and wanting to know what they could do to help.”

“The Ritchies Community Benefit Program enables people to help make a difference in the lives of women and children by doing something as simple as purchasing their groceries and signing up for the community program,” she says.

“This support is invaluable to us in our work,” says Ms Butera, “and we are extremely grateful for the support of both Ritchies and their customers.”

Safe Steps is Victoria’s only 24/7 crisis response service for people experiencing family violence.  In the 2019 – 2020 financial year, Safe Steps ensured 3,220 people escaping family violence were safely accommodated including 1,503 children.  20% of the people Safe Steps supported in that same period were under the age of 5 years old.

Media enquiries:

Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre media@safesteps.org.au