Local Leaders Strong Advocates for the Gateway Center
The Gateway Center for Domestic Violence Services is a groundbreaking collaboration 
that will enhance our community’s response to domestic violence, but this initiative would not be what it is without the ongoing support of City Commissioner Dan Saltzman and County Chair Jeff Cogen, who have been strong advocates for the Gateway Center since the very beginning.
From taking the lead on the 2008 feasibility study that gauged a very high community need for such a center, to guiding a task force of local domestic violence service experts to make the Center a reality, Commissioner Saltzman and Chair Cogen have never wavered in their support for increasing access to domestic violence intervention services.
The City of Portland and Multnomah County, along with numerous public and private partners, including the Portland Children’s Levy, have joined forces to support the Gateway Center, with the Portland City Council approving funding for start-up and operating costs, and Multnomah County providing facilities at 102nd and East Burnside.
As a “one-stop” resource, the Gateway Center will connect survivors with a broad array of services, from help with restraining orders and legal assistance, to support groups and counseling, housing assistance and emergency financial help. The Center’s central location means fewer trips for survivors to arrange, and less time and money needed to access services.
Staffed by individuals from Volunteers of America Oregon’s Home Free, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, the Portland Police Bureau, Legal Aid, and the Oregon Department of Human Services – Self Sufficiency, the Gateway Center will help survivors of domestic violence navigate complex systems and begin rebuilding lives free from abuse.
“Dan Saltzman has been and continues to be a truly passionate advocate for domestic violence survivors and their children,” said Kris Billhardt, Program Director of Volunteers of America Oregon’s Home Free, which will provide advocacy and support for families at the Center. “I have little doubt that rather than rest in this accomplishment, Dan will be looking for more opportunities to bring about the kind of change that will make our community safer for survivors of family violence.”