Our Journey
A Phone Line and A Mission
No photos exist of the early days of LACASA, because we began in 1979 with just $40 in donations, a phone line, borrowed office space, and volunteers who opened their homes to provide shelter for women and their children who were victims of domestic violence.
In 1981, LACASA officially was established as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
With your support, we have come a long way from those humble beginnings. And the journey continues today as we work to secure our home for good and further our mission to serve victims and survivors of child abuse, sexual violence, and domestic violence.
Our First Home
LACASA’s first shelter opened in 1984 on a quiet, tree-lined street in Howell. In what would become a recurring theme, it quickly became all too apparent that the needs of the community outweighed our capacity at this site.
In 1986 we acquired a larger house that served as both a shelter and the location for many counseling and educational programs that are still part of LACASA today.
It became evident that victims and survivors needed more than a shelter: they needed ongoing counseling, advocacy, support, and resources.
Establishing Our Legacy
After a successful “Raise the Roof” capital campaign, we opened our Grand River facility in 2002. This facility, which was our home until January 2024, housed our 21-bed crisis shelter, children’s center, counseling center, and administrative offices.
During our time at the Grand River facility, both our reach in the community and the need for our services expanded. In addition to a full suite of prevention and awareness programs, we became the first agency of our kind in Michigan to adopt a canine court advocate, and the first shelter in Michigan to provide a safe place for pets.
And before long, we were once again bursting at the seams. We were forced to house some clients in hotels, which is both costly and chaotic. As the pandemic created additional strain, it became abundantly clear that what LACASA needed was a place where we could have more room for all the growth, healing, and change that happens here. We needed a Home for Good.
The Mission Expands
Enter the Tooley Road property. This plot of land across from the Livingston Emergency Medical Services building wasn’t much when we purchased it in 2018. But in just 5 years, thanks to your support and the diligent work of Schafer Construction, it’s been transformed into a welcoming, comforting, dignified setting for victims and their families.
This one-of-a-kind facility was thoughtfully and painstakingly designed with the security and well-being of our clients top of mind. Unlike our previous shelter, which housed several clients to a room and required shared bathrooms, the new shelter features self-contained rooms with private baths to minimize the additional trauma that comes with a lack of privacy.
On January 10, 2024 we officially moved into our Home for Good, where we are able to house 56 clients and their pets of all species in our facility, more than doubling our previous capacity.
Home for Good
This is our forever home, and while we’ve come so far, the journey isn’t over yet. Your donation today will help us fully finish and forever secure this place where we are redefining what awaits victims of sexual violence, child abuse, and domestic violence when they seek help.
BE the good when you support our Home for Good.
