Family
Violence
Fundraising
Stamp

 

A heart-wrenching image of a distraught woman drawn by a child artist is the focal point of the new U.S. postage stamp to raise funds for domestic violence programs and increase awareness about this important social issue. The "Stop Family Violence" semipostal stamp is available at all Post Offices today. 

A Dedication Ceremony will be held Oct. 11 at noon at INVESCO Field at Mile High, United Club Level, East Lounge, 1701 Bryant Street, Gate 7, Denver, Colo. The ceremony will be free and open to the public.

First day of sale cancellations may be obtained today and tomorrow (October 8 and 9) at the National Capitol Post Office, 2 Massachusetts Ave N.E., Washington, D.C., by toll-free telephone order at 1 800 STAMP-24 and by online order at www.usps.com/shop . The Postal Service has printed 125 million Stop Family Violence stamps.

"The Stop Family Violence stamp allows every American to contribute to a nationwide effort to end domestic violence," said Donna Peak, controller and vice president of Finance for the Postal Service, who will dedicate the stamp. "By using this stamp on their cards and letters, our customers will help bring before the public eye a problem that is too often ignored."

Scheduled to join Peak at the ceremony are Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.); Rita Smith, executive director, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and Ellis Burgoyne, district manager, Colorado/Wyoming District, Postal Service.

The price of the self-adhesive, non-denominated stamp is 45 cents. As a semipostal, it is valid for postage at the First-Class one-ounce letter rate in effect at the time of purchase, with the difference between the sales price and actual postage consisting of a tax-deductible contribution.

Funds raised in connection with sales of the stamp - less the Postal Service's reasonable costs - will be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services in accordance with the Stamp Out Domestic Violence Act of 2001, passed by the 107th Congress and signed into law by President Bush on Nov. 12, 2001. 

The stamp's striking design and the circumstances that led to its use are rather unusual. Art director Carl T. Herrman selected Monique Blais, a six-year-old girl from Santa Barbara, Calif., to model for the stamp design. The intention was to photograph Blais erasing a domestic violence image - implying eradication of the issue. At one point during a break in the photo session, and without prompting, Blais began drawing her own picture of what she thought best represented domestic violence. Photographed by Philip Channing, Blais' drawing became the basis for the final Stop Family Violence design.

To see the Stop Family Violence stamp, visit the Postal Service Web site and open this press release at www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/welcome.htm

The Breast Cancer Research and Heroes of 2001 semipostals, the first semipostals issued in the U.S., and the Stop Family Violence stamp are available at all Post Offices, by toll-free phone order at 1 800 STAMP-24 and online at the Postal Store www.usps.com/shop

Current U.S. stamps, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available by toll-free phone order at 1 800 STAMP-24. In addition, a selection of stamps and other philatelic items are available at the online Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop (and to see framed stamp art available for purchase, click on the postalartgallery.com link). 

Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. An independent federal agency, the Postal Service visits more than 141 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $68.9 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume - some 202 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year - and serves seven million customers each day at its 40,000 retail locations nationwide. 

Technical Details

Issue: Stop Family Violence
Item Number: 566100
Denomination & Type of Issue: First-Class semipostal
Format: Pane of 20 (one design)
Series: N/A
Issue Date & City: October 8, 2003, Washington, DC 20090
Designer: Carl T. Herrman, Carlsbad, CA
Artist: Monique M. Blais, Santa Barbara, CA
Art Director: Carl T. Herrman, Carlsbad, CA
Photographer: Philip Channing, Santa Barbara, CA
Typographer: Carl T. Herrman, Carlsbad, CA
Engraver: Keating Gravure
Modeler: Avery Dennison, SPD
Manufacturing Process: Gravure
Printer: Avery Dennison (AVR)
Printed at: AVR, Clinton SC, 29325
Press Type: Dia Nippon Kiko (DNK)
Stamps per Pane: 20
Print Quantity: 125 million stamps
Paper Type: Nonphosphored, type III
Gum Type: Pressure-sensitive
Processed at: AVR, Clinton SC, 29325
Colors: Yellow, Red, Cyan, Black
Stamp Orientation: Vertical
Image Area (w x h): 0.84 x1.410 in./21.336 x 35.814 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 0.990 x 1.560 in./25.146 x 39.624 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): 5.875 x 7.250 in./149.23 x 184.15 mm
Plate Size: 200 Stamps per revolution
Plate Numbers: "V" followed by four (4) single digits
Marginal Markings: " 2003 USPS" " Price " Plate position diagram
Plate numbers (4 per pane) " 4 barcodes on back

Header "Stop Family Violence National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799 SAFE (800-799-7233) TTY 1-800-787-3224 or at www.ndvh.org" " Bottom selvage text "The Stamp Out Domestic Violence Act of 2001 directs the Postal Service to transfer the net proceeds from the sale of these semipostal stamps to the Department of Health and Human Services to support domestic violence programs. Each "Stop Family Violence" semipostal stamp is valid for postage at the First-Class Mail, first-ounce rate in effect at the time of purchase."

Catalog Item Number(s) 566120 Block of 4 - $1.80
566130 Block of 10 - $4.50
566140 Full Pane of 20 - $9.00
566161 First Day Cover - $0.83
566193 Full Pane w/FDC - $9.83

Source: www.usps.com/communications/news/stamps/2003/sr03_056.txt  

 



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