Based in Holyoke, Alianza‘s mission is to assist, support, and empower those whose lives are affected by battering and domestic abuse. For more than 40 years, Alianza, formerly known as Womenshelter Compañeras, has worked tirelessly to empower women to live independently and free from domestic violence by providing prevention education, crisis intervention, a safe and confidential shelter, medical and legal advocacy, housing stabilization, and related support services.
Programs and services are conducted in English, Spanish, and Russian, and are free of charge. Alianza serves all of Hampden County and parts of Hampshire County. Annually, they assist between 3800-4000 individuals fleeing domestic violence. Last year, Alianza aided 190 women of color from Springfield; 25 of these survivors were between the ages of 16 -24 and were assisted with safety planning, individual counseling, emergency shelter, and court-based advocacy (such as restraining orders).
Alianza also provides all the basic needs of day-to-day living for individuals and families in shelter including food, transportation, access to medical and behavioral health services, legal assistance, etc. They maintain a fund to aid survivors who need help with moving expenses, rental deposits, or utility bill arrears. They also provide translation services for any survivor who needs language-based assistance; informational materials are available in English, Spanish, and Russian and we offer ASL service or captioning for public programs.
