The Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) is excited to announce that it is planning to build a new emergency shelter for victims of intimate partner violence for its 8-county service region. The new shelter will be in Johnson County and will provide a safe and secure space for victim-survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and human trafficking. DVIP’s new shelter will continue to offer a range of services and support to women, children, and men. The shelter will feature private suites for families, communal spaces, and a variety of resources to meet the needs of victim-survivors and their children.
DVIP and Sheriff Kunkel from Smart Survival on Vimeo.
The new shelter will double the capacity of the current facility which was built in 1993. DVIP’s current emergency shelter is at capacity 365 days each year and has been every day since the organization began in 1979. The new building will be equipped with state-of-the-art security measures to ensure the safety of residents, staff, and volunteers. Trained staff will be on-site 24/7 to provide counseling, support, and advocacy services to victim-survivors and their families.
“We are grateful to be moving forward with this new shelter to provide a safe haven for victim-survivors of domestic violence,” said Kristie Fortmann-Doser, Executive Director of DVIP. “The current building has served us well for 30 years. However, the demand for emergency shelter services has continued to rise. In the past 5 years, DVIP has served 38% more victim-survivors. It is vital for us to meet the increased need and update our space to provide the best possible services to those most vulnerable in our community.”
For over 43 years, DVIP has partnered with the community to support victim-survivors and provide safety solutions. Violence against women, men, and children happens every day. 1 in 4 women, 1 in 7 men, and 1 in 15 children will be affected by intimate partner abuse in their lifetime.
Notes from Supporters
Jill Nagle
I am excited to share with you that Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) of Iowa has announced they are planning to build a new emergency shelter to better serve the victims and survivors in our Southeastern Iowa Communities.
My name is Jill Nagle, I have been an Iowa City resident for the last 14 years and work in the community as a project manager for a local manufacturing company. I recently got involved with DVIP as a volunteer after learning more about the organization during Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. I joined the DVIP force to make an impact on my community and because I know how important it is to improve the resources for domestic violence survivors.
The current DVIP emergency shelter has been serving the Southeastern Iowa Community for over 30 years. The shelter has been at capacity and can no longer meet the increasing demand for safety in our community, making this expansion a necessity. This $6 million project will double the capacity to provide safety to victim survivors. One way this new shelter has been specifically designed to better help victim survivors heal from trauma is the inclusion of pod-style living and private meeting spaces to meet with advocates. DVIP has put years of planning into this new shelter and now it’s our time to join them in the effort.
I urge readers to consider supporting this new emergency shelter. There are various ways to support the cause; you can volunteer your time with DVIP, contribute a monitory pledge, or help to spread the word. Please visit dvipiowa.org to learn more on how you can help!
Jim and Judy Houghton
We are writing this letter as strong supporters for building a new domestic violence shelter. Living in Iowa City all our lives, we have been long time supporters of the Domestic Violence Intervention Program. We know how much this organization does to provide much needed refuge for victim survivors. The shelter’s secure environment allows individuals to begin healing by having a safe place to stay and offering counseling services. By supporting DVIP we know we are a part of helping individuals, children and families have an opportunity to start a new life.
To meet this growing demand, DVIP has launched the Finding Safety, Building Hope Campaign to build a new facility that will provide shelter for twice the number of individuals and families as the current shelter. This new shelter will offer space for more victim survivors to have a chance to not only heal but to break the cycle of abuse. We are committed to helping this dream come true and we are asking for your support to help build a larger space to meet the increasing need in our community. Please consider donating to help make this new shelter a reality in 2024.
New Shelter Update, December 2023
As we close out the year, we are so excited to share that the new shelter has made great progress to lead us into the new year. We have walls!
