The idea for Thrive After Domestic Violence has been in the making since 2013. Thrive’s Principal Founder, Doreen Hunter, first thought ot the idea as an event in Austin, Texas. The event was called “Austin’s Largest Baby Shower.” The Shower helped families who needed baby supplies, clothing, furniture, and diapers. The event was held annually until Doreen was unable to continue due to her health declining from her abuser’s war waged against her and abuse of the family court system. While in several DV therapy programs and watching her daughter struggle during visitation, Austin's Largest Baby Shower had to end, and the focus on surviving legal abuse, financial and economic abuse went to the forefront. 

Over the years, while Doreen was trying to remove herself from forced poverty, Doreen became an advocate for other mothers and children trying to escape abuse and survive its after-effects - post-separation abuse. As an advocate, Doreen would often hear about people in need financially, so while trying to make ends meet for her family, she continued to put money aside for people needing emergency transportation, groceries, and housing. It wouldn’t be beyond Doreen to take food out of her own fridge and pantry and deliver it to families who didn’t have enough. Often Doreen would give people rides to work or fill her SUV with protective mothers’ belongings when they couldn’t afford a rental truck to move. 

In 2017, when her rent was raised beyond what she could afford, Doreen was facing homelessness. Local domestic violence organizations did not offer affordable housing that did not require her to become homeless first. Assistance was found in the disability community providing Doreen and her family with affordable housing. This is when the second half of Thrive After DV was inspired. Doreen became committed to building an affordable community housing program that would assist women like her to recover from and avoid homelessness.