The History and Mission of AVANZAR

A small group of volunteers establish a 24-hour telephone hotline to provide counseling and assistance for victims of rape and other related issues. When an unexpected number of domestic violence calls began to pour in, the volunteers quickly set up a network of “safe houses” to provide emergency shelter for these women and their children.

In 1977 alone, more than 30 women and their children used the safe house network to escape the dangers of their homes. After learning that the Federal Government was allocating funds to establish shelters for victims of domestic abuse, the volunteers leading the cause prepared and presented a 50-page proposal. They received $115,000 to establish The Abuse Center (later called The Atlantic County Women’s Center).

The Abuse Center opened on February 5, 1978. The completed facility housed as many as 18 women and their children, with ten bedrooms, a combination dormitory/meeting room, several storage and bath areas, a large living room, and a sun porch. In its first year, 306 women and their children were sheltered at The Abuse Center, the location of which remains confidential to this day.

Satellite offices were established in Cape May and Cumberland counties to offer non-residential counseling and support services, including transportation to the Abuse Center if needed. Several years later, these offices would become independent programs.

An offer of renovation assistance allowed the Center to address nagging issues, including a leaking roof, faulty plumbing, and mice. The Abuse Center moved into a temporary location until construction was complete. With reduced capacity and income, this period threatened the organization’s closure. With perseverance, the Center soon returned to a newly renovated facility.

The rape care hotline had continued to operate out of volunteers’ homes into the early 1980s. In 1983, new funding formally established the Rape Care Program to provide rape survivors with not only a centralized hotline, but emergency shelter, counseling, and, if requested, accompaniment to the hospital, police station, and court.

Over the course of 15 years, AVANZAR’s programs and services significantly expanded and evolved. While domestic violence and sexual assault care services remained at the core of our work, we began to consolidate existing programs and offer community resources beyond crisis intervention.

The Child Care Network facilitates child care subsidy programs, regulates and monitors state-registered family day care providers, and provides resources and referrals for the community. The Child Development Associate (CDA) credential launched in 2001 established an entry-level certification that helped to raise the quality of care in early childhood education in Atlantic County.

Home to Work, established in 1996, began providing career counseling and support for displaced homemakers entering or reentering the workforce. In 2000, the WomenSource Training Institute opened to offer vocational training and education in a coordinated training space.

The Violence Intervention Program (VIP) combined and expanded on existing domestic violence, rape, and incest services. The Batterer’s Anonymous program, established in 1981, was renamed Alternatives to Violence, providing services around anger management, battering intervention, and non-violent communication. Kid Safe was also introduced, providing critical counseling for children living with violence.

Through this period of growth, the name ‘The Abuse Center’ no longer reflected the full nature of the agency. It was rebranded first as the Atlantic County Women’s Center and then again as AVANZAR, a word that means “advance” in Spanish.

The effort that began with a handful of volunteers in the mid-1970s has grown into an expansive agency with over 60 staff members, four major programs, and a multitude of services. Once operating with an annual budget of $400—just enough to pay the phone bill—the organization now budgets more than $6 million every year..

Our work to support and empower individuals and families throughout New Jersey is made possible through the generosity of our volunteers and funding from our corporate sponsors, grants, and individual donors.

To make a tax-deductible gift to AVANZAR and support our work of empowerment, click the button below. You can also see our work in action in our Photo Gallery or learn more about becoming a Volunteer Crisis Advocate.