In 1975, Transition House opened in Cambridge, what was then only the second battered women's shelter in the United States, and the first on the East Coast. Since then, it has sheltered more than 5,000 battered women and children, and played a national leadership role in the creation of new programs for homeless women and children in crisis. Many of the services that are now standard in domestic violence prevention and shelter services nationwide were pioneered by Transition House. Specific services include: emergency shelter for women and their children; 24-hour crisis hotline; children’s services; transitional and permanent supported housing; teen dating violence intervention program; domestic violence counseling and support groups; and outreach, training and education. But the statewide demand for emergency shelter far exceeds the available supply. Every year, more than 20,000 women and children in Massachusetts seek shelter to escape relationship violence. Transition House is dedicated to prevention and cessation of domestic violence and provides both immediate assistance, as well as long-term prevention strategies for women and children. Its needs are great, and your help will go a long way.