Serving the Arlington community since 1978
24-Hour Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline: 703-237-0881
“You could have heard a pin drop in the room as Lisette Johnson told the story of being shot by her husband of 21 years,” writes Eden Brown. “It wasn’t an easy story to tell. She tells it because she cannot believe Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed bills that would have prevented her husband from keeping that weapon after he threatened her.”
Read the complete story in The Connection.
It was a bright, sunny morning as we welcomed more than 60 guests into our new Community Services Center (CSC) on Friday, April 5th. Many Doorways staff were onsite to provide guided tours of the trauma-informed space and share about their work and backgrounds.
Michelle Sagatov, President of Doorways’ Board of Directors, welcomed everyone into the new Center and thanked our community for always being so supportive of our work and mission. As she introduced Diana Ortiz, President and CEO of Doorways since 2021, Michelle shared that Diana had first been with Doorways from 2009 to 2018, and that although she left to pursue other ventures for time, “once you have Doorways in your heart, it’s there forever.”
Diana Ortiz thanked everyone, and especially Amazon, Washington Workplace, and the Garrett Group for their support in making the Center a beautiful and functional reality. The space has been intentionally designed with features that help protect the safety and confidentiality of both clients and staff. Diana also reiterated that the need for Doorways has continued to grow over the past 5 years, and that is a leading reason for creating this new Center.
Kate Bates, President and CEO of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, also spoke, saying that nonprofits like Doorways are a valuable part of the Arlington community, helping to make Arlington a great place to live, work, and play.
Diana welcomed Michelle, along with Melissa Kenney (Doorways Chief Operations Officer) and Virginia Dominguez (Revive Counseling Manager), to officially cut the purple ribbon and mark the opening of our new Center.
Special thanks also to volunteers from Elevation Church who helped greet and guide our guests. We appreciate you!
Written by Daniel Egitto for ARLnow.com, April 9, 2024
An Arlington service provider for survivors of abuse celebrated the opening of a new, expanded headquarters last week.
Doorways hosted a ribbon cutting at the Community Services Center at 671 N. Glebe Road, a space designed around the needs of people who have experienced domestic and sexual violence. The spacious, brightly lit office in a Ballston high rise is meant to create a more comfortable environment for people seeking Doorways services, as well as the nonprofit’s employees.
“We are trying to make this as cozy and as trauma-informed as possible,” Counseling Program Manager Virginia Dominguez told ARLnow on a tour of the space.
New sound machines in the center’s counseling rooms protect clients’ privacy, while the larger office allows more staff members to work in person. The upgrade was possible thanks to a grant from Amazon, Doorways CEO Diana Ortiz said.
“This is a space that has a trauma-informed environment that will feel safe, that is promoting healing, that is promoting the dignity of our clients,” she said. “It’s a space that fosters safety, a space that inspires respect for the humanity of everyone.”
The headquarters is the latest piece of Doorways’ plans to address surging numbers of people seeking emergency shelter in Arlington.
In 2018, according to Doorways’ latest annual report, the nonprofit’s “safehousing” programs offered shelter to 58 survivors. Last year, that number had swelled to 135 people — more than half of whom were children.
As the need for our services escalates, and the cost to provide those services rises, we will need more support from our community in this pivotal time of year.
Arlington nonprofits achieve Giving Tuesday goals, but donor participation concerns linger
by James Jarvis
“Linley Beckbridge, director of Communications and Advocacy at Doorways, which provides shelter to survivors of domestic violence, says the number of adults and children they have checked into the shelter has doubled within the last five years.
‘Domestic violence is on the rise,’ Beckbridge said. ‘As Arlington’s only provider of safehousing — emergency shelter for survivors and their children in imminent danger due to domestic violence — it is critical that Doorways expands our capacity to meet the growing need.'”
For more ways kids and teens can kid involved with Doorways’ mission, please check out our Kids’ Corner!
