In 1978, three courageous Canton women decided to take domestic violence out of the closet and help victims too powerless to help themselves. Nancy Boylan, Helen Syrios and Gertrude Kennedy were compassionate women who saw a problem and created a solution step-by-step, donation-by-donation, victim-by-victim, volunteer-by-volunteer. These were the Founding Mothers who lived to see their dream become a reality.
Since 1978, DVPI has offered safety, compassion, hope and healing to victims of domestic violence and their families.
““The time when domestic violence is the most lethal is when the person is trying to leave the situation.””
Our programs serve individuals and families in Stark County and surrounding communities. We also provide transitional housing that has been extremely successful in placing individuals and families in homes and apartments when they are ready to take the next step in their healing process. This program provides support for them for six months to two years if they so choose. In addition, we have evidence-based educational programs in Stark County schools geared towards at-risk youth.
The need is real, constant and much bigger than anyone would like. The Domestic Violence Project of Stark County, doesn’t solve the problem, but we provide compassion, safety, lodging and hope to people in desperate need of these things most of us take for granted.
