DuPage County's Press Releases

WHEATON ― DuPage County Board Member Kyle Gilgis (District 3) is hoping DuPage County residents who surf the World Wide Web will take a moment to click on a new link recently added to the County’s website, which can be found at www.dupageco.org.

Family Shelter Services, founded in 1976 by a group of caring and concerned individuals who wanted to help the growing numbers of homeless people in DuPage County, offers victims of domestic abuse with a variety of services aimed at helping them reestablish roots in their community.

Through court services, counseling, children’s programs and Latino programs, Family Shelter Services is making the difference in the lives of many who had no where else to turn.

“Homelessness isn’t confined to Chicago or to those who have lost a job,” said Gilgis. “Sadly, there are an alarming number of women in DuPage County who are the victims of domestic abuse. Until Family Shelter Services was founded many of these women had no where to turn. Now they do and they are making a difference.”

According to Family Shelter Services, founders faced a community reluctant to fund an organization without evidence or statistics to confirm that victims of domestic violence existed in DuPage County. In 1977, the DuPage County Health Department conducted a survey to determine the greatest need in the county, and the results confirmed that the largest unmet need in DuPage County was emergency housing for women and children needing protection from family violence. In 1978, our founders established a network of safe homes — private volunteer homes in the area — and in 1980, with the support of a HUD grant, the original shelter, Hanson House, opened with a 12-bed capacity.

“I would encourage all DuPage residents to find a way to help ensure these programs remain available to those women most in need,” said Gilgis.

In 1982, with the passage of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act, the Court Advocacy Program was implemented. The Children's Program was added in 1984. In 1986, a second 18-bed shelter opened. A third shelter that houses our special transitional program opened in 1989, bringing the total shelter capacity to 43 beds. Also in 1989, Family Shelter Service played a significant role in the development and implementation of the DuPage County Domestic Violence Protocol, which provides the structure for the community's response to domestic violence.

To learn how you can make a difference, please visit www.familyshelterservice.org, or call 630-221-8290 for more information.