Tri-Valley Haven (TVH) provides a broad range of safety net services to survivors of domestic abuse. Services include shelter, food, counseling, case management and prevention education. The nonprofit works to remove barriers that prevent survivors from obtaining equal access to services. TVH runs the only confidential Domestic Violence Shelter in the Tri-Valley area and the only 24-Hour Crisis Hotline for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault. Anyone who calls the hotline will speak to a trained Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Crisis Counselor. All of Tri-Valley Haven's services, including counseling, are free of charge. No one is ever turned away due to the inability to pay. 

"Tri-Valley Haven is special for many reasons," says Christine Dillman, Associate Director and Interim Executive Director, who has been with TVH for over 20 years. "We meet our clients where they are at and help them to be empowered and self-sufficient. For instance, Tri-Valley Haven is the only local shelter that takes in teenage boys as part of families. TVH also takes men with children and intact families into our Homeless Shelter." 
 
Recently TVH moved and expanded its food pantry to meet the region's growing need. The new food pantry is a client-choice model that allows clients to directly select the food that is right for them and their families. Fresh fruits, vegetables, perishable, and non-perishable food are displayed in a safe and accessible way. "The client-choice method is more dignified and empowering," notes Dillman. "It also dramatically decreases the amount of food discarded and not eaten after it leaves the TVH pantry. Recovered food from area grocery stores that would have been discarded into local landfills is given to families in need while it is still fresh and healthy. This system not only provides healthy food for individuals and families, it leads to much less overall food waste."

Over many years, TVH's Domestic Violence Shelter has been a haven for thousands of local survivors and their children fleeing abuse. That wear and tear has become obvious. "After many years of housing so many families, the current shelter is falling apart," says Dillman. "Tri-Valley Haven is currently raising the funds to rebuild it so local families in crisis will have a safe place to call home for decades more."
 
The remodeled building will expand the shelter capacity from 30 beds to 45 beds. At any given time, up to half of the shelter residents are children. The new shelter will have dedicated play areas for children as well as group and therapy rooms. The value of the shelter can be seen in the many ways TVH helped a Pleasanton mother and her newborn son escape abuse. In addition to shelter, TVH provided the mother with clothes, food, and items for herself and her baby. A legal advocate assisted her with crisis support and a restraining order. While at the shelter, the mother participated in counseling, case management, and life-skill education classes. Today, the mother and her baby are living in their own apartment as the woman moves toward self-sufficiency.
 
In addition to all these services, TVH provides abuse prevention education in Livermore, Pleasanton, and Dublin public school classrooms. About 100 "amazing, dedicated" volunteers make these accomplishments possible, according to Dillman. "Every Tri-Valley Haven volunteer is greatly appreciated and needed."
 
Additional community support is also needed. One way to help is by donating backpacks and school supplies, which will be distributed to local students in need. Donations should be dropped off by Friday, July 22 at Tri-Valley Haven on 3663 Pacific Avenue in Livermore. Another way is to support the Tri-Valley Haven's 25th Annual Pace for Peace, which will be held Saturday, October 1 at 8 am. Participants will enjoy a scenic 5K or 10K run or walk through the Livermore Valley along the Arroyo bike trail and beyond. All proceeds of the event will go to Tri-Valley Haven to serve local survivors of domestic abuse.
 
For more information about Tri-Valley Haven, please visit trivalleyhaven.org.

For information about sponsorship opportunities or to register for the Pace for Peace, please visit paceforpeace.itsyourrace.com or email Samantha@trivalleyhaven.org.