ADVA – Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse

AVDA promotes violence-free relationships and social change by offering alternative choices to end violence and domestic abuse.
We are dedicated to empowering and supporting survivors of domestic violence.

Casa Vegso is AVDA’s residential program that includes emergency shelter and transitional housing program for victims of domestic abuse and their children and pets.

AVDA offers nonresidential services to adult and child survivors of domestic violence. These services assist survivors with accessing relocation assistance through the Victims of Crime Act, legal advocacy, and provides group domestic violence education for participants. Specific advocacy is offered to victims of stalking, and intimate partner violence sexual assault, and survivors involved in the child welfare system.

AVDA’s Legal Advocacy program assists clients in safely participating in the legal system. Services provided by AVDA include court accompaniment, assistance with domestic violence injunctions for protection, family court and immigration issues, assistance in completing requests for Victims of Crime Compensation, police report follow-up advocacy, safety planning and cellular phone 911 service. AVDA collaborates with Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County for survivors seeking legal representation.

AVDA’s Health and Wellness program offers various groups on matters concerning health, nutrition, exercise and managing common illnesses. Anne’s STEPS (Support Training & Education for Personal Success) program, a nationally-recognized economic empowerment program, was implemented in response to two specific areas impacting survivor’s ability to gain and sustain economic self-sufficiency – an understanding of how money works and adequate employment. Anne’s STEPS is a highly successful, survivor-driven model based on equity and empowerment.

AVDA’s educators offer workshops about domestic violence and AVDA’s services to healthcare professionals, law enforcement personnel, employers, non-profit service providers, community organizations, and groups. Each presentation is tailored to the specific audience. The education may consist of a brief talk on AVDA’s work with survivors of domestic violence or an extensive training session to develop awareness of a specific domestic violence issue in depth.

Commit to Change programming creates the social change necessary to reduce inequities and disparities within our community that work against women’s empowerment, self-determination, economic, and gender equity by empowering young women and mobilizing young men as allies in reducing violence against women and girls. AVDA implements primary prevention curricula with youth in Palm Beach County. Middle and high schools sessions include root causes of violence, intimate partner violence, peer violence, and building healthy relationships. Through education and engagement, young people can learn to live violence free, and healthy lifestyles. As part of the program, students are encouraged and supported in developing community impact projects that bring the skills they have learned into their community. Youth become leaders to positively shift the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors young people hold about violence and abuse in their relationships and communities.