Asha Family Services, Inc., (Asha) formerly known as Asha Women of Color Project was founded in 1989 and developed by it’s Chief Executive Officer, Antonia A. Drew-Vann, a formerly battered wife.

Asha (a KiSwahili  and Indian word meaning “Life” and “Hope”) has been in operation since 1989 formerly housed at the 30 plus year old Harambee Ombudsman Project, Inc.

Early in 1994, under the guidance of its Board of Directors while utilizing authentic information from survivors, other women and men, Asha spread its wings, received their own tax exemption and 501 © 3 and began to expand their non-traditional domestic violence victim services culturally specific to African American populations.

Asha began providing its initial services as follows:

• Domestic and Sexual Violence (DV/SA) Victim safety services-1989
• Children who witness violence services-1990
• Children’s DV safety groups in Schools-1993
• DV/SA Victim Case management- 1990
• DV Community Education including Churches, Senior Centers, Elementary, Middle and High Schools – 1989
• Incarcerated DV/SA victim services
• Incarcerated men-Education 1990
• Ujima Mens Program 1994, a non-traditional abuser treatment program culturally specific to African American men
• State licensed Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Clinic-1995, *DV, AODA and mental health services for pregnant women in Milwaukee County Jail-1995
• HIV and STD prevention and treatment – 1999
• Transitional Housing for women released from Prison-2005
• Long-term transitional Housing for DV and Sexual Assault victims and their children who are homeless-2007

Asha Family Services, Inc., is a private, non-profit, minority/people of color-governed organization committed to collaborations in the provision of effective family violence intervention and prevention for all families and persons affected by violence and other social ills in the home.  Asha employs holistic, spiritual and culturally specific treatment methods with the background, training and skills to provide treatment specific to many African American families.  Asha remains further committed to serving as a support vehicle for individuals and families who have experienced the misfortune of being involved in the criminal justice system.

Listening to and documenting the authentic experiences of many African American female survivors the agency founder (Antonia Drew Vann) utilized this information to inform and developed Asha’s programming.  Along with these voices, her own personal experience, formal education and training under the guidance of an academic Board of Directors and host of renowned national academic advisors and mentors, Asha’s victim services was born.

Asha is an ever-evolving entity driven by the expressed needs of the clients and community it was created to serve.

Annually Asha works closely with over 1000 individuals whose lives have been touched by violence against women and children, the effects of substance abuse and addiction and incarceration.

Asha Family Services, Inc., is supported by:

The State of Wisconsin-DHFS - BCF, The City of Milwaukee-CDBG, Milwaukee County, U.S. Dept of Justice/OVW; U.S. DHHS Office on Women’s Health, and Private contracts and donations.

We are……BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS.