The Women’s Center has a rich history, beginning in 1982 when a group of concerned citizens, including Johnny Suggs, Dr. Larry Jablecki, Marie Alvarez Calderon, Elva David, John Boehnke, Vicki Kirby, Mary Ruth Rhodenbaugh, and others, came together to provide services for domestic violence victims.

Their efforts resulted in the establishment of a shelter, an office in Angleton, a resale shop, and a volunteer program that has been crucial over the years. The resale shop and the office were housed in the same building, which led to occasional comical mix-ups when men visited, thinking we were hiding their partners amidst piles of donated clothing. Even our financial papers had an interesting storage spot, the bathtub!

In 1985, we expanded our mission to include victims of sexual assault, recognizing that many individuals we served had experienced both forms of abuse. We opened offices in Alvin and Pearland. In 1991, we extended our reach further by establishing offices in Freeport and West Columbia, bringing the total to five offices. Along the way, we also introduced programs like the Supervised Visitation Program and the Batterers’ Program (though this ceased in 2011, taken over by the state). Our Supervised Visitation Program remains a valuable service, unique to Brazoria County.

In 2009, we completed construction on our Angleton office building, housing our Advocates, Administration, Supervised Visitation Program, Parenting Classes, and Workshops. The building was made possible through the dedication of Katie Leathers’ spirit and the generosity of her family.

Our work is sustained through state grants, the dedicated volunteers running our resale shop, and the support of our friends at United Way and throughout the county.