On January 1st 2006, a collaborative of agencies representing well over one hundred professionals began providing wrap-around, seamless service delivery in a holistic response to family violence from a single location at 400 Queen Street South in Kitchener, Ontario. Based on a highly successful model developed in San Diego, this system of support assists victims and their families by providing essential services and multiple access points and choices all at one location.

When victims come to the Family Violence Project located at 400 Queen Street, South in Kitchener, they are offered choices that fit them and their individual circumstances. They may want to access all of the services or choose only a few. Family violence can affect all aspects of a person's well being and typically leaves its victims filled with fear, confusion and self doubt. It is unreasonable to then expect family violence victims to independently navigate a myriad of separately located agencies and make good decisions for themselves and their families. This model relies on the partners taking responsibility to make connections between services - not the client. Since the beginning of the Family Violence Project, a growing number of victims are now simply walking in the front door.

It takes enormous courage on the part of the victim to come through even just one door and ask for help. The Family Violence Project offers victims an opportunity to come through that one door to access a number of essential services all under one roof. Services such as police trained to deal with family violence, personal counselling for adults and children, assistance with developing safety plans, shelters, crisis support for sexual assault, financial counselling, children's services, support groups, outreach services to the community, legal services, specialized elder abuse services, rural outreach services and specialized  programs - all in one location.

• Contact: fvpwaterloo@mosaiconline.ca
• 519.743.6333

• 400 Queen Street South, Kitchener, ON, N2G 1W7