Recognizing a growing need, a small group came together in 1976 to establish “May Day Anonymous.” This dedicated group answered hotline calls from women who were victims of domestic violence in the area. In 1978, the group was granted nonprofit status and evolved into Turning Point of Lehigh Valley. Since its incorporation, Turning Point of Lehigh Valley (TPLV) has helped more than 100,000 victims of domestic abuse.

History highlights:

• The agency’s first emergency shelter opened in Bethlehem in 1980 with a capacity to house three families, and a new, larger shelter opened in Allentown the following year.

• In 1986, the Junior League of the Lehigh Valley began a project to establish a Northampton County shelter for Turning Point. That facility opened in 1989 with the capacity to house seven families.

• The current administration and community education building at 444 E. Susquehanna St. in Allentown opened in 2003. The same year, the agency began offering counseling services in the Wind Gap area to reach victims in a rural area of Northampton County.

• In 2018, Turning Point of Lehigh Valley celebrates 40 years of service within Lehigh and Northampton Counties. In addition to their offices in the Allentown/Bethlehem area and the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, they have opened satellite counseling offices at Third Street Alliance for Women & Children, Slatington Borough Hall, and VAST. Furthermore, Turning Point of Lehigh Valley has offices within the Lehigh and Northampton County Courthouses which gives survivors and court advocates a safe space for counseling before and after PFA hearings.

• In November 2019, Turning Point made a slight change in words to their mission statement and replaced domestic violence to domestic and intimate partner abuse.  It now reads - Our Mission is to eliminate domestic and intimate partner abuse in the Lehigh Valley through empowerment, education, and engagement."