The CEO of Harbor House of Central Florida, a domestic violence shelter, says they’re in a state of limbo as they are waiting to receive a $500,000 grant that can change survivors’ lives.

In search of safety, many survivors of domestic abuse leave in the summer, and most are not alone when they do it.

Nearly 400 people and their pets came together at Harbor Park for the 14th annual Paws for Peace Walk & Run, an event benefiting Harbor House of Central Florida.

Slipping into their finest stilettos, dozens of men and women strutted down Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando Thursday night to send a message: they will walk side by side with survivors of domestic violence.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes will celebrate its 12th annual walk this Thursday in downtown Orlando. The event raises funds to support Harbor House and its life-saving, life-changing services for domestic violence survivors. How? Men trade their shoes for women’s shoes and literally walk in them.

Advocates and community leaders gathered Monday to take the first step in creating a Family Justice Center in Orange County, a facility designed to provide critical resources for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of abuse under one roof.

A 57-year-old man arrested by St. Cloud police is accused of killing his fiancé after a late-night argument.

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s Domestic Violence Unit is looking for 46-year-old Adam Knisley, accused of cutting off his court-ordered GPS monitoring device before going on trial in a stalking case.

Harbor House of Central Florida is starting the planning process for a family justice center in Orange County.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Harbor House Of Central Florida has several events planned.

On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in an 8-1 decision to keep in place a law allowing law enforcement to take away guns from anyone subject to a domestic violence restraining order.

If you need help getting out of an abusive situation, you can find shelters and groups in almost every Central Florida county.

Hi friends! It’s Brenda, back for all the Central Florida Happenings.

News 6 teamed up with Harbor House of Central Florida to get results for domestic violence survivors and their pets.

This morning, Harbor House CEO Michelle Sperzel joined Bridgett to talk about the 13th Annual Paws for Peace Walk. This is the signature event to support survivors of domestic violence with family pets.

Law enforcement and volunteers paired up for Harbor House's "It Takes Courage" event on Saturday.

Make Ends Meet and News 6 viewers donated $1,600 in gift cards for Harbor House survivors, just in time for the 2023 holiday season.

Harbor House of Central Florida held its 6th annual Handbags for Hope fundraiser on Sunday.

Leaders with Harbor House of Central Florida joined forced with Orange County and City of Orlando officials to get results for domestic violence victims.

It was sunny skies and good vibes Saturday morning for the 12th annual Paws for Peace walk at Blue Jacket Park in Orlando.

News 6 teams up with Harbor House to get results.

More than 300 volunteers and members of law enforcement set out across Orange County Saturday to raise awareness about domestic abuse.

Hundreds of people and their dogs came out Saturday for the 11th annual Paws for Peace walk to benefit Harbor House of Central Florida's emergency kennel.

Harbor House of Central Florida is one of only a handful of domestic violence organizations in the state to have a kennel on the campus of its shelter.

Since 2012, Harbor House has helped hundreds of pets escape dangerous domestic violence situations with their owners through a special kennel on the Harbor House campus.

Harbor House hosted a fundraiser on Wednesday in Orange County to get results for survivors of domestic violence.

The video circulating online of former NFL running back Zac Stacy shows what state investigators describe as a horrific domestic assault, Harbor House is speaking out on the topic.

Harbor House of Central Florida hosted its fourth annual “Handbags for Hope” event Thursday night to raise money for children housed at domestic violence shelters.

Advocates for domestic violence survivors are speaking out after several recent cases of violence in the Orlando-area.

In an effort to help survivors of domestic abuse and their pets, Harbor House is hosting its 10th annual Paws for Peace Walk.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Victims of domestic violence at Harbor House will be able to shop a little easier this year for the holidays thanks to Amazon 4-star. The brick-and-mortar store located at Mall at Millenia donated dozens of top selling toys and items for women to help create a “Santa Shop” for families. “We heard Harbor House was in need of donations and we just knew we had to help and jump in,” Krista Selby, Store Manager at Amazon 4-star said. Selby said it took about 20 “Amazon elves” to pick out some of the most popular toys this holiday season for Harbor House. She said shopping this way will make things a bit easier for moms and kids at Harbor House.

