New Beginnings mission is to:

Provide shelter, advocacy and support for battered women and their children;
Change attitudes and social institutions which foster and perpetuate violence

Description:
New Beginnings works with victims of domestic violence through advocacy-based counseling - an advocate and a woman working together on safety planning and empowerment. New Beginnings provides a variety of services in the community. A 24 hour Crisis Line may be the point of entry to emergency shelter and a diverse staff welcoming people of all ethnic backgrounds into a safe environment for up to 28 days. During their stay, families are supplied with food, clothing, personal items, access to interpreters and advocate support. Advocates are available to assist residents 24 hours a day through support groups, individual counseling, safety planning, legal advocacy, chemical dependency intervention and children's services.

Our Transitional Housing Program focuses on giving families a safe place to recover. by living independently in one of 17 fully furnished apartments for up to 18 months. On-site services are provided as well as links to community resources.

Our Community Advocacy Program serves women who are still with a violent partner, recently separated women and women who have been out of an abusive relationship for some time. Services include safety planning, legal and systems advocacy, child care, children's support groups, parenting classes and support groups, including a chemical dependency group.
The newly created Social Change Program offers workshops, professional training and presentations to raise awareness and educate the community on domestic violence. The Social Change Program is also dedicated to educating youth on the importance of violence prevention.

History:
New Beginnings opened in 1976 as one of the earliest shelters for abused women in the country. In 1978 it received the first funding from the City of Seattle and King County. The first volunteer training program also began in 1978. By 1979 City funding had doubled and New Beginnings provided counseling and housing to over 500 women and children. The Boeing Good Neighbor fund provided the $80,000 down payment on a 28-room facility. In 1982 New Beginnings became a United Way partner agency. Over the next few years the agency moved to the new facility, increased staffing levels, installed TTY, added chemical dependency/domestic violence support group, and began Board-sponsored fund-raising projects. In 1991 the City of Seattle provided funding for the Community Advocacy Program, to deliver services for battered women and their children in a non-residential setting. In 1995 the agency received almost 7,000 Crisis Line calls, served 300 women and children in the shelter, almost 500 in the community program and community education reached over 10,000 people. By 1998, after receiving funding from HUD McKinney, the City of Seattle, Washington State Housing Trust and the Federal Home Loan Bank, the agency purchased and renovated an apartment building to provide 17 fully furnished apartments available to women and children in the Transitional Housing Program. In 2001 the shelter and transitional housing programs provided services to 175 women and 174 children. The Community Advocacy program worked with 464 adults and their 568 children and the Crisis Line received over 1000 calls a month.
The Social Change Program is currently working with Seattle Middle Schools to provide groups of young people information about violence prevention. A survivor-led group called the Thriver's Action Group (TAG) has been formed to work for social change through 1st person speaking contacting media,political action, consciousness raising and community outreach.

Contact people:

Billie Miller, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email) Donnetta Vessell, Office Manager, (phone), (email) Donation Line, (phone) Kate Schumacher, Facilities' Manager, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (206) 706-0291

Address:

P O Box 75125 Seattle, WA 98175

Web Site: http://www.newbegin.org

Directions:

New Beginnings is confidentially located. Directions will be given on a need-to-know basis.   Nearest Bus Stop: one block

Miscellaneous Information

Liability
	Yes
Does your organization welcome court-ordered community service volunteers?
	No
Does your organization have volunteer positions for youth 12-18?
	No

Overall Experience   
This organization has taught me about domestic violence and advocacy through its extensive volunteer training, devoted staff and volunteers, and through its dedication toward creating change in the community. I appreciate all the growth I have seen in myself and the growth I have seen in the individuals served by New Beginnings.

posted on January 26, 2006

Overall Experience   
Volunteering here has helped me to grow.

From this agency I learned about empowerment, this philosophy helped me to find my own power as well as help others to find theirs. posted by medavey on December 1, 2003