THE LAUREL CENTER

What THE LAUREL CENTER does

The Laurel Center Intervention for Domestic and Sexual Violence is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Winchester, Virginia, that delivers a comprehensive continuum of crisis-intervention and recovery services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence across the Northern Shenandoah Valley, including Winchester City and Frederick, Clarke, and Warren Counties. Founded in 1987 as the Shelter for Abused Women and rebranded under its current name in October 2007, the organization operates the region's only dedicated emergency shelter (a three-story facility on North Cameron Street occupied since January 2018), a 24/7 crisis hotline, adult and child therapy provided by licensed professionals, sexual assault services with 24/7 hospital response at Winchester Medical Center, court advocacy in four jurisdictions, children's programming for ages 5–17, safety planning, lethality assessment, and an empowerment program that combines workforce training with a job-training café (The Railway Café).

All client services are provided free of charge. The organization is funded through a diversified mix of revenue streams: individual and corporate charitable donations structured via a tiered Pathways to Safety Sponsorship Program (Guardian $10,000 down to Beacon of Hope $1,000), special-event fundraising (Empty Bowl Supper, Adam Carter Memorial Golf Tournament, Walk & Wag, Voices of Empowerment, yard sales, third-party events), Virginia Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credits, a 'Peace Begins at Home' specialty license plate program, and proceeds from two wholly-owned operating subsidiaries — the Good Things retail store on East Piccadilly Street and The Railway Café job-training venue. The technology footprint is minimal, consisting of a public website, Facebook presence, and email newsletter; there are no proprietary software products, AI/ML capabilities, or APIs.

The organization's go-to-market is community-led: it reaches survivors through a 24/7 crisis hotline, walk-in shelter intake, hospital accompaniment at Winchester Medical Center, court referrals, and a community education curriculum delivered into K-12 schools, two universities (Laurel Ridge Community College and Shenandoah University), law enforcement, and healthcare partners. Strategic alliances with the Commonwealth Attorneys' Offices, local police, the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, United Way of the Northern Shenandoah Valley, and Child Advocacy Center form the operational backbone for referrals and coordinated case management.

Name

THE LAUREL CENTER

Legal name

The Laurel Center Intervention for Domestic and Sexual Violence

Website

https://thelaurelcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Laurel Center is a Winchester, Virginia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the Northern Shenandoah Valley's only dedicated emergency shelter and crisis-intervention services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, delivering free 24/7 hotline, shelter, therapy, court advocacy, and workforce programs across four counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Crisis intervention hotline
• Emergency shelter
• Sexual assault services
• Victim advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Winchester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The Laurel Center operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through charitable donations from individuals, businesses, and community organizations. They have a Pathways to Safety Sponsorship Program with four donation levels: Guardian ($10,000), Advocate ($5,000), Champion ($2,500), and Beacon of Hope ($1,000). They also receive funding through the Neighborhood Assistance Program with Virginia state tax credits available to donors.
2. Retail Store Revenue: Good Things is a retail store selling new household items, decorative items, children's and baby gifts, jewelry, outdoor decorations, and furniture. All proceeds support The Laurel Center's emergency shelter, support, and prevention services for domestic and sexual violence survivors.
3. Special Events Fundraising: Annual fundraising events include the Empty Bowl Supper, Adam Carter Memorial Golf Tournament, Walk & Wag, Voices of Empowerment event, and biannual yard sales. Third-party events are also hosted by community businesses and organizations.
4. Virginia License Plate Program: Peace Begins at Home license plates available through Virginia DMV generate proceeds for the organization. Plates cost $25 for non-specialized and $35 for specialized plates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Laurel Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, confidential crisis intervention, emergency shelter, individual and group counseling, court and hospital advocacy, prevention education, and community outreach to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. All survivor-facing services are delivered at no cost, with funding drawn from donations, grants, fundraising events, a thrift store, a job-training café, and a state license-plate program.

Product overview

The Laurel Center operates as a single integrated social services organization providing intervention for domestic and sexual violence. The organization offers a coordinated continuum of services spanning emergency shelter, 24-hour crisis hotline, adult and child therapy, legal and court advocacy, safety planning, and community education. The Empowerment Program extends this core offering through workforce development, incorporating The Railway Café for job training and The Good Things Store retail outlet for fundraising. The Children's Project and Boundaries Group provide specialized support for affected youth and adults. All services are free and confidential, designed to support survivors from crisis intervention through economic empowerment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 Crisis Hotline Round-the-clock phone crisis line for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and concerned family/friends throughout the four-county service area.
• Emergency Safe Shelter Confidential emergency housing for survivors fleeing domestic violence or sexual violence, available to individuals and families in the Northern Shenandoah Valley at no cost.
• Individual Counseling One-on-one trauma-informed therapy provided to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, free of charge.
• Group Counseling Therapeutic group sessions for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, supporting peer-based recovery and healing.
• Court Advocacy Advocacy and accompaniment for survivors navigating the legal/court system in domestic violence and sexual assault cases.
• Hospital Accompaniment In-person support for survivors at hospital facilities following sexual assault or domestic violence incidents, including during forensic exams.
• Prevention Education Programs School- and community-based education programs aimed at preventing domestic and sexual violence, delivered to youth and community audiences.
• Professional Training Training programs for partner-agency professionals (law enforcement, educators, healthcare and social-service workers) on responding to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
• Outreach (WATA/Latino) Bilingual (English/Spanish) community outreach to Latino survivors and Spanish-speaking populations in the service area, expanding access to crisis and education services.
• Good Things Thrift Store Retail thrift store operated by The Laurel Center that resells donated goods to the public, generating revenue to support the agency's free survivor services.
• The Railway Café Café operated by The Laurel Center that combines food-service with on-the-job vocational training for survivors, generating revenue and economic-empowerment opportunities.
• Virginia License Plate Program State of Virginia specialty license plate program that directs a portion of plate fees to The Laurel Center to support survivor services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24-hour hotline available for crisis support, information, and referrals
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Frederick County Parks & RecreationsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 August 2024Presented The Laurel Center with $4,925.50 donation from proceeds of the 37th Loudoun Street Mile race
• Commonwealth Attorneys' Office of Winchester, Frederick, Clarke & Warren CountiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership providing court advocacy services and coordination on domestic violence and sexual assault cases involving survivors in the judicial system
• Department of HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership providing housing assistance and resources for survivors of domestic and sexual violence
• Department of Social ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partnership providing coordinated services for families and children affected by domestic violence
• Local Law Enforcement AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing Crisis Intervention Companions response and coordinated victim services across Winchester, Frederick, Clarke, and Warren Counties
• Victim Witness of Winchester, Frederick, Clarke & Warren CountiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing coordinated victim services and court support for survivors participating in the criminal justice system
• Clarke County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partnership providing educational programming about domestic and sexual violence, trauma-informed care training, and student support services
• Frederick County SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partnership providing educational programming about domestic and sexual violence, trauma-informed care training, and student support services
• Laurel Ridge Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership providing outreach and education services to college students and staff on domestic and sexual violence prevention
• Shenandoah UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership providing outreach and education services to college students and staff on domestic and sexual violence prevention
• Winchester City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partnership providing educational programming about domestic and sexual violence, trauma-informed care training, and student support services
• Winchester Medical Center, Forensic Nurse ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership providing 24-7 crisis intervention companions for sexual assault victims during forensic medical examinations at the hospital
• United Way of the Northern Shenandoah ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership providing funding support and coordinated human services in the Northern Shenandoah Valley region
• Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState alliance providing the Project for the Empowerment of Survivors, statewide hotline, legal advocacy services, and linkage to legal services
• Northwestern Community Services BoardsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health services partnership providing coordinated behavioral health resources for survivors of domestic and sexual violence
• Child Advocacy CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing coordinated services for child survivors of abuse, including those affected by domestic violence
• Mover DudescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal moving company that has supported The Laurel Center since 2006, providing moving services, fundraising support, and community assistance. Currently running '20 for 20' campaign to raise $20,000 for human trafficking victims services

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Julian Center: Indianapolis-based DV nonprofit offering emergency shelter, 24/7 crisis line, therapy, legal advocacy, and economic-empowerment programming; operates a social enterprise component analogous to The Laurel Center's Railway Cafe model.
• Center for Domestic Peace: Marin County, CA nonprofit offering DV shelter, hotline, counseling, legal advocacy, and community-education programs across a single-county region — comparable scale, service mix, and community-based GTM.
• Safe Horizon: New York City's largest victim-services nonprofit delivering shelter, hotline, counseling, court advocacy, and community education for survivors of DV/SA — comparable continuum-of-care operating model at larger scale.
• House of Ruth (Maryland): Regional 501(c)(3) providing emergency shelter, hotline, counseling, court advocacy, and children's services for DV/SA survivors in Maryland — a near-identical service-line blueprint to The Laurel Center across a comparable multi-county geography.
• Anew: Building Beyond Violence and Abuse: Washington-state DV/SA nonprofit delivering emergency shelter, therapy, legal advocacy, and prevention education across a defined regional catchment — overlapping operational model and community-led GTM.
• Safe Shores — The DC Children's Advocacy Center: DC-based nonprofit providing forensic interviews, therapy, case coordination, and court advocacy for child survivors of abuse — closely comparable to The Laurel Center's Children's Project in scope and target population.

Broad incumbents

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): Largest national anti-sexual-violence organization operating the national sexual-assault hotline and affiliate hospital-response network — broader geographic scope but overlapping sexual-assault services and hotline model.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: National 24/7 DV crisis hotline and referral resource funded federally and by donations — directly analogous to The Laurel Center's hotline service at national scale and a key referral partner for local agencies.
• YWCA USA: National federation whose local chapters operate DV shelters, hotlines, sexual-assault response, and economic-empowerment programs nationwide — broader portfolio but directly overlapping core service lines with The Laurel Center.

Others

• Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance: State-level coalition and The Laurel Center's own named partner providing Project for Empowerment of Survivors, legal advocacy, and statewide hotline linkage — adjacent enabling organization rather than a direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheLaurelCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-laurel-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 THE LAUREL CENTER