The Family Place was founded in 1978, by a committee that wanted to see a change in the world, starting with the issue of family violence. Through hard work and dedication, they eventually became the largest provider of relief for victims in all of Texas. It was also one of the first shelters created specifically for family abuse or domestic violence victims in Texas, paving the way for many others to come.
The Family Place is made up of three shelters with 177 beds each with a total of over 530 beds.
Along with providing a safe place for victims, Family Place also offers three counseling centers and the state’s only shelter made for men and children. Last year, the organization provided nearly 12,000 victims with relief, totaling over 62,000 total days and nights of shelter. They also totaled over 18,500 hours of counseling, about 36,000 days of transitional housing. They also provide most services in both Spanish and English.
After the Battered Woman’s Task Force was founded by Gerry Beer in 1976, the group that would eventually create Family Place was born. The shelter, erected in 1978, initially began as a place just for women and children who had been abused. It acted as a safe space for them, both physically and mentally.
In 1988, the Latina branch of their organization began offering their courses and programs in Spanish, opening up the service to even more individuals. In 1995, a counseling program solely focused on survivors of incest was put into place.
After the new millennium, Family Place continued to expand. In 2013, a medical clinic opened. In 2016, the first shelter for men with children in Texas opened. Their last update was a few years ago, in 2017, when they opened the Ann Moody Place, a shelter with many more features than the previously stated ones. Ann Moody Place offers a kennel to care for pets, a dental office, a playroom, and other unique features.
One of their very first orders of business after opening in 1978, was implementing their very own twenty-four-hour crisis hotline. It is available at all times. They know that family violence does not take days off, so neither do they.
It can be a tough decision to leave a domestic violence situation, so you can discreetly call the hotline at any time. They will quickly dispatch a vehicle for you to be instantly taken to the shelter or set you up with other counseling or agencies in less severe cases.
“If you need to escape an abusive relationship, call us. We can provide safe transportation to our emergency shelter or connect you to other support services such as outreach counseling and legal aid.”
For more information on services available, visit their website at https://familyplace.org/services/ourservices
