Serenity Services

The formation of Serenity Services is a project that began as an idea in 2004 and was started as a direct response for the need of additional domestic violence services in the metropolitan Detroit area.

There is a profound lack of domestic violence services and resources in the city of Detroit. The gap between available beds and services and the thousands of survivors seeking services is dramatic. Survivors in the city face limited access to support services and shelter. Survivors reaching out for help often face waiting lists or other barriers to safety, contributing to a dangerous situation for them and their children. Available shelter beds specifically designated for the special needs and safety concerns of domestic violence victims and their children currently number fewer than 100, while the number of victims turned away in Detroit reaches into the thousands.

In 2005, in response to this urgent need, a number of concerned community leaders combined their efforts and expertise to create a strategy for the development of a service provider that will provide a full, comprehensive safety net of emergency services for survivors. Charged with bringing this vision to reality, the incorporators of Serenity Services partnered with the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MCADSV) to forge a strategic plan for the development of this desperately needed community resource, as well as plan for the long-term sustainability of this vision. MCADSV served as the fiscal sponsor for Serenity Services until Serenity Services established its own tax-exempt status.

Serenity Services officially began operating in October 2005, became incorporated with the State of Michigan in January 2006, and received its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status effective March 8, 2006.