About Us

In 1978, Nancy Neale, then a staff member at New River Mental Health (“NRMH”), was charged with developing a community organization through which NRMH could meet its mandate to provide domestic violence and rape prevention services in its region. The first meeting was held at Watauga County Public Library on April 4, 1978, and 25 people attended. These 25 people attended because they wanted to create an organization to fill that gap. The charter members included Dr. Joan Walls (now Woodworth), Shirlee Gaines Edwards, Beryl Hanft, Gail Hawkinson, Nina Baker, Joanne Corum, Susie Greene, Donna Helseth, Connie Higby, Linda McGee, and Virgina McLeod.

Initially, OASIS housed women experiencing abuse at the Boone Trail Motel (at reduced rate) or at the domestic violence shelters in Lenoir or Wilkes County. When funding was available, OASIS also rented an apartment for women in need. In late 1981, OASIS established its first local shelter at the Unitarian Fellowship House. Then, on August 8, 1988, OASIS purchased a house that could hold up to thirteen women and their children. In 1996, OASIS received a grant to renovate the shelter. This funding allowed OASIS to replace the roof and furnace, put on vinyl siding, build a handicapped accessible entranceway and bathroom, and construct a wheelchair ramp.

OASIS established its 24-hour crisis line in February, 1982 to provide confidential support and assistance for those affected by domestic violence or sexual assault. In the summer of 1994, a grant enabled OASIS to make the crisis line toll-free for callers outside the Boone area.

OASIS relied solely on volunteer help until 1982, when Libby Detter was hired as a counselor and shelter manager.  Later, there were two professional staff members.  One coordinated domestic violence services; the other, sexual assault services. In 1986, the Board of Directors reorganized the staff by dividing duties between an Executive Director (responsible for overseeing outreach to the community and other agencies; fund raising and grant writing; administration; and personnel supervision) and a Director of Client Services (responsible for counseling and other forms of advocacy and support for victims; coordination of volunteers; and supervision of the shelter).  A Community Educator position, based on grant funding, enabled OASIS to strengthen its prevention efforts through educational programs and informative talks to public school groups, college classes and groups, church and civic groups, and agency professionals. In October 1992, this position was expanded to full-time. Shelter clients recognize someone is available to support them 24 hours a day due to shelter staff presence on site. A two-year grant enabled OASIS to hire, in August 1997, a Volunteer/Program Coordinator.  By developing a strong base of volunteers, the Volunteer/Program Coordinator expanded services in Ashe, Alleghany, and Avery Counties. By 1999, Avery County had opened a new shelter and Alleghany and Ashe Counties employed part-time staff and coordinated volunteers to provide services.

In the spring of 2000, the OASIS Board of Directors decided to restructure the staff to utilize grant funding more effectively, creating six full-time and one part-time staff positions. The Executive Director position remained basically the same, with duties including grant writing, Board liaison, and overall management of the agency. The Community Educator position evolved into the Assistant Director position that would continue to provide community education in Watauga County, while also managing local fund raising and day-to-day supervision of the staff.  The Director of Client Services, who previously provided support services for clients, court advocacy, and volunteer coordination changed into the OASIS Client Case Manager. The Case Manager provided case management, court and medical advocacy, support groups, and Transitional Housing program coordination. The Volunteer Coordinator recruited, trained, coordinated, and recognized volunteers; managed donations; and provided a constant presence in the office for walk-in clients and volunteers. OASIS also hired a Children’s Program Coordinator who provided emergency babysitting and crisis intervention for children of clients; offered a children’s support group; and provided prevention programs for K-12th grade in Watauga County.

For 15 years, the First Baptist Church in Boone donated office space to OASIS. The location provided a wonderful home for the daytime services and volunteer activities, as well as a location for individuals to drop off donations. As OASIS developed new services and staff, the donated space could no longer house the program. In March 2002, a new office and support services site was purchased at 427 Meadowview Drive, where we were housed from July 5, 2002 until the summer of 2008.

In 2003, OASIS restructured the shelter staff. The Client Services Coordinator position was created to give extra support in the shelter. The position was responsible for weekend client support, case management, support groups, and general up-keep of the shelter. This position’s hours were from 8:00 a.m. Saturday to 5:00p.m. Monday.  This position was created to provide case management over the weekend. We had found that the weekend was a difficult time for our clients, and this position helped make this time easier and more productive. The Shelter Manager position remained largely unchanged, with the position schedule being evenings Monday through Friday.

In 2003, OASIS collaborated with Appalachian State University to create the Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator position.  The holder of the position worked half-time at OASIS and half-time on the campus of Appalachian as the Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator.

In July 2008, OASIS moved into a new Family Resource Center with two other local non-profits - The Children’s Council and WAMY Community Action. This new partnership has allowed us to collaborate in a variety of ways to offer more extensive services to clients.

In April 2013, OASIS started providing services in Avery County from our office located at Cannon Memorial Hospital. In January 2019 the Avery office moved to a rented space in downtown Newland near the Courthouse and Sheriff’s Department.
In May of 2023, the OASIS Board and staff met for a follow-up Strategic Planning meeting to finalize edits to the new Mission & Vision Statement, and the Agency Values & Guiding Principles.

Over the past several years, OASIS staff has been restructured numerous times due to agency needs and grant funding. Currently, our staff includes 17 full-time staff members. We are structured to provide services in three major areas: administrative/outreach, housing/shelter, and advocacy services.