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The roots of Napa Emergency Women's Services (NEWS) go back to the late 1970's when a group of concerned citizens in Napa County realized that the number of domestic violence incidents was on the rise and that there was no shelter for women and their children escaping domestic violence in Napa County. The first step for NEWS was to establish a domestic violence hotline, which it accomplished in cooperation with Cope Family Center in 1979. Staffed by specially trained COPE volunteers, it referred women in fear for their own and their children's safety to resources and to private homes where shelter was offered free of charge. Counseling groups and other support services including transitional housing services, food, clothing and job skill training were also made available to these families in trauma. Our first shelter was opened after years of lobbying and fundraising on October 5, 1981 with substantial direct support from the City of Napa
Over the years, NEWS has sought to expand its services to all segments of Napa County's community, teaching skills for non-violent living and broaden its services to include assistance in learning employment skills to those women returning to the job market and life skills for establishing their own households. All services are provided free of charge and are available in Spanish and in English.
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