NEWS - Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Services - Napa Valley

Let's start the celebration!

24/7 HELP LINE 707.255.NEWS (6397)

NEWS

NEWS is excited to announce the start of our 40^th anniversary celebration! We just finished our 39th fiscal year, and staff are fully back working in the admin office and shelter. We are keeping staff safety in mind while fulfilling our mission after a year of challenging shifts in how we maintained services to our clients.

NEWS ended the pandemic year on strong footing. Thanks to our generous community and government aid such as the PPP, we are well positioned to navigate what we anticipate being a lean year. We have seen a dramatic shift in need towards long term, sustainable housing for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Our Housing, Crisis Intervention, and Sexual Abuse teams rose to that challenge and provided 650 adults and 240 children with services in FY 2020-21 (1300 clients total across all programs and assistance to callers on our Help Line). Total dollars of assistance were close to $400K this year, provided the support they needed to start on a safe and healthy new path.

In 1981, our budget for the entire agency was around $120K. That reflected a shelter program with four staff members, a director, and a bookkeeper. Today, at our 40^th anniversary, we have over 10 active programs, 28 staff members, and our agency budget is expected to be $2.9M.

Over the next few months, we would like to invite you to join us in hearing The Story of NEWS! We have exciting plans, events, and stories to tell as we review the last 40 years of Nurturing Empowerment Worth and Safety. Come along with us!

Mandy DeBord
NEWS Finance & HR Director

If you are experiencing abuse or would just like some information, please call our help line, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

With a simple mission to “provide support and refuge for victims of domestic violence; to provide community education regarding domestic violence,” NEWS, formerly Napa Emergency Women’s Services, submitted an application to the State of California Franchise Tax Board for Non-Profit status on February 20, 1981. Primary activity of the organization: Provide services and a place of refuge for battered women in Napa County.

By April, a Board of Directors and large Advisory Council had been formed and fundraising was in full swing. $50,000 had been received from the City of Napa and $50,000 from the County, and an offer had already been made on a five bedroom house on Seymore Street behind the park*. The offer for the house was $72,000, with $3,000 in termite work needed. $15,000 had also been raised to fund a Shelter Coordinator position for one year. NEWS was off and running!

*This is no longer the location of the NEWS safe house.

Help Us Make a Difference

NEWS has a dedicated group of staff and volunteers providing direct client services as well as shelter 24 hours a day/7 days a week, to approximately 1500 people each year.

THANKFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS!

California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services | Community Projects, Inc. | City of Napa | City of Napa Police Department | The Doctors Company | Drysdale Community Foundation | First Dollar Foundation | Golden Rule Family Foundation | HCA Foundation | Kaiser Permanente | Napa County | Napa Valley’s CanDo Give!Guide | Napa Valley Community Foundation | Napa Valley Vintners | Major League Baseball | Mental Health Services Act in Napa County | The Peter A. & Vernice H. Gasser Foundation | Pinpoint Foundation | Phelps Foundation| Queen of the Valley Foundation | Redwood Credit Union | Soroptimist International | Syar Foundation | United Way Bay Area | Winiarski Foundation