Feb. 26- Darlene Thomas, Executive Director, GreenHouse17

MEET OUR SPEAKER- DARLENE THOMAS

 Since December 2004, Darlene Thomas has served as the Founder and Executive Director of GreenHouse17, an advocacy organization working to end intimate partner abuse across seventeen central Kentucky counties. With more than thirty-six years of experience in the movement to end power-based violence, Darlene has led efforts in direct service, comprehensive program development, and community engagement for lasting social change.

Her leadership includes guiding statewide and national collaborations, offering expert testimony in legal cases, facilitating trainings at local, state, national, and international forums, and consulting with organizations seeking to reimagine their services through innovative, trauma-informed approaches.

Under her direction, GreenHouse17 has received multiple awards for innovation and impact, including the Commerce Lexington Nonprofit Community Impact Award, the National Purple Ribbon Award for Shelter of the Year, the Theresa Mary Byron Foundation Celebrating Solutions Award, the Kentucky Nonprofit Network Innovative Award, and the Center for Nonprofit Excellence Pyramid Award for Social Innovation. GreenHouse17 was also named a national finalist by the Partnership for Freedom/Reimagine Opportunity initiative.

Darlene currently serves as Past-President and Legislative Chair for ZeroV, Kentucky’s coalition against domestic violence.

GreenHouse17’s specially trained advocates are available to help people harmed by intimate partner abuse any time of the day, every day of the year. Its main facility is situated on a beautiful forty-acre property in rural Fayette County. From this location and two additional offices in our service area, it can provide these crisis intervention and stabilization services.

• 24-hour hotline (800-544-2022)
• emergency shelter
• safety planning 
• legal advocacy
• children’s safe exchange and visitation
• individual and group support
• medical and dental treatment
• budget and credit counseling
• supportive housing services
• transportation assistance

Formerly known as the Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program, the name “GreenHouse17 was adopted in 2013.  In explaining the change, it was noted that “new Our new name and brand image are a truer representation of the principles that guide us and our passionate commitment to the mission to end intimate partner violence.  Just as the protection of a greenhouse nurtures plants so they grow healthy and strong, GreenHouse17 nurtures human beings, helping them grow, flourish and leave the trauma of abuse behind them.”