Founded in 1977, as the Yolo County Sexual Assault Center, Empower Yolo was started by five women from Davis, CA who identified a need and began providing crisis intervention services out of an apartment. Soon thereafter, domestic violence services were added, and the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center became Yolo County's sole provider of specialized services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. In 1980, the Harper House, the county's first shelter for battered women and children, was opened. In November of 1999, Empower Yolo's current confidential shelter facility -- the 35-bed Wallace and Vannucci shelter, opened to residents in place of Harper House. In February 2014, in an effort to more effectively encompass our vast programs and services, as well as highlight the connection between client, organization and community, the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Center became Empower Yolo, Providing Hope. Ending Violence.
On January 1, 2016, Empower Yolo and Yolo Center for Families merged to become one agency under the name Empower Yolo. The merger allows Empower Yolo to better serve clients in Yolo County offering more comprehensive services. Empower Yolo's free and confidential services include: 24/7 Crisis Hotline, Residential Services (including emergency confidential shelter for individuals escaping domestic violence, sexual assault or human trafficking; transitional and rapid rehousing; and the KE shelter which homes crime victims); Legal Advocacy (including restraining order clinics; court accompaniment & advocacy; limited DACA immigration assistance); Counseling (including individual, family, child, empowerment program, support groups, and Alternatives to Violence program); Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Response Teams; Prevention Education and Outreach (including presentations, community fairs/tabling, professional trainings throughout Yolo County, and Teen Education presentations and groups in local high schools); Family Resource Centers (in Davis, Woodland and Knights Landing); Youth Services (including: Play School Experience, Child Abuse Treatment Program, Response to Human Trafficking of commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC), children's health insurance enrollment, and After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) after school program); Health Education (including health insurance and CAL Fresh enrollment programs, peer health educators, promotoras, and Knights Landing Medical Clinic); Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-housing Program; and Economic Self Sufficiency (including financial literacy classes, and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program); women's support group.
Empower Yolo's shelter is pet friendly. Often, people will not leave an abusive situation if they know they will have to leave a beloved pet behind. Empower Yolo expanded in 2019 to provide temporary emergency shelter, resources, supplies, and emotional support to survivors and their pets in crisis. We have been able to reach even more survivors with these expanded services.
In December 2020 our shelter kitchen remodel project was finally completed. The staff and clients love the new kitchen as it dramatically improves our ability to support individuals and families who come to us at the most difficult times of their lives.
Throughout the pandemic, Empower Yolo was unwavering in providing services to victims of abuse and vulnerable families in Yolo County. Domestic violence rates were higher because shelter in place and quarantine at home was not safe for victims of abuse. The board of directors supported the agency throughout that challenging time, and staff members worked nonstop, in all roles necessary to support clients. When many agencies closed Empower Yolo remained open to support survivors of abuse and families in need.
Since the pandemic Empower Yolo has seen an increase in need for basic necessities such as food, clothing, and help with rent and utilities. We’ve also seen an increase in need in several program areas including food distribution, counseling services, and other services for survivors of abuse, vulnerable families, homeless, and immigrant clients.
In 2022 Empower Yolo celebrated its 45th anniversary – providing services to survivors and families in need for 45 years in Yolo County. Our anniversary theme was "Welcome Home" which focused on our safe house and our housing programs. We more than exceeded our goal of moving 45 victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking into permanent housing during our 45th year.