About EDVP: History, 1996-2000

The next three years, 1996-1998, marked an era of developing the agency’s infrastructure to support both growth and stabilization. The agency launched and completed a $3.9 million capital campaign to build (and operate for the first three years) a new transitional housing program My Friend’s Place, to acquire and renovate the Crisis Service Center, to add a computer network and up-to-date technology throughout the agency and to build an Equipment Replacement and Facility Maintenance Reserve to fund these needs through the year 2005. Fund raising for annual support grew rapidly. The auction grew to over $100,000 in 1998 and gifts from all sources to well over $400,000.

To ensure the agency’s future capacity to increase annual private support and to build the agency’s endowment, the EDVP Foundation was incorporated in 1998. This era also marked the beginning of the agency’s collaboration with Partners for a Healthier Community, providing funding for several new initiatives, including Safe Ride, and an expansion in comprehensive training to both health care professionals and employers in recognizing and responding to the early warning signs of abuse. EDVP increased leadership to cross-system coordination, including substance abuse, housing, child protective services and health care. Community education efforts were enhanced as EDVP took on the coordination of the traveling Washington State Silent Witness Exhibit in 1997.

In 1999 EDVP increased its housing programs to include Safe Inn East, Safe Home Community Network Program and Transitions to Self-Sufficiency. Community education efforts continued, including training over 4,000 health care workers about domestic violence issues and contacting over 200 individuals with the When Domestic Violence Comes to Work Campaign.

In January 2000 EDVP welcomed Linda Olsen on board as our new Executive Director, transitioning from her previous role as Shelter Director. Linda has been with the agency since 1992.

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