14 Places to Volunteer with Kids and Teens
Arlington Magazine, November 27, 2023, Stephanie Kanowitz
Doorways: Concerned Arlington residents started Doorways in 1978 as a safe haven for families in crisis. The organization provides shelter, with a mission of helping people find a way out of homelessness, domestic violence and sexual assault. Although all in-person volunteer activities have a minimum age of 18, there are ways young ones can get involved. Twice a year, Doorways invites volunteers to sponsor a child—once before school starts, when you can help provide back-to-school supplies, and during the winter holidays, when you’re invited to make wishes come true for kids in need. Check the website for when sponsorship forms become available.
Arlington Magazine Guide to Giving 2023
November 10, 2023 Arlington Magazine
The following organizations are based in Northern Virginia and provide critical services to the immediate community. Many thanks to the Arlington Community Foundation for its help in compiling this resource.
Every day, thousands of adults, youth and children in Arlington suffer the impacts of domestic violence and sexual assault. Intimate partner violence is a leading cause of homelessness, especially among women and families. As Arlington’s only provider of emergency shelter, services and supportive housing for survivors and their families, Doorways has in recent years seen a dramatic increase in those requiring emergency shelter to escape harm. The nonprofit is expanding its capacity to meet this growing need while also maintaining a full spectrum response to domestic and sexual violence, from prevention programming for youth to community-based services and supportive housing.
What a donation can do:
❱❱ $250 provides a play- or art-based therapy session for a child healing from the impacts of domestic violence.
❱❱ $500 supports a family graduating from Doorways’ shelter to its HomeStart supportive housing program by funding essentials like a new bed and kitchen supplies.
❱❱ $1,000 provides one week of emergency shelter in safe housing for a survivor escaping domestic violence.
Volunteer opportunities: Volunteers 18 or older who have graduated from high school are needed to assist with shelter coverage, children’s activities, interpretation, administrative support and fundraising. Individuals working directly with clients must complete at least 40 hours of training and a background check. Community groups, including youth and children, can help by organizing collection drives and fundraisers.
See also Arlington Magazine’s complete November-December 2023 issue.
“October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM), an important time to highlight the issue of domestic violence and its effects on victims, survivors, families, and communities. Everyone deserves to have access to a community where people live free of violence and have safe and stable housing. We caught up with Linley Beckbridge, Director of Marketing & Communications and Advocacy at Doorways to discuss the importance of accessibility in your community.” Read more from Recite Me.
One of first females in country to achieve statusBy Shirley Ruhe, Arlington Connection
Avery Park from Arlington is one of the first females in the country to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. She says usually it takes 7 years to achieve Eagle Scout status but she did it in four. She chose to organize the fifth floor storage space for Doorways and develop an online tracking system as her Eagle Scout project. “I knew I wanted to do something to support women and children.”
Continue reading in the Arlington Connection.
“R&B meets pop sensation Darius Martin releases the new single ‘Sparks Don’t Fly’ featuring Latin singer-songwriter Shantal Vella. The single is a powerful profile on the damaging effects of abusive relationships, offering an intimate window inside the emotional toll it takes on two hearts.
Teaming up with the esteemed non-profit, Doorways, and ahead of October Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Darius Martin is thrilled to amplify awareness and generate funds with his new single, ‘Sparks Don’t Fly’. Serving the Arlington, Virginia, community, Doorways extends comprehensive support to survivors, providing housing, counseling, court advocacy, and more. With a 24/7 hotline and a robust community outreach program, Doorways stands firmly with survivors. Darius Martin is proud to drive impactful change with this new release.
‘Sparks Don’t Fly’ blends melodic cascades of percussion with an emotive vocal symphony shared between Darius Martin and Shantal Vella. Over subtle, refined beats, ‘Sparks Don’t Fly’ will immerse you in a lyrically tender narrative, bringing awareness towards domestic violence. Darius Martin admits, ‘I wanted people who have been in abusive relationships to know they’re not alone.'” Continue reading.
“Darius Martin is a Los Angeles based artist who fuses elements of pop and R&B into his sonics while crafting powerful narratives that resonate with day-to-day life. His newly released single, “Sparks Don’t Fly” featuring Shantal Vella, is written about domestic violence in hopes of showing listeners that they are never alone. Martin is partnering with Doorways, an organization based in Arlington, Virginia that provides resources and support for survivors.” Continue reading.