Harbor House of Central Florida, a nonprofit that helps domestic violence victims, is getting the support from some big names. It was a big day for Harbor House of Central Florida whose mission is to provide shelter and support to women who are victims of domestic abuse. My father always taught me you have to protect and provide for your women,” O’Neal said. The women and staff at Harbor House will also receive special training from Close the Gap foundation. Start bringing people closer together and start taking care of the people that need our help the most,” he said.

ORLANDO, Fla. – News 6 sat down with Chrissy, a survivor of domestic violence, who was willing to share her story if we hid her identity for safety. It just got worse and worse over the years,” Chrissy said. It sounds easier than it is when you’re in the situation and you’re receiving death threats. ‘I’ll kill you if you call the police, I’ll find you if you leave... I’ll kill your family,’” Chrissy said. I’ve been able to focus more on my children and getting them the help they need,” Chrissy said.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Harbor House of Central Florida offers more than just a crisis hotline and emergency shelter for domestic violence survivors. With its own office inside the Orange County Courthouse, the advocates help survivors through the injunction process. Harbor House walks survivors through a safety plan, helps apply for victim relocation funding, referrals to legal aid and assistance in filing injunctions. Nearly 1,000 injunctions were filed in the past fiscal year through Harbor House, that’s up 27%. “We know that when the economy goes down, domestic violence goes up so we’re already seeing an increase in domestic violence, but it will increase more over the next several months so that’s why we need your help now,” Sperzel said.

ORLANDO, Fla. – In an effort to eliminate domestic violence, News 6 teamed up with Harbor House to host a virtual fundraising event on Thursday. Every dollar raised will provide a new beginning and help ensure the safety of survivors at Harbor House of Central Florida. [MAKE A DONATION: Help News 6, Harbor House stop domestic violence]Harbor House is more than a shelter. While best known for its emergency services, Harbor House is also out in the community offering wraparound services and legal support. Many survivors are afraid to the shelter because of COVID-19, but there have been no known cases in the shelter, according to Harbor House.

Two of those cases alone account for five of our domestic violence victims because of family violence. Harbor House of Central Florida is a domestic violence organization providing safe shelter, legal advocacy and other services to help domestic violence survivors and their families. The crisis hotline for Harbor House is 407-886-2856During the pandemic, Harbor House has had to lower the capacity for its emergency shelter to 50% so residents can socially distance. State Attorney Aramis Ayala said it’s also a community effort in helping domestic violence survivors get out of their situation and find help. Click here to make a donation to Harbor House and help domestic violence survivors throughout Central Florida.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando’s Harbor House provides a safe haven for victims of domestic violence and their pets. You can do your part this weekend to help Harbor House and yourself by getting some fresh air and easy exercise. It's been postponed, so Harbor House got creative. It’s $10 and helps keep Harbor House’s on-site pet shelter going. The non-profit says it hopes to reschedule the original “Paws For Peace” walk for June or July.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Harbor House of Central Florida is asking for the community’s support as the nonprofit continues offering services to domestic violence victims during the coronavirus pandemic. Due to the guidelines laid out by the White House and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding limiting social gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic, Harbor House has had to postpone some of its fundraising events. Harbor House could receive money back for orders placed through Amazon Smile, according to the release. “Whatever you give, know that it makes a big difference in the lives of domestic violence survivors at Harbor House,” Harbor House officials said. If you or someone you know is being abused, you can reach a Harbor House advocate by calling 407-886-2856.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Harbor House of Central Florida is hosting a Walk A Mile in her Shoes event Thursday to raise awareness of domestic violence in the area and resources available to survivors. Harbor House is Orange County's only state-certified domestic violence organization. Almost 11,000 women, men and children were sheltered at the organization's domestic violence housing facilities last year. Every minute, 20 people are physically abused by a partner, according to Harbor House. Victims of domestic violence can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, available 24 hours a day, at 1-800-799-7233, or in Central Florida, the Harbor House 24-hour confidential crisis hotline at 407-886-2856.