LAWS Surpasses $9.4 Million with Support from Loudoun County, Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, and Community Donors - IndyStar

LAWS launches public phase of $11.6M campaign to build a new survivor-centered Shelter & Community Services Center in Loudoun County, Va.

LEESBURG, VA, UNITED STATES, April 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — LAWS Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services (LAWS) has secured over $9.4 million toward its $11.6 million capital campaign to build a new Shelter & Community Services Center — marking a historic step forward for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Loudoun County.

This campaign milestone includes $4 million in support from Loudoun County, $1.6 million from the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, and $3.8 million in charitable giving from other generous community members. Together, these investments reflect an unprecedented collaboration between local government, institutional philanthropy, and community donors to strengthen Loudoun’s safety net for families in crisis.

By aligning public and private leadership, Loudoun County and the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation are helping advance a shared vision to ensure survivors have access not only to immediate protection, but to long-term stability, healing, and opportunity.

“It is my hope that someday our community will not need resources like this, but as long as we do, we are committed to assuring domestic violence victims and survivors of Loudoun have a place to go when they need assistance,” said Board of Supervisors Chair At-Large Phyllis J. Randall. “The county is grateful for the continued partnerships with organizations like LAWS that together help individuals and families, which is why I was pleased to support this grant.”

A Need That Has Outgrown the Space

Since 1984, LAWS has continuously operated Loudoun County’s only emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence. Over the last four decades, LAWS has expanded to include services for sexual assault and child abuse survivors, while remaining the county’s designated provider for domestic violence and sexual assault services since 1996.

However, while the need has grown, the shelter has not. LAWS’ current emergency shelter is a communal single-family home with only three bedrooms and 12 beds. During times of increased danger — including the pandemic — LAWS has been forced to rely on costly and unsustainable alternative safe housing (such as motels) so that survivors in immediate danger are not left navigating crisis alone.

“LAWS has been a lifeline for Loudoun County residents for 40 years,” said Samantha Clarke, MSW, MPA, Chief Executive Officer of LAWS. “Survivors are coming to us with greater danger and more complex needs than ever before. This extraordinary support brings us closer to creating a shelter that is not only safe, but designed to help survivors rebuild their lives with dignity, hope, and empowerment.”

Since 2019, LAWS has seen significant increases in high-risk factors, including increased shelter need, weapons being used or threatened, homelessness due to domestic violence, and suicidal ideation.

A New Shelter Designed for Safety, Healing, and Stability

The new Shelter & Community Services Center will replace LAWS’ current shelter with a purpose-built, apartment-style facility designed to meet the realities survivors face today.

“LAWS has been a trusted lifeline in Loudoun County for decades. We are honored to invest in a project that will create lasting change — not only by expanding shelter capacity, but by supporting survivors as they rebuild stable, independent lives,” stated Executive Director John H. Cook IV.

The new building will include 20–25 private units (up to an estimated 50 beds) with kitchenettes and living space, allowing survivors and their children to regain privacy, dignity, stability, and a sense of control. The space is intentionally designed to provide a flexible, survivor-centered shelter program focused on safety and healing, and a housing program that supports survivor-led goals, stability, and long-term self-sufficiency.

The project reflects a shared vision among Loudoun County leaders and philanthropic partners – that safety must be paired with opportunity and healing – and is grounded in three core outcomes:
– Safety: Enhanced physical security and emotional safety through improved building design, safety technology, and proximity to emergency responders
– Hope: Supported stays long enough for survivors to set and achieve longer-term goals
– Empowerment: Access to transportation, employment, healthy food, medical care, and partner services, along with private living spaces that restore dignity

Campaign Continues Toward $11.6 Million Goal

LAWS’ $11.6 million campaign is a public-private partnership to build a facility that will serve survivors for generations. The organization continues to seek additional philanthropic partners to complete the campaign and bring the new Shelter & Community Services Center fully to life.

Last fiscal year, LAWS served over a thousand Loudoun County residents through shelter, hotline response, advocacy, legal services, hospital accompaniment, and trauma-informed therapy services.

“Every dollar invested in this project helps ensure that survivors and their children can find safety when none existed — and build a future free from violence,” Clarke added.

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About LAWS
Founded in 1984, LAWS is Loudoun County’s designated provider for domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking services. All LAWS services are free, confidential, and voluntary.

Brian Tinsman
POUNCE Solutions
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Empowering Survivors with LAWS CEO Sam Clarke

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