STAND! Against Domestic Violence

STAND! Against Domestic Violence leads the community in ending domestic violence and rebuilding lives.

STAND!s approach to domestic violence is well-rounded and community-wide. In addition to a complete spectrum of prevention, intervention, and treatment programs, STAND enlists the efforts of the communities it serves, as well as partners and institutions striving with us to stop violence. We cannot achieve our mission without the efforts of everyone in the community, every school, every faith community, and every neighborhood.As the only comprehensive domestic violence prevention agency in Contra Costa County, STAND! assists more than 10,000 clients annually by providing comprehensive prevention, intervention, and treatment services to end the cycle of violence, including: emergency shelter, 24-hour crisis line, legal support, transitional housing programs, clinical counseling, support groups, domestic violence treatment program for people who abuse, youth education and prevention programs, community education/speakers bureau, and volunteer training.In an effort to reach persons impacted by domestic violence as early as possible STAND! provides domestic violence training for law enforcement personnel and health care providers. And to reach children impacted by domestic violence, STAND! has developed children's therapy, childcare, and children's educational programs.STAND!, drawing from the best practices in the field, addresses critical community needs by a focus on results and accountablility. We do our best to reduce the impact of flucuations in funding on programs and services to our fragile families through planning and adherence to sound fiscal management principles. STAND! is a key component of a safety net of services to our community. We strive to exemplify principles of trust and transparency both internally and within the communities we serve.

It all started with a single phone, a utility closet and a handful of volunteers. In 1977, a local attorney began to see many cases in which women were being beaten by their spouses. A luncheon was organized which identified a group of volunteers who would meet weekly to coordinate domestic violence services within Contra Costa County. They started with a crisis line in a volunteer's home.Their first project was to open a shelter, although there was no funding. One of the women who had been attending the meetings had a house in Martinez that she was willing to rent to the organization. Dean Lesher of the Contra Costa Times was approached for his help in getting the shelter furnished and soon donations began to arrive. The shelter opened with two clients and a volunteer staff person. It soon became apparent that trained staff was needed and that the need for more funding was growing.At first the organization was titled C-A-L-L because of it's primary work as a crisis line, but soon became Battered Women's Alternatives as its services grew to include shelter and other services. Eventually, the name was changed to STAND! Against Domestic Violence to more correctly represent the agency's expanded service to all members of the family.By 1989 it became apparent that the needs of the community demanded more shelter beds. STAND! responded by opening the Margaret Lesher Housing and Employment Center in 1990, a facility comprised of 13 apartments for women and children. In 1997, the Rollie Mullen Center opened, providing a 24-bed emergency shelter where abused women and their children can stay up to three months; and seven transitional housing apartments where women and children can stay for up to eighteen months.In 2002 STAND! opened offices in Richmond and Antioch in order to better serve the various regions and communities of Contra Costa County.In 2008, STAND! received a grant from First 5 to open a new Therapeutic Child Care to help the youngest victims of violence heal. Also in 2008, STAND! started its Vocational Services Program, helping clients through resume workshops, job searches, and building additonal skills to re-enter the work force and be able to provide for themselves and their families.

Today STAND! Against Domestic Violence is a major force for change in Contra Costa County, California. STAND! now boasts 50 staff members and more than 230 volunteers who operate all its various programs.

Academy Awards - 3/7/2010
Rebuilding Lives Luncheon - 10/14/2010

At STAND! Against Domestic Violence, we know how to turn fear and pain into hope and confidence. We've evolved from a volunteer crisis line to a multi-service agency that serves over 10,000 people annually. Today, STAND! remains the best hope for Contra Costa County residents trapped in the vicious cycle of domestic violence.

To stop domestic violence, STAND! provides prevention, intervention and treatment services. We partner with schools, faith-based organizations and communities to prevent violence through awareness and education of children, youth and adults. When violence occurs, STAND! can intervene to provide emergency shelter, transitional housing and much more. We also provide treatment for people who have abused their partners, and therapeutic services for children and adults recovering from abuse.

Whether answering crisis line calls, caring for women and their children at our emergency shelter, teaching teenagers about healthy dating and relationships in the classroom, or counseling a child who has witnessed abuse, STAND!'s staff and volunteers provide needed services to the increasing numbers of Contra Costa residents affected by domestic violence.

We are always looking for volunteers to help us on the crisis line, lead support groups, lead workshops to youth, speak to the community, etc. For more information, please contact us.