GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. — The Family Justice Center of Erie County has set up shop on Grand Island for its third satellite location.

What You Need To Know

  • Family Justice Center of Erie County put the finishing touches on its new satellite location on Grand Island
  • The space is in a home owned by the Trinity United Methodist Church 
  • The organization hopes to welcome clients in person to the satellite space soon
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"This house is extraordinary, when you see the rooms and you see the love," said Mary Travers Murphy, the CEO of the Family Justice Center of Erie County.

The organization offers free services to domestic violence victims and their children. It has a main office in Buffalo and satellite locations in Amherst, Orchard Park, and now you can add Grand Island to the list.

"From an order of protection, a chat with an advocate, a safety plan,” Murphy said. “You can walk away with an order of protection. Counseling appointment. You can meet with a counselor. You name it, we have it. And everything available in our downtown office is available right here in this beautiful home.”

The new satellite is located in a home at 2074 Whitehaven Road that's owned by the Trinity United Methodist Church, which is just up the block. The Grand Island location features everything from client living rooms where you can talk to someone about what's going on in your relationship to a pantry to grab food and other necessities you're running low on. There's even a space for children just to be kids as their mom or dad is being attended to. 

There's no better time than now to have this new satellite, considering the Family Justice Center has experienced a more than 70% spike in hotline calls throughout the pandemic. 

"We figured out overnight how to service all of our clients and offer all of our services remotely, and we're finding that the spike in our numbers has maintained and sustained because people love the access of getting everything remotely," said Murphy.

With COVID restrictions eased, the Family Justice Center plans to welcome clients in person again within the next few weeks. But virtual resources will still be an option.

"The next step will see what domestic violence services look like post-COVID,” said Murphy. “We know during COVID, people opted for remote services. Once we open and get people wanting to come in, yet people still wanting to get services remotely, we're going to see what that looks like and how best to remove every barrier.”

The new location was made possible thanks to donations from private donors and local sponsors. Fundraising efforts started in 2018 and lasted through construction.