Setting up your local board

Find others

You need to find at least two other people to be a part of your local chapter board. They should not be related by blood or marriage.

Why is this necessary? First of all, you have to have a local decision-making group, or board, to make decisions for your locality. Details of this are in the by-laws, but basically, you must find people to fill three officer roles: President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer.

How do I find other people?

There are several ways. First of all, you can ask the people you know. Make sure everyone you know is aware that you're trying to set up a chapter in your area, and that you're looking for people to work with.

Consider volunteering in local domestic violence shelter activities, so you can meet potential allies, and find people who want to offer services more equitably. This part is easy: call them up, and say you'd like to volunteer. They should have a volunteer program that will train you. This is a good way to meet others and also learn a lot about the services out there.