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Description of Programs
Helpmate, Inc. began as a volunteer task force of the Buncombe County Commission on the Status of Women in 1978. A survey conducted by the task force concluded that at the time over 7,500 women were being battered in Buncombe County each year. The agency was funded for one year by the North Carolina Council on the Status of Women, and subsequent funding became available from Buncombe County in June of 1980.
Helpmate adopted its mission during this process, and continues today as "a domestic violence agency working with our community to eliminate abuse and fear."
In its years of service to the community, Helpmate has offered a variety of programs that focus on the empowerment of victims of domestic violence. Understanding that each victim has a right to vision and shape his/ her own recovery, Helpmate's services are designed to meet the range of experiences of Helpmate clients. Through each of the programs offered at Helpmate, clients are encouraged to design safety plans that fit their unique circumstances, and to recognize that they are the experts of their own situations of abuse.
 24-Hour Hotline
Victims of domestic violence often become familiar with Helpmate's services
by contacting our 24-Hour Hotline. Staff and trained volunteers operate the
Hotline, offering encouragement, support, counseling, and referrals to
callers in need.
 Individual Crisis Counseling
Helpmate offers Individual Crisis Counseling to clients looking for a caring professional who understands the dynamics and experience of domestic abuse. A variety of Group Counseling options are available at Helpmate, bringing women with similar experiences together in mutual support and shared advocacy.
 Court Advocacy
In building a life free from abuse, many victims find it necessary to seek civil and/ or criminal remedies to domestic violence. Helpmate's Court Advocacy program works with clients to navigate a sometimes confusing and intimidating court system, and to improve their chances of a positive court outcome.
Victims of domestic abuse face fear and danger on a daily basis, struggling to live through violent, potentially lethal relationships. Statistically, victims of homicide by partners or spouses are more often murdered while they are attempting to leave their situations of abuse.
 Emergency Shelter
Recognizing that this is a critical and dangerous time for families experiencing violence, Helpmate is proud to offer an Emergency Shelter. Helpmate's Emergency Shelter is more than a safe space; it is also a home for women and their children to begin the long, hard process of recovery. Within the walls of Helpmate's shelter, women and children learn to live without fear and abuse, and work to create a life of peace.
 Community Outreach
Helpmate's Outreach Program works to weave the community around the support of victims by providing education and advocacy. The Outreach Coordinator can design programs that meet the educational needs of a variety of audiences, including communities of faith, schools and training programs, professional associations, civic groups, and at-risk groups.
 Volunteers
Helpmate strives toward good stewardship in applying community resources to ending domestic violence. In serving more and more clients each year, Helpmate relies heavily on its Volunteer Program to meet client demand for services. Through the Volunteer Program, Helpmate Volunteers are given ongoing training and support to work with victims of domestic violence and their children.
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