Megan Montgomery Foundation to Prevent Domestic Violence names 6 new board members – HooverSun.com

Foundation Board Expansion to Advance Sustainable Development Goals

The Megan Montgomery Foundation, a grant-making nonprofit organization, has announced a strategic expansion of its board of directors. This development is aimed at strengthening the foundation’s capacity to achieve its core mission of preventing relationship violence through education, a mission that directly supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alignment with Global Objectives for Health, Education, and Equality

The foundation’s work is intrinsically linked to key global targets for sustainable development. By focusing on early intervention and education, the organization makes significant contributions toward:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: Promoting healthy relationships is fundamental to ensuring mental and physical well-being and preventing the long-term health consequences of violence.
• SDG 4: Quality Education: The foundation’s initiatives provide crucial education on building respectful relationships and promoting a culture of peace and non-violence, aligning with targets for inclusive and equitable education.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: A primary objective is the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls, a specific target within the goal for gender equality.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: By working to reduce interpersonal violence at the community level, the foundation contributes to the broader goal of significantly reducing all forms of violence and creating peaceful, inclusive societies.

Newly Appointed Board Members

The six new members bring diverse expertise to guide the foundation in its mission. The newly appointed individuals are:

1. Abraham Evans III, Assistant Director of Greek Life, Samford University
2. Amanda Phillips, Clinical Social Worker/Therapist, Private Practice
3. Cliff Nail, Client Advisor, Oakworth Capital Bank
4. Corey Milner, Realtor, ARC Realty
5. Denita Bearden, Chief Administrative Officer, Housing Authority of the Birmingham District
6. Tim Meehan, Founder and President, Senior Placement Services

Existing Board of Directors

The new appointees will join the foundation’s established leadership, which includes:

• Kari Hudson, Director of Business Development and Client Relations, Purpose Possible
• Kelly Morgan, CEO/Owner, Grandview Financial Group
• Ruth White, Retired Director, St. Vincent’s Emergency Department
• Susann Montgomery-Clark, Founding Member
• Rod Clark, Founding Member

Strategic Impact and Contribution to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Since its inception following the death of Megan Montgomery on December 1, 2019, the foundation has been dedicated to early intervention in relationship violence. Its operational model exemplifies SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. The foundation has awarded $363,000 in grants, fostering collaborations with other nonprofits and educational institutions across Alabama. These partnerships are essential for empowering young people with the skills to identify unhealthy behaviors and foster a culture of mutual respect and accountability.

Meredith Montgomery-Price, the foundation’s Executive Director, stated, “Each [new member] brings valuable expertise and a shared commitment to empowering young people with the skills and knowledge to build healthy, respectful relationships. Their leadership strengthens our capacity to create lasting change in communities across the state.”

Further information regarding the foundation’s grant application process and opportunities for partnership can be found at megansfoundation.org.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article discusses the work of the Megan Montgomery Foundation, which focuses on preventing relationship violence through education. This mission connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that address health, education, gender equality, and peace.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  Relationship violence is a significant public health issue with severe consequences for physical and mental well-being. The foundation’s work to prevent violence before it starts directly contributes to promoting well-being and preventing premature deaths, as tragically highlighted by the murder of Megan Montgomery.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The foundation’s core strategy is “healthy relationship education.” By awarding grants to educational institutions, it aims to “empower young people with information and skills to recognize unhealthy behaviors.” This aligns with the goal of providing education that promotes a culture of peace and non-violence.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  Relationship and domestic violence are forms of gender-based violence that disproportionately affect women. The foundation’s mission to prevent “relationship violence” is a direct effort to eliminate a key barrier to gender equality and empower individuals to build respectful relationships.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article mentions that Megan’s husband is “serving a 30-year sentence,” which relates to the justice aspect of this goal. More broadly, the foundation’s work to prevent violence at its root contributes to reducing all forms of violence and related death rates, fostering a more peaceful society.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the foundation’s mission and actions described in the article, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

• Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being

  By aiming for “early intervention of relationship violence, before it escalates,” the foundation’s work directly seeks to prevent the severe mental and physical trauma associated with abuse, thereby promoting mental health and well-being.

• Target 4.7: Education for sustainable development and global citizenship

  The foundation’s focus on providing “healthy relationship education” to young people directly supports this target, which calls for ensuring all learners acquire knowledge and skills to promote “human rights, gender equality, [and a] promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence.”

• Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls

  The foundation was created after Megan Montgomery was “slain… by her estranged husband.” Its mission to prevent relationship violence is a direct response to this form of gender-based violence and aligns perfectly with the goal of eliminating violence against women.

• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere

  The ultimate goal of the foundation is to prevent tragedies like the one that took Megan’s life. By educating young people to stop violence “before any violence occurs,” the organization is working to reduce a specific form of violence and the associated death rate.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions or implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Financial Investment in Education (Indicator for Target 4.7)

  The article explicitly states that the foundation “has awarded $363,000 in grants to nonprofits and educational institutions across Alabama.” This financial figure serves as a direct indicator of the resources being mobilized for education on non-violence and healthy relationships.

• Reach of Educational Programs (Implied Indicator for Target 4.7)

  By funding educational institutions and nonprofits, it is implied that a key measure of success would be the number of “young people” who are empowered with the information and skills provided by these programs. While a specific number is not given, it is a clear objective.

• Reduction in Violence and Deaths (Implied Indicator for Targets 5.2 and 16.1)

  The foundation’s origin story—Megan’s murder—establishes the ultimate desired outcome. A long-term indicator of the success of its preventative work would be a reduction in the incidence of relationship violence and related homicides in the communities it serves.

• Institutional Capacity (Implied Indicator for SDG 16)

  The article’s announcement of “six new members of its board of directors” with diverse expertise (social work, finance, etc.) is an indicator of the foundation’s growing institutional capacity and strength to tackle the issue of relationship violence.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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