REACH Beyond Domestic Violence Commemorates 25 Years
Annual Meeting held Thursday, May 18, 2006 at 7:00 pm at
Massachusetts Medical Society, Waltham Woods

Waltham, MA - On May 18, 2006 at 7:00pm, REACH Beyond Domestic Violence commemorated our 25th anniversary when we hosted our Annual Meeting and presented the Ruth and Virginia Bigwood Voice for Justice Awards. The awards are given to an individual or group who dedicates time and energy to breaking the cycle of violence. The keynote speaker for the meeting was former New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen, currently Director of Harvard's Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government (www.iop.harvard.edu/about_director.html). Governor Shaheen will spoke about the responsibility we all share to stop the violence.

As we commemorate 25 years of services to survivors of domestic violence, we are proud that REACH has answered over 30,000 hotline calls and provided shelter to more than 750 adults and more than 700 children. Nearly 5,000 survivors have received legal help and over 1,500 have attended support groups at REACH. Our work would be impossible without the support of volunteers and we are grateful that over 1650 volunteers have contributed almost 175,000 hours to REACH.

The statistics are sobering:
· 73% of domestic violence incidences go unreported. i
· Domestic violence is one of the primary causes of homelessness. ii
· Relationship violence occurs with approximately the same frequency in same sex relationships. iii
· 8.8 million children witness domestic violence each year. iv
· Almost $2 billion is lost in wages and productivity due to domestic violence each year. v

REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, Inc. was founded in 1981 as an all-volunteer hotline under the name "Waltham Battered Women Support Committee, Inc." Today, REACH is a leader in providing services for individuals and families who are struggling with domestic violence. Since taking that first hotline call over 25 years ago, our agency has become a catalyst in creating strong, healthy families and communities.

REACH seeks to break the cycle of violence through prevention, intervention, and advocacy. Speaking about the past 25 years at a recent volunteer gathering, Executive Director Laura Van Zandt noted, "We've been on parallel tracks of service and advocacy: providing critical services in response to the growing needs of domestic violence victims, while at the same time advocating and educating the public about domestic violence."

REACH Beyond Domestic Violence is a 25-year-old nonprofit agency committed to advancing the safety, healing, and empowerment of those who experience domestic or relationship violence. REACH provides direct services and education while promoting social justice for individuals and families of all backgrounds. For more information, visit www.reachma.org.

The REACH Annual Meeting was graciously sponsored by the Massachusetts Medical Society and held at the Conference Center at Waltham Woods.

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