WEST PALM BEACH — For the ninth year, Clerk Sharon Bock and her team at the Clerk and Comptroller’s office observed Domestic Violence Awareness Month and assisted Palm Beach County’s two state-licensed domestic violence shelters.

Last week, Clerk Bock provided representatives from Aid to Victims of Domestic Violence (AVDA) and the YWCA Harmony House each a check for $895, totaling $1,790, and delivered 377 cell phones.

The money was raised through the sale of “Dress Down Day” tickets to employees who paid $10 to dress casually on Wednesdays in October. The cell phones were collected at the Clerk’s offices throughout Palm Beach County.

All phones are refurbished and personal information is removed. The agencies then give the phones to their clients so they can make emergency calls. The phones can be connected with cellular service providers for other calls.

Phones that cannot be refurbished will be recycled, with money going back to the domestic violence agencies to help them continue their important work within the community.

“The 750 employees at the Clerk’s office recognize the importance of this societal issue and are committed to raising awareness,” said Clerk Bock. “We continue to serve every day as a resource in Palm Beach County to those who want and need our help.”

The Clerk’s office is often a first stop for many domestic abuse victims, who visit the office to file injunctions against their abusers. The Clerk’s office’s Domestic Violence Department has many resources for victims, including information about how to file an injunction or complaint, answers to frequently asked questions and contact information for agencies that assist domestic abuse victims.

Organizations such as AVDA and the YWCA Harmony House provide critical services to Palm Beach County. “I’m proud that, each year, my office and its employees contribute all that they can to help these outstanding groups,” said Clerk Bock.

For more information about the Clerk’s office, please visit www.mypalmbeachclerk.com or call (561) 355-2996.