The Family Abuse Center provides a temporary home to families who have no other choice but to walk out with just the clothes on their backs. The Waco Family Abuse Center is one of 1,200 shelters nationwide to provide crisis lines and safe home networks. These programs not only offer women and children safety, but also provide advocacy, support, and other services.

State and local governments, nonprofit agencies, and battered women's advocates work together to ensure that the rights of domestic violence victims are protected. Learn more about domestic violence and what you can do to stop it by contacting the Family Abuse Center at 254-772-8999.

History of the Waco Family Abuse Center
In April 1978, a coalition of concerned citizens from the various community agencies formed the Family Abuse Task Force; their main objective was to obtain services for victims of family violence. The task force became a corporation in September 1979 and submitted a request for a community development block grant in the amount of $40,000 to purchase a shelter. The
shelter was purchased in July of 1980, community donations furnished the house, provided operating expenses, and enabled the shelter to take its first residents.

The target group for the Family Abuse Center is exclusively victims of family violence, specifically battered women and their children. Is is a crisis oriented program providing temporary emergency services to this group. For long term, on-going services such as counseling and job training, victims are referred to the appropriate agency. The Family Abuse Center also provides
shelter for these victims. Its services are not duplicated by any other agency in the community. Its staff are trained to counsel and work effectively with this target group. Other agencies in this community consistently use the center as a referral source.