A Washington Borough non-profit called Hope For Tomorrow has made great strides in just its first year of operation.

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The organization was launched in February by co-founders, President Andrea Lovas and Vice-President Erin Hartung-Ruane.

"The mission is to cultivate healthy bonds between children and their families, to provide quality-driven compassionate care in a safe, supportive environment," said Lovas.

Hope for Tomorrow is comprised of veteran child abuse and family violence prevention professionals that provide an array of services ranging from supervised visits to therapy to custody exchanges for families going through divorce, domestic violence, or other home-breaking issues.

"I saw that there was a great need for more services for children," Lovas said.

The non-profit, which is funded mostly through donations, has been successful in its short time because it offers service on nights and weekends, help with transportation and affordable care based on a sliding scale. Providing assistance with custody exchanges has been a major plus for the group, since they can be so contentious.

"Custody exchanges are some of the most violent times for a divorcing family, or families experiencing domestic violence."

Lovas added that taking the stress of the exchange off the minds of children "really helps the kids to be able to relax, and not worry about, 'Oh, are Mom and Daddy going to get into an argument.'"

The center also offers safety for parents and children with a 24/7 security system and a link into a local law enforcement.

The group recently was granted 501c3 status with 100% of donations towards Hope For Tomorrow going to programs and services. If you would like to learn more about the services they offer, ways you can contribute, or general information, visit their website and Facebook page.

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