About Us
Our Mission
Empowering, healing, and supporting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence to achieve lifelong safety and stability.
Our History
During the 1970’s, domestic violence victims were being housed in the private homes of Gillette residents. This presented a number of issues not only for the victim but also for the safety of the host family. As the number of victims needing a safe place to stay grew, a group of concerned women began to see the need for a domestic violence advocacy program in Campbell County.
The Gillette Abuse Refuge Foundation (G.A.R.F.) was formed in 1980 as a non-profit corporation designed to tackle the long-term task of developing a network of support services for battered victims in Campbell County.
G.A.R.F. received grants from the University of Wyoming and the American Association of University Women to begin the process of achieving its three goals:
To create an advocacy program involving recruiting and training of volunteer advocates to provide supportive crisis counseling on domestic violence.
To provide a 24-hour crisis-line.
To ultimately provide a “safe house” in Gillette where battered victims and their children could go in crisis.
The initial grant money was to be used for a survey in Campbell County to determine if there was in fact a need for services. Preliminary results from this survey showed that 30% to 35% of victims polled were being abused.
G.A.R.F. then sought help from the County’s 1% sales tax receipts to institute its programs. In May 1981, the county awarded $68,000 to G.A.R.F.
In January 1981, G.A.R.F. opened its doors and by March was providing full services to victims except for a safe house. Staffed with 12 trained volunteer advocates, G.A.R.F. provided services to 62 adult victims and 85 children in the first 4 months since its opening.
In March 1982, G.A.R.F. was chosen to receive funding from the State. This funding allowed G.A.R.F. to pursue a safe house project and in October 1982, G.A.R.F. purchased its first safe house two years ahead of schedule. By the end of its first year, G.A.R.F. had provided services to 275 victims and housed 88 women and 119 children in the safe house.
During the 2024 fiscal year, G.A.R.F. provided advocacy services to 520 victims, housed 96 adults and children in the safe house, and responded to 700 crisis calls.
Today G.A.R.F. not only continues to provide services to victims of domestic violence and their families but also to victims of sexual assault. G.A.R.F. has 9 staff, 7 board members and 14 volunteers from the community to assist victims
