Freedom Through Empowerment: Lyons & Hohl Proudly Supports the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County
For most organizations, a tagline is a marketing tool. For the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County, it is a promise. One that has been made and kept, every single day, for fifty years.
This year, DVCCC marks its 50th anniversary. And, we believe that milestone deserves to be recognized, celebrated, and supported.
Who DVCCC Is
The Domestic Violence Center of Chester County was founded in 1976, reorganized from the YWCA Women's Resource Center after its directors recognized that women calling for help had nowhere to be referred. There was no organization in Chester County focused exclusively on domestic violence intervention and prevention. So they built one.
Fifty years later, DVCCC is the only organization in Chester County exclusively contracted by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence to serve victims and their dependent children. That means when someone in our community reaches out for help, DVCCC is the answer. The only answer of its kind in the county.
Every service they provide is free. Every service they provide is confidential. And every service is available around the clock, 365 days a year.
What DVCCC Does
The scope of DVCCC's services reflects the full complexity of what survivors actually need to find safety and rebuild their lives.
At the foundation is a 24-hour crisis hotline, reachable at 888-711-6270. From that first call, DVCCC can provide emergency shelter, transitional housing, adult and children's counseling, legal advocacy, and financial empowerment programming. A staff attorney is stationed at the Chester County Justice Center to provide legal services directly to those who need them. Services are offered in both English and Spanish, ensuring that language is not a barrier to getting help.
Their reach into the community extends well beyond direct services. DVCCC has been invited into high schools and classrooms across Chester County to educate students about dating violence and healthy relationships. Last year alone, their education and prevention programming reached more than 4,500 adults and teens. Their Lethality Assessment Program, developed in partnership with local law enforcement, was awarded a District Attorney's Office Commendation for its contribution to reducing domestic violence-related homicides in Chester County.
In recent years, DVCCC has expanded its presence with satellite offices in Coatesville, Kennett Square, Oxford, and Phoenixville, bringing services closer to the communities that need them most. Each October, they Light the Night for Hope and Healing, illuminating landmarks across Chester County in purple as a memorial for those lost to domestic violence and a beacon of hope for those still living with abuse.
Since 1976, DVCCC has helped more than 25,000 survivors reclaim their lives.
They call them survivors, not victims. That choice is intentional. It reflects an empowerment-based approach that affirms each person's strength, competence, and right to control their own life. It is a philosophy built into everything they do, from the first phone call to the last step toward independence.
Why This Matters to Us
Construction is a people business. Every project we take on, every crew that goes out in the morning, every relationship we maintain with our clients — it all comes back to people. That is the foundation of everything at Lyons & Hohl.
DVCCC operates from the same foundation. Behind every statistic is a person. Behind every case is a family. And behind every service is a team of professionals who have dedicated their careers to walking alongside people through some of the hardest circumstances imaginable.
We've called Chester County home for nearly 50 years. The communities DVCCC serves are the same communities our people live in, drive through, and raise their families in. Supporting their work isn't a gesture. It's a responsibility we take seriously.
We were honored to present DVCCC with an $18,000 donation in recognition of their mission and their 50th anniversary milestone. Pictured at the check presentation were Dolly Wideman-Scott, CEO of DVCCC; Angela Alcaraz, CFO of DVCCC; and Michael Hohl, President of Lyons & Hohl.
This donation is part of a broader community giving initiative through which Lyons & Hohl is supporting eight organizations across Chester, Berks, and Lancaster counties. We'll be sharing the story of each one in the weeks ahead.
To learn more about DVCCC, access services, or find out how to support their work, visit dvcccpa.org. If you or someone you know needs immediate help, their 24-hour confidential hotline is available at 888-711-6270.