BELLEVUE, Washington – After 30 years, nationally recognized Eastside Domestic Violence Program (EDVP) is changing its name to LifeWire, better representing its mission of providing safety to victims of domestic violence, and the continuum of care LifeWire provides families on the path to healing.
“We’ve evolved over the years and wanted a new name to reflect who we are now,” said Barbara Langdon, LifeWire Executive Director. “We’re not just on the Eastside. We provide comprehensive services and programs all around the community, and LifeWire is like a ‘lifeline’ for a lot of people who are in an abusive relationship.”
LifeWire is an innovator of highly successful programs, including a 24-hour crisis line, shelters that provide safe housing, advocacy services, groups for children and teens, a Latina outreach program, counseling, and women’s support groups. These programs are critical when you consider that last year, LifeWire answered nearly 11,000 crisis line calls and worked with almost 5,200 local victims of domestic violence. Since 1982, LifeWire has served more than 115,000 victims and their children, helping them escape from abusive homes and relationships.
“This agency literally saved my life,” said Stacy, a LifeWire client who experienced domestic violence. “Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to move into a safe place, find a new job, and help my children heal. It’s made the difference for me from being desperate, to starting a new life and having hope.”
“This is what we do,” said Langdon. “We’ve been providing this full spectrum of comprehensive care all along, and now, with our new name LifeWire, we know that people will better understand the range of services and prevention that we provide.”
LifeWire drives prevention through community-based initiatives to cause change in behaviors and attitudes about domestic violence. LifeWire’s recent World of Hope dinner and auction provided a platform to educate the community about ways to prevent domestic violence and highlighted the continuum of care, raising $400,000 for agency programs.
“We are thrilled with the response from our community, and the generosity of our donors,” said Kelly Becker, LifeWire Development Director. “This is a time for all of us to come together and celebrate the progress we’ve made over the past 30 years. As we move forward as LifeWire, we will continue to look for new and innovative ways to address domestic violence.”
For more information, please visit www.lifewire.org. You can also contact Kelly Becker at kellypb@lifewire.org or call 425-562-8840, ext. 253.
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LifeWire (formerly Eastside Domestic Violence Program) is one of the largest domestic violence service providers in Washington state. For over 30 years, we have provided safety to victims of domestic violence, offering a comprehensive range of programs and services that help people regain strength and courage. As an ally, problem-solver and an advocate, we not only assist victims in crisis, we also partner with our communities to educate our citizens so we can prevent abuse before it happens. Our goal is to create a safe environment for everyone. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, call LifeWire’s 24 hour Crisis Line at 425-746-1940 or 1-800-827-8840. Visit LifeWire at www.lifewire.org.