The Women's Center of Montgomery County celebrates 50 years with a sold-out gala on Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Highlands Mansion & Estate in Fort Washington.
The cocktail event at 7001 Sheaff Lane runs from 6 to 9 p.m., according to the center's event page. Attendees will hear from keynote speaker Katie Koestner, a nationally recognized advocate for survivors of sexual violence. The evening also includes the screening of a trailer for a documentary about the center, produced by filmmaker Melissa Davey.
Founded in 1976, the center began as a hotline run by a small group of Montgomery County women. They expected calls about jobs, housing and child care, The Reporter reported. Instead, the calls came from women experiencing domestic abuse at a time when the subject was rarely discussed.
Five decades later, the center has served more than 200,000 people, according to The Reporter. It operates four offices, including locations in Meadowbrook and Wyncote, and partners with courts, hospitals, schools and police departments across the county.
In the past year, the center supported 3,958 new survivors and their loved ones, according to The Reporter. Staff provided 5,593 hours of counseling. The center guided more than 2,800 legal and court accompaniments, and community volunteers contributed 10,611 hours of direct support.
The center's Second Chances Thrift Shoppe, based at its Jenkintown headquarters at 318 Leedom St., funds operations and doubles as a resource where abuse survivors can get clothing for themselves and their families.
6ABC featured the shop this week. Volunteer Lisa Viola told the station she got involved after the murder of her niece, Nicole Montalvo, in Florida in 2019.
"While we are incredibly proud of how far we have come over the last 50 years, the reality is that our services are needed now more than ever," executive director Maria Macaluso said in a Sept. 16 announcement published by Glenside Local.
Despite its name, the organization provides support for anyone facing abuse, according to Around Ambler. The center offers education programs, domestic violence support groups, legal resources, temporary housing and a 24-hour anonymous hotline at 1-800-773-2424.
Tickets were $150 per person.
The center's website lists the event as sold out.
