Live Violence Free seeks new board members

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Live Violence Free (LVF) needs new board members to join its LVF Leadership Team and help them expand services and reach within the community. LVF has been a pillar within our community for 45 years, making an incredible impact through its programs and as an advocate for positive community change. Live Violence Free has a long history of meeting the needs of our community while remaining responsive and adaptive to emergent needs and challenges.

In 1977, a handful of volunteers opened the South Lake Tahoe Women's Center to provide a rape crisis hotline. Volunteers operated out of a two-room cabin and began the most vital service that they still provide. Over the next several years, the agency expanded its services to offer comprehensive services in rape crisis, domestic violence, and child abuse to meet survivors' needs effectively. This expansion allowed the agency to meet the community's diverse needs and impact all areas of violence and abuse.

For example, with safe and secure housing being a significant barrier to a life free of violence, LVF purchased an emergency safe house. They began the transitional housing program to ensure survivors had safe housing. To further meet the complex needs of survivors, they expanded their comprehensive approach to include legal services and supervised visitation and exchange programs.

Given the lack of services in Alpine County, LVF expanded its offices to Markleeville, Calif., knowing that prevention education is critical in addressing violence and promoting violence-free communities. Then LVF expanded the prevention education program to include programming in all
schools in South Lake Tahoe. 2012 was a year of growth for the agency as it changed its name to "Live Violence Free." This new name reflected their services for all individuals since violence impacts not just women.

Their name is also their message. Their history is a story of impact. LVF has impacted many lives through programs and services and remains a place of hope for the community. Live Violence Free serves over 5,500 individuals every year through its many programs. Each client, on average, receives over 12 services, including therapy, safe housing, legal support, and advocacy. The comprehensive violence prevention program in K-12 schools, which focuses on reducing school violence, bullying, sexual assault, and teen dating violence, impacts 2,600 students each year. Their positive impact is demonstrated as they rise and address the needs in the community by providing 15,000 meals, 2200 therapy sessions, 11,000 bed nights, and 900 crisis call responses every year.

"At Live Violence Free, we are most proud of this history and impact. We have evolved from a team of volunteers operating a rape crisis hotline to a comprehensive service provider and advocate in South Lake Tahoe and Alpine County. We are incredibly proud and grateful for our community partnerships
and relationships with volunteers, public service agencies, community organizations, businesses, healthcare providers, and law enforcement as we make positive changes," said LVF Executive Director Chelcee Thomas.

"As we celebrate 45 years of work in our community, we ask you to join our story of impact. We invite everyone in the community to get involved and support our mission by volunteering, donating, and helping to spread awareness. If you are passionate about making the community safer for everyone, please volunteer to join our Board of Directors. We are grateful for volunteering and donations that help ensure our vital services are available," added Thomas.

Learn more about how to get involved at https://liveviolencefree.org/get-involved/.