About Us

Our Mission and History:

Between Friends is a nonprofit agency dedicated to breaking the cycle of domestic violence and abuse by providing education, support, counseling, and advocacy services.

Between Friends works with individuals, families, and communities to create awareness about domestic violence and abuse and to reduce its prevalence and impact.

In 1986, Between Friends was founded by volunteers from the National Council of Jewish Women and the North Shore Junior League of Evanston as a small grantmaking body dedicated to raising funds for local domestic violence programs. The clear disparity between the growing numbers of domestic violence victims needing help and the limited programs available to assist them prompted Friends to expand its effort in 1991 to include direct crisis intervention services for individuals and families.

Today, Between Friends' comprehensive programs and services include a toll-free Crisis Line (800-603-HELP), counseling for victims and their children, court advocacy, and prevention and education efforts, including healthcare education and our extensive teen dating violence prevention program, REACH (Relationship Education: A Choice for Hope). Each year, we work with thousands of individuals through these programs, all offered free of charge. Friends' offices are located in Rogers Park, on Chicago's north side.

Our Philosophy:

Between Friends provides a safe, violence-free, supportive, self-help environment for women and children in crisis. Between Friends' counselors support women in making their own decisions and choices, rather than making choices for them. Between Friends helps victims and children to recognize that their experience is shared and that the problem of domestic violence is social and political.

Click here to learn about the programs and services we provide.