50th Anniversary – Lighting the Way Forward

Embracing the past 50 years and lighting the way forward

180 Turning Lives Around was launched in Monmouth County, NJ, in 1976, not simply as a nonprofit, but a catalyst for positive change. Though we started with only a handful of women and a modicum of resources, we possessed the determination needed to firmly establish ourselves as the community’s designated lead domestic violence agency. We were the first federally-funded battered women’s shelter in the US; we launched our community’s first rape care hotline; we helped develop NJ’s model for domestic violence and sexual assault crisis response teams; we were a founding member of the NJ Coalition to End Domestic Violence and the NJ Coalition Against Sexual Assault; and we have been commissioned twice by donors to implement innovative programming aimed at youth and children (specifically, those who are at-risk, abused, disadvantaged, overlooked, or underserved). Today we offer a continuum of services that includes: 24-hour crisis hotlines for domestic violence and sexual assault; a 24-hour statewide youth helpline; emergency shelter (for women, men, children, and their pets); transitional/rapid re-housing; crisis response at police stations and hospitals; counseling; immigrant outreach; court advocacy; creative therapies for children; psychoeducation for parents; a Family Justice Center; and educational programs for professionals/community members.

Our mission is to empower survivors and families affected by domestic violence and sexual assault to find the courage and strength to turn their lives around. We support this mission through: 24/7 helplines and counseling; legal advocacy; emergency shelter and transitional housing; and art, play, drama, and music therapy.

The goals that drive our work include: providing a safe and healthy environment for all clients; respecting the inherent dignity of children/families; continually assessing the strengths and needs of clients; supporting clients in their own decision-making after exploring all options; offering individualized services that meet client needs; empowering clients to gain self-sufficiency and long-term safety; and respecting diversity in all aspects.

Throughout our 40+ years in existence we continually established, nurtured, and sought out partnerships with local, statewide, and even national organizations that would allow us to provide a well-rounded suite of support for our clients. We work with area police departments, hospitals, social
service agencies and a variety of legal, medical, educational, financial, and employment agencies.

Operations are carried out by roughly 80 full-/part-time staff, along with hundreds of volunteers, all working under the direction of a voluntary Board of Directors and an executive team with extensive experience in social services and nonprofit management.