24/7 Helpline:

Family Violence Project began in 1977 when five local women met to confront a problem few wanted to name, violence in the home. They found almost no help available for women and children escaping abuse, so they created their own. In February 1978, the Family Violence Assistance Project incorporated as a nonprofit and began providing direct support to survivors, run entirely by volunteers and supported by community generosity.

​

As demand grew, local partners stepped up. Kennebec Valley Community Action Program and Crisis and Counseling Center sponsored the first paid staff and provided office space. By late 1978, the organization hired its first director and counselor, officially launching independent operations. A year later, Family Violence Project opened its first shelter in Augusta, offering safety for up to twelve people.

​

Through the 1980s, the agency expanded rapidly. It purchased a permanent shelter building, opened an outreach office in Skowhegan, created a Children’s Program, and launched the annual Blaine House Tea. By 1986, Family Violence Project was serving hundreds of families and operating full-time programs across Kennebec and Somerset Counties.

​

The 1990s brought a focus on collaboration and prevention. New offices opened in Waterville and Skowhegan. Community councils formed to coordinate law enforcement, social services, and education in addressing domestic violence. In 1998, Family Violence Project merged with ChangeWork, a local batterers’ education program, expanding its reach to those who cause harm as part of a comprehensive approach to ending abuse.

​

Community engagement deepened in the 2000s. A cross-country fundraising effort, Pedaling to Prevent Violence, raised $27,000 toward the purchase of the agency’s main office on Western Avenue in Augusta. Local task forces in Waterville and Somerset County strengthened prevention, outreach, and education efforts. Transitional housing expanded, and a second shelter opened in Somerset County.

​

Today, Family Violence Project serves more than 2,000 survivors each year and answers over 3,000 crisis calls. Our prevention programs reach thousands of students, and our community education and abuser intervention programs continue to grow.

​

What began as five women around a kitchen table has become a countywide network of advocates, educators, and partners working toward one goal: safety, dignity, and hope for every person in Kennebec and Somerset Counties.