It takes 25 years to realize the true legacy of a group of women and a project that started through passion and determination to change how victims of domestic violence receive service. Today, thousands of families and generations are living lives free from violence but reaching this point was not easy.
The history of New life Center is a unique story. Despite obstacles in its 25 year history, New Life Center has been continuously nurtured by the West Valley community to become a primary provider of domestic violence services in the state of Arizona. In every way, New Life Center has fulfilled its mission of “Saving lives, building futures—empowering women and children escaping domestic violence.”
New Life Center began as a vision of members of the Soroptimist International of Estrella. In the spring of 1986, members of the local Soroptimist Club attended a regional conference in California. At the conference the members attended a moving presentation about the widespread nature of domestic violence and the critical need for shelters nationwide. Club members returned to the Valley with a heightened awareness of domestic violence and a commitment to learn more.
Over the course of the following year, club members, led by their President Nan Raine, gathered information about domestic violence statistics and resources. Members met with law enforcement, city officials, community leaders and representatives from shelters across the state. By the fall of 1997, members of the Soroptimist International of Estrella came to the realization that no other group would take the lead in establishing an emergency shelter in western Maricopa County and that became their mission.
On March 2, 1998, New Life Shelter was officially incorporated. The initial Board of Directors included Soroptimists Nan Raine, Mary Bolvin, Marge Reynolds, Lila Schneider, Jeannie Sullivan, Janet Wilt and Betty Zamorowske and community leaders Judy Fulton, Helen Lyman and Penny Willrich.
Establishing credentials on paper proved to be just the beginning. It took approximately two more years for New Life Shelter to find a home and garner the financial support necessary to open the shelter doors.
The Wigwam’s long-abandoned seasonal dormitories were leased to the agency and the shelter operation was approved by the Litchfield Park City Council. After months of intensive repairs, maintenance and cleaning, the doors opened and New Life Shelter welcomed its first residents on October 7, 1991.
In 2000, the newly deemed New Life Center moved from its original home to a newly-constructed campus in the city of Goodyear. A final expansion in 2008 added 40 additional beds bringing the total to 104 beds. Last year the shelter served over 1,000 women and children fleeing domestic violence and 95% of families did not return to the abusive environments from which they came.
“We had no idea it would turn into all of this,” said founder Nan Raine. “Our Soroptimists saw a need and decided to act, but we didn’t know what the future would hold.”
In the last 25 years lives have been saved and futures transformed. Teens who sought refuge with their mothers at the original shelter now have families of their own. That next generation of children represents the true legacy of New Life Center – a generation that domestic violence will not touch.