Catalyst at 30

Victims of domestic abuse have found a safe haven through Catalyst Domestic Violence Services for the past 30 years.

Catalyst started in 1977 as a safe-house network. Women who needed help were matched up with families and individuals willing to offer them shelter. Eight years later, with a little help, Catalyst was able to open up an office and a shelter.

In 1996, when Anastacia L. Snyder (pictured), executive director of the agency, joined its ranks, there were 15 employees—only two of them full-time. Today there are some 28 employees, most of whom work 30-plus hours a week. In the past eight years, Catalyst has added offices in Paradise and Oroville, and it’s about to break ground on a new facility near downtown Chico, which will put the office space and shelter in the same building.

There are no data revealing how many people Catalyst has helped during its lifetime, but Snyder estimates they’ve worked with 1,300 individuals each year for the past five years.

“I’m most proud of the nights of safe shelter that we’ve been able to provide to victims of domestic violence and their children,” Snyder said.