Domestic Abuse Family Shelter

What Domestic Abuse Family Shelter does

Domestic Abuse Family Shelter, Inc. (DAFS) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) United Way Agency that provides free, comprehensive crisis and recovery services to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking (including men, women, and children with pets) across eleven counties in southeastern Mississippi. Its core service stack includes a 24-hour toll-free crisis line, temporary emergency shelter for up to 90 days, residential and non-residential counseling, victim and legal advocacy in municipal and justice courts, children's programs and childcare, case management for independent-living transition, a Domestic Violence Intervention Program using the Duluth model for batterers, and community/public education for civic groups and professionals such as law enforcement and judges. Operations are anchored by two physical shelters — a secure, undisclosed location in Hattiesburg and an office/shipping site at 420 North 6th Ave in Laurel — supplemented by non-residential counseling offices and victim advocacy coverage across nine counties. A distinguishing capability is the Pet Services Program (launched in 2021), which allows survivors to keep pets in shelter rooms with kennels and enclosed play yards, addressing a documented barrier where roughly half of pet-owning victims will not leave an animal behind with an abuser. The program was co-built with Greater Good Charities, RedRover, and Rescue Rebuild and earned DAFS international recognition at the 18th Annual Crimes Against Women Conference in Dallas in June 2023.

The organization's business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than revenue-generating: all client services are delivered at no charge, and operating income derives from individual/organizational donations, designated United Way funding, and restricted grants (e.g., Greater Good Charities for the pet program). Governance is provided by a 13-member board of directors led by Executive Director Rebecca "Becky" Stewart, with Martha Brewer as Board President; the organization is independently operated, not venture-backed, and has no parent company or subsidiaries. Distribution is regional and direct-to-client, with go-to-market driven by community outreach (events, civic/school/church engagement, professional training), organic social media (Facebook, Instagram), and the organization's website (dafs.ms), and is reinforced by formal referral pipelines from law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and social services across the service area.

Name

Domestic Abuse Family Shelter

Legal name

Domestic Abuse Family Shelter, Inc.

Website

https://dafs.ms

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Domestic Abuse Family Shelter (DAFS) is a Mississippi-based nonprofit providing free 24/7 crisis intervention, emergency shelter, counseling, advocacy, and pet-inclusive services to domestic violence and human trafficking survivors across 11 southeastern counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence Support Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Individual and Family Services (6241), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Emergency shelter services
• Victim advocacy programs
• Crisis intervention services
• Trauma counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Laurel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Monetary donations from individuals and organizations are accepted and used to fund operations. The organization emphasizes being good stewards of donated funds.
2. United Way Funding: DAFS is designated as a United Way Agency, receiving funding through the United Way organization.
3. Grants: DAFS receives grant funding from charitable organizations such as Greater Good Charities to support specific programs like the pet-inclusive shelter initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DAFS is a private, nonprofit United Way Agency that provides emergency shelter, 24-hour crisis intervention, counseling, victim advocacy, case management, childcare, and intervention programming to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking in southeastern Mississippi. All services are provided free of charge to clients within an 11-county service area. A distinctive offering is the pet-inclusive shelter program, allowing survivors to bring their pets with them into shelter rooms.

Product overview

DAFS offers a comprehensive suite of social services for domestic violence and human trafficking survivors. The core offerings include a 24-hour crisis line, temporary emergency shelter (up to 90 days), residential and non-residential counseling, victim and legal advocacy, case management, childcare, and a Domestic Violence Intervention Program using the Duluth model. A distinctive offering is the Pet Services Program, which allows families to keep their pets with them in shelter. All services are provided at no charge to clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24-Hour Crisis Line A toll-free, 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week telephone line (1-800-649-1092) answered by trained professionals and volunteers, providing housing assistance, non-residential counseling, victim advocacy, and community referrals to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.
• Temporary Emergency Shelter Emergency housing for up to 90 days in a secure, undisclosed Hattiesburg location, providing food, transportation, case management, individual and group counseling, referrals, and personal hygiene articles for victims and their children and pets.
• Residential and Non-Residential Counseling Individual and group counseling services for victims and survivors residing in shelter or accessing services from Laurel or Hattiesburg offices across the 11-county service area.
• Public Education and Training Educational programs for civic, business, school, and church groups about domestic violence; training for law enforcement, judges, social workers, and medical personnel.
• Childcare and Children's Program Child care for residential children in Laurel and Hattiesburg by experienced Child Care Workers; preschool for children aged six and under; domestic violence educational groups for children aged six and older.
• Case Management Services for up to 90 days including transportation, advocacy, court support, assistance in practical living, and referrals to help survivors transition to independent living.
• Victim Advocacy Advocacy services in municipal and justice courts across nine counties, including law enforcement and judicial training, court recommendations for offender rehabilitation, and court accompaniment for shelter clients.
• Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) Alternative sentencing program for batterers utilizing the Duluth model curriculum, with separate weekly groups for men (in Hattiesburg) and women (offered virtually) across the 11-county service area.
• Pet Services Program Pet-inclusive shelter program allowing survivors to bring their pets into shelter rooms with their families, including kennels and enclosed play yards for when pet owners leave for work or appointments. Partnership with Greater Good Charities, RedRover, and Rescue Rebuild.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14,000+ documented success stories of survivors served
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Greater Good CharitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership to implement pet-inclusive shelter program. Greater Good Charities provided grant funding and construction work through Rescue Rebuild to enable pets to stay in shelter rooms with their families. DAFS Executive Director Becky Stewart co-presented with Greater Good Charities VP of Pet Programs Bryna Donnelly at the Crimes Against Women Conference.
• RedRovercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Animal welfare organization partner that collaborated with DAFS to make the shelter pet-inclusive, helping survivors keep their pets with them during their stay.
• Rescue RebuildcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Charity organization that provided construction work to help DAFS create pet-friendly accommodations including kennels and enclosed play yards at the shelter.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: National 24/7 crisis-line and referral service for DV survivors. Comparable because DAFS operates a statewide crisis line as part of its intake funnel; DAFS is the regional shelter layer that the Hotline refers into.
• Safe Horizon: NYC-based largest DV victim-services nonprofit in the U.S. Comparable in providing shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and court accompaniment; significantly larger scale but conceptually aligned.
• YWCA USA: National nonprofit network delivering DV shelter, advocacy, and housing services across many local chapters. Comparable because it provides the same shelter-plus-counseling model as DAFS at a larger, multi-region scale.

Others

• National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV): National advocacy and capacity-building umbrella for state DV coalitions and shelters. Comparable as an ecosystem partner that DAFS could leverage for funding, training, and policy support.
• RedRover: National nonprofit focused on keeping pets and people together during crises. Existing partner of DAFS that helped make the shelter pet-inclusive; comparable to Greater Good as a crisis-supporting ecosystem partner.
• Greater Good Charities: Animal welfare and humanitarian charity that has funded DAFS's Pet Services Program via Rescue Rebuild. An existing funder/donor as well as a partner — relevant adjacent organization, not a competitor.

Direct peers

• Rose Brooks Center: Kansas City-based DV shelter with pet-inclusive programming (the Paws for Hope program). Comparable as a regional nonprofit offering emergency shelter, advocacy, and pet-friendly services — a structural analog to DAFS.
• Casa de Esperanza: Community-based DV shelter and advocacy organization serving Latina and other survivors in the Twin Cities. Comparable regional shelter model with holistic services, crisis intervention, and community education.
• Center for Family Safety and Healing: Columbus, OH nonprofit offering shelter, counseling, and advocacy for DV survivors. Comparable mission and service mix; similar mid-sized community-anchored operating model.

Emerging players

• StandUp Survivor (formerly Jennifer Ann's Group): DV prevention and education nonprofit. Comparable as a peer within the broader DV services space, though focused on prevention/education rather than direct shelter.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DAFSofMS
• Instagraminstagram.com/da fsms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/domestic-abuse-family-shelter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Domestic Abuse Family Shelter