In 1996, two women started The Domestic Violence Coalition (DVC) in hopes of helping those who were abused by their partners.  This was only the beginning.  Since 1996, DVC has been providing free services to the residents of Van Buren County, Michigan who have been affected by the crime of domestic violence.  In 2004, DVC added sexual assault services to our list of no-cost resources. 

The mission of the Domestic Violence Coalition is to provide compassionate assistance to victims of sexual and domestic violence and to work toward eliminating these crimes in our community.

 Deb has served as the Executive Director for nearly eleven years. Previous to taking this position, she worked at the Kalamazoo Deacons' Conference as a Direct Services Worker, helping walk-in clients with various critical needs in their lives. She also served as the manager of the Van Buren County Work First program in 1997-1998. Deb holds a Bachelor of Arts from Western Michigan University where she majored in Psychology and Social Psychology.

Melanie was born in Kalamazoo and attending high school in Otsego where she graduated in 1991. She then went on to the University of Michigan where she majored in pre-law. She transferred back home and graduated from Kalamazoo Valley Community Collect in 1996 with an Associate of Arts degree focusing on criminal psychology. She then transferred to Western Michigan University, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in history and social sciences. Recently Melanie completed her Master's of Accounting and Financial Management degree from Devry University, Chicago. For the past 8 years, Melanie worked with emotionally impaired high school and elementary children for the Allegan ISD. Melanie has a passion for helping others in empowering themselves. She hopes to use her degree to become a director of a non-profit agency in the future.
"As a victim advocate for The Domestic Violence Coalition, it is my mission to provide the best, most compassionate service to individuals that is possible.  This does not mean that I sugar coat the facts, but simply that when a victim walks through the door, they feel believed, validated, and understood; often for the first time in a very long time.  I know that I accomplish this mission when I hear comments from victims such as, “I never could have done any of this without you,” “You have been a true godsend,” and “I never would have had the courage to leave if you hadn’t told me how!”