Last week, Eastside Domestic Violence Program (EDVP) team member Chelle Hunsinger addressed the Assistance League of the Eastside in Redmond during its January chapter meeting to stress the importance of the league’s Starting Over Support program.

Through this program, the league provides baskets of basic household items for individuals and families fleeing domestic violence — enabling them to begin new lives in safe, violence-free housing. Volunteers (left) prepare and send the baskets to domestic violence emergency shelters in King County and since 1992, Assistance League has provided support and encouragement to more than 13,000 survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. Sixty baskets were delivered to families in shelters this year. In the last year, more than 300 survivors of domestic violence were supported by the Assistance League.

Starting Over Support works with EDVP to identify basic needs of victims entering emergency housing. Among the items in the baskets are new towels, laundry detergent, hairdryers and hygiene items.

For additional information about Assistance League of the Eastside, contact President Ginger Clough at (425) 556-5106 or eastsideinfo@assistanceleague.org.

EDVP is the largest provider of domestic violence services and confidential shelter in north and eastKing County and is a nationally recognized leader in the field. Since 1982, EDVP has provided safety, support and access to education and training for more than 109,300 victims and their children. To learn more about domestic violence, visit EDVP at www.edvp.org.

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, call EDVP’s 24 hour Crisis Line at (425) 746-1940 or 1-800-827-8840.

Some facts about domestic violence:

• Nationally, one in four women and one in nine men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.
• Domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness among women and children in the nation.
• There are an estimated 90,750 domestic violence incidents in King County each year.
• For each family that finds shelter in local EDVP transitional housing, 18 families are turned away due to lack of space.