Harbor House of Central Florida announces plans for Family Justice Center

ORANGE COUNTY, FL – As October marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Harbor House of Central Florida has taken the first steps toward establishing a Family Justice Center in Orange County.

“We will help get you to safety and provide you with the resources you need to heal, whether the bruises are external or internal,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

Harbor House, the county’s only state-certified domestic violence organization, is partnering with the Family Justice Center Alliance to plan the new center. The Family Justice Center will provide a one-stop shop for survivors and their families to access support and resources in one place.

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“Healing is at the heart of our mission,” said Michelle Sperzel, CEO of Harbor House. “We provide counseling, legal defense and economic empowerment services to help survivors rebuild their lives.”

Last year, Harbor House developed more than 7,000 survivor safety plans, sheltered more than 400 adults and 400 children, and assisted more than 5,000 survivors throughout the community.

With the creation of the Family Justice Center, it is hoped that these numbers will decrease as more services become centralized and accessible.

“We are all committed to working together to bring these crimes out of the shadows, improve services for survivors and hold perpetrators accountable,” said Orange County Sheriff John Mina.

The center is still in the early planning stages. A study tour will bring together local officials and community agencies as a first step toward developing a strategic vision for the project.

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