The DeKalb Rape Crisis Center, which supports victims during the legal process, is facing an $80,000 shortfall that could lead to cuts in services.

The center is trying to raise money before the end of the year to make up for a shortfall created by drops in government funding and charitable giving, said Allyson Gevertz, chairwoman of the center’s board.

Volunteers at