New stamp helps victims of domestic abuse

The Post Office is rolling out a new postage stamp, and like two previous special releases, this one will raise money for a good cause. Fort Dodge postmaster Bruce Grover says it’s a “semi-postal” stamp because the 45-cent cost is more than the face value of today’s first-class stamp, and the extra money will go to help victims of domestic violence. The first U.S. semi-postal stamp was issued in 1998 for breast cancer and has raised 30-million dollars, then the “Heroes of 2001” stamp raised millions for families of those who died during the terrorist attacks. The artwork is a young girl expressing the sadness of domestic violence. Post offices across the country hold special rollout events for the stamp, some at shelters for battered women. Postmaster Gruver says they like to do other local drives to help local women’s and children’s center. They post offices hold drives to collect “critical needs,” simple things for everyday living like school supplies, and dustpans. Money paid for the new stamps over the 37-cent cost of first-class postage will go to a national fund to help support the shelters. He says in many cases of family violence, women and children leave with only the clothes they’re wearing and have nothing to set up housekeeping again. The money’s never enough, he says, as the local outreach centers have to be self-sufficient and don’t get much money from the state. The Fort Dodge post office plans a rollout ceremony next week for the new stamp.