Twenty years ago, an outreach committee of Orange Park Presbyterian Church identified safe shelter for victims of domestic violence in Clay County as a critical and local need.  When the steering committee investigated the needs in Clay County concerning battered women and their children, they found the nearest shelter was Hubbard House in Duval County, and it was usually full. Even if a woman could get to Duval County, the services she needed to access in Clay County were located in Orange Park and Green Cove Springs and there was no regular bus service between Jacksonville and these cities.  As evidence of this need, when comparing the local statistics on domestic violence calls to law enforcement with the number of Clay County women actually sheltered in Hubbard House, it was discovered that women in Clay County weren’t making the trek to Hubbard House. Shelter was definitely needed in Clay County!  A Board of Directors was formed, and Quigley House was incorporated December 21, 1988.

In those 20 years, Quigley House has proven to be a trusted servant and partner to the Clay County community.  We have continued to adapt to meet the ever-growing needs of Clay County, while at the same time working to prevent and end domestic violence in our society.  In twenty years time Quigley House has provided free of charge, the following services, among others:

• Shelter to 4,159 men, women and children, for a total of 62,473 shelter days, giving victims who are fleeing violent relationships with a dream of something most of us take for granted—the feeling of safety in our own homes;
• Transitional housing to 37 families, enabling these families to become full, independent, contributing members of our community – not part of the system;
• Crisis intervention and information and referral services to 16,469 24-hour hotline callers, providing immediate assistance for individuals effected by domestic violence and sexual assault;
• Face-to-face counseling to 14,609 victims of domestic violence, supplying them with the tools to recover;
• On-site advocacy at the Clay County Courthouse to 4,253 victims, assisting these victims in filing for injunctions for protection, safety planning, accompaniment at Court proceedings, and overall advocacy within the legal system; and
• Counseling and advocacy services to 808 sexual assault victims to facilitate their healing process.

The Board, staff, and volunteers of Quigley House remain committed to meeting the growing demand for services in Clay County while working to eradicate domestic and sexual violence in our society.  For as long as the need is there, so will Quigley House.

In peace,

Sharon Youngerman