Wing Haven was officially incorporated in 2002 by Sarah McOwen who left her job as a corporate attorney at Morrison and Forrester, LLP to follow her passion to help abused women and their children through Wing Haven. Sarah’s legal and volunteer experience, including serving as a board member and advocate for Child Advocates (C.A.S.A.), exposed her to the needs of abuse victims.

A professional and committed board of directors was also recruited in 2002. We are proud to have national representation through our board members who live in California, Colorado, and Texas. Each member possesses professional expertise that enables him or her to actively guide the organization to fulfill its vision.

In 2003, Wing Haven was granted federal income tax exemption as a 501(c)(3) organization. Since then, much time, thought, and effort has been put into planning the Wing Haven program. We have presented our program ideas, including the critical component of relocating victims away from abusers, to over 70 professionals working with domestic violence issues (including Family Court Judges). These conversations confirmed that there is a gap in the services available to women in extreme cases of abuse. This gap is the lack of relocation services to a place of safety and long-term housing and counseling for women who cannot be safe in the same community as the abuser. Wing Haven's unique program fills this gap.

In addition to program and board development over the course of the past four years, significant renovation work on the houses has been undertaken in order to create a haven of rest for the women and children that Wing Haven will serve. This work has been done by the founding family and volunteers as well as by some hired labor. Additionally, significant renovation work on a block of homes has been completed over the course of many years. These homes are now havens of rest for the women and children that Wing Haven serves.