In 2003, Every Woman's House celebrated their 25th year of working for change in the communities of Wayne and Holmes Counties.

In 1978, a group of local women began meeting informally to discuss the needs of women in Wayne County, Ohio. Some of the women participating in the group had specific needs that were not being met at the time, and others were aware of women who were trapped in abusive relationships.

One concern, which repeatedly surfaced, was the need of services for women in crisis. There were few resources available to them and there was virtually no place in Wayne or Holmes Counties where a women could find refuge while exploring legal and financial avenues which would empower her to re-establish her life. This need was crucial for women who were attempting to flee an abusive partner.

Consequently, the group made assisting women in crisis particularly battered women and rape victims, their sole purpose. Thus began the enlisting of volunteers interested in organizational planning, committee work, providing shelter, and community education regarding the needs of women in crisis.

The same year, the local group of women made a request to the Women's Division of the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, and subsequently received a $5,000 grant which allowed them to hire a part-time director and open the door to Every Woman's House. Community volunteers were re-cruited and trained to provide safe houses in the community for emergency shelter.

Since that time, Every Woman's House has been recognized among social service agencies and law enforcement agencies in Wayne and Holmes Counties as the referral source for women experiencing domestic violence.

As funding and community support increased, Every Woman's House gradually expanded its services to include crisis intervention, a 24-hour hotline, counseling, support groups, and victim advocacy. In 1982, a local resident offered Every Woman's House the use of an eleven-room house. The house permitted Every Woman's House to provide short-term shelter to women and their children who are escaping violence in their homes. It could accommodate four women and their children, not to exceed a total of 14 persons.

In October of 1999, Every Woman's House moved into the lower level of Gault Liberty Center (administration) and Julia's Place, the new shelter. Julia's Place has twelve rooms and can accommodate a total of up to 44 people, or twelve women and their children. One of the rooms is handicapped accessible. Every Woman's House continues to offer a variety of services, such as domestic vio-lence support groups and the 24-hour hotline.