History

InterAct was originally founded on February 24, 1978, as Wake County Child Abuse Prevention Services. The organization emerged from the merger of three community agencies: the Rape Crisis Center, Women’s Aid, and Child Abuse Prevention Services. On October 22, 1981, the newly combined organization became known as The Family Violence Prevention Center, Inc. Nearly four years later, on October 17, 1985, the organization adopted its current name, InterAct.

In 2009, InterAct realized its vision of creating a highly effective model of one-stop, wraparound services for victims and survivors of domestic/intimate partner violence and sexual assault in Wake County’s twelve municipalities. The agency conducted a $5 million capital campaign to purchase and renovate the former YWCA at 1012 Oberlin Road in Raleigh.

However, the project was far more than a building project.

With the opening of the Family Safety & Empowerment Center at 1012 Oberlin Road, people, families, and their children struggling with abuse receive InterAct’s crisis intervention programs and take a step toward a life free from violence. This involves providing the tools and services to educate and assist clients in becoming self-sustaining and goal-driven individuals. All of this is possible with the continued support of long-term community service partners and agencies.

GlaxoSmithKline and Mutual of America have both recognized InterAct with national awards as a best practice, and we have been called upon by state-wide, regional, national, and even international organizations to share the success of our model.