Our History

The New England Learning Center for Women in Transition (NELCWIT) was created in response to the needs of local women and children experiencing domestic violence and abuse. In 1975, four women meeting around a kitchen table in New Salem outlined a plan to combine crisis intervention and safe shelter with ongoing advocacy and support for women navigating complex legal, vocational, and financial problems.

NELCWIT’s first outreach office opened in 1976, operated by a staff of up to 22 volunteers offering crisis counseling and temporary shelters through a careful network of approximately a dozen private homes. In 1977, NELCWIT was incorporated as a non-profit multi-service center addressing the needs of women in major life transitions, and in 1979, NELCWIT opened its first shelter for women and their children who had experienced abuse and needed to escape their immediate situation. In 1984, rape crisis services were expanded, increasing our public education efforts to prevent sexual violence and our capacity to assist survivors of sexual assault and incest.

Over the past four decades, NELCWIT’s services have expanded and evolved. We now serve people of all genders, and have bilingual (English/Spanish) services. NELCWIT opened the Franklin County Children’s Visitation Program (FCCVP) in 2011, offering a safe and neutral setting for supervised family visitation.

Through NELCWIT’s main offices in Greenfield MA, and a satellite office in Orange, MA, NELCWIT continues to provide crisis services, advocacy, support, and referrals to people who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, or incest. NELCWIT also has a 24-hour crisis line, court advocates in both the Greenfield and Orange courts, and the Domestic Violence Intervention Project (DVIP). In addition to these crisis-based services, NELCWIT staff and volunteers also engage in public education and advocacy around domestic and sexual violence and explore how intimate partner violence intersects with larger, systemic issues of oppression and racism.

In 2025, NELCWIT changed our name to the Resilience Center of Franklin County (RCFC) in commitment to our mission of supporting survivors of all genders.

Power to Persevere Video (2025)

JaDuke Video (2024)

A group of ten women sitting and standing on a park bench with trees and buildings in the background.
Newspaper article from The Recorder, August 2, 2007, titled 'Domestic violence's reach.' It discusses statistics and issues related to domestic violence, including victims and offenders, and mentions organizations like NELCWIT.
A crowd of people gathered outdoors on a grassy area, some holding balloons, with trees and a building in the background, possibly at a community event or celebration.
Newspaper article titled "District attorney: Domestic abuse takes toll on workplace," published on October 27, 2001. The article discusses domestic violence, its impact on workplaces, victim statistics, and efforts by the Northwest District Attorney'
Group of people on a decorated parade float with colorful balloons in red, orange, yellow, green, and blue, and a sign during a daytime parade.
Four women and a boy gathered around a table, discussing or working on a project in a well-lit room with large windows, papers, and a picture on the wall.
A group of twelve people, mostly women and children, posing indoors in a living room with white walls, a chandelier, and large windows.
Screenshot of a news article titled 'NELCWIT: MORE HELP FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC, SEXUAL ABUSE', written by Anita Fritz, published on June 26, 2019, discussing support services for victims.
Five women dancing and practicing yoga outdoors in a grassy backyard with trees, a gazebo, and a large tree in the background.
Outdoor community event with a table covered in a blue flag, banners, and posters advocating for social justice, with several people standing behind a fence and clotheslines with colorful signs and T-shirts, trees with fall foliage, and a city street
A newspaper article titled 'Anti-violence campaign under way' from April 30, 1998, discussing educational activities and a march related to domestic violence awareness in Greenfield.
A group of eleven women and children sitting and standing on grass outdoors with trees, parked cars, and portable toilets in the background.
Newspaper article titled 'Walk just one of many steps', published on October 23, 2003, in The Recorder, Greenfield, Massachusetts. The article discusses efforts by men to end domestic violence, including a walk organized by the Men's Resource Center
Black and white newspaper clipping with a headline, 'Women rally against violence', showing women and men gathered at a rally. The photo shows women, including Robert Nash on the left, protesting violence against women in Greenfield, dated May 1, 199
People performing on a small outdoor stage in front of a church with a boy in a red jacket, a girl in a sweater, and a person seated with a guitar. There are microphones and speakers set up, and a person in the audience taking photos.
People hanging colorful flags on a line strung between trees in a suburban neighborhood with houses and a street in the background.
Newspaper article titled 'Group finds women's center in Greenfield,' dated 10/14/76, discussing the establishment of a women's outreach center by the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition in Franklin County, Massachusetts, including det
A group of people, including children and adults, gathered outdoors in front of a brick building during daytime, watching an event or performance.
Black and white newspaper article with two photos about the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition moving to a new location. The first photo shows a smiling woman sitting in front of a large house with a small sign in the yard. The secon
A long line of colorful clothes hanging on a fence outdoors, with a gravel path, picnic table, and trees in the background.
Group of women gathered outside a building, smiling for a photo.
A newspaper article titled "Abused women receiving help, but battering increases" by Nicole Cusano, dated May 4, 1995, discussing domestic violence, women's shelters, and awareness efforts.
Three handmade protest t-shirts hanging on a clothesline. The first features a drawing and text about Amy Aparita and woman rock music, with years 1965-1993. The second has a rainbow painted on it. The third shirt displays the word 'VIOLENCE' with st
Black and white newspaper article from January 28, 2001, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the New England Learning Center for Women in Transition. The article features a photograph of five women, with one woman in the center holding apples and sur
Group of people gathered outdoors in a park for a musical or community event, with some playing instruments and others standing nearby, surrounded by balloons and trees.
Black and white flyer for a community event titled 'Take Back the Night Celebrate Our Lives', featuring stars and silhouettes of children and adults dancing and playing, scheduled for May 6, 1993, at Greenfield Town Common, with performances and musi
Handmade shirts hanging on a clothesline with messages and drawings, protesting against violence, violence, and promoting kindness, under blue sky and fall trees.
Two women speaking to a crowd holding purple balloons outdoors during daytime, with onlookers, trees, and brick buildings in the background.
Newspaper article titled 'NELCWIT works to save shelter' from August 12, 2006, discussing efforts to maintain a 10-year-old shelter for victims of domestic abuse, including quotes from a shelter resident, Zoraida Agudelo.
Flyer for NELCWIT, a counseling service for women and their families, offering support for women who have experienced battering or rape, including a crisis line number 772-0806, location at 219 Silver Street in Greenfield, Massachusetts, and operatio
A woman standing at a microphone on a grassy area during a public gathering or protest, holding a piece of paper, with a group of people and buildings in the background.
A newsletter page from NELCWIT, fall 1994, featuring a story on battered women, rape, and incest survivors, along with a graph showing hotline calls from 1991 to 1994, and a section celebrating Janet Mann as 1994 Woman of the Year with a black and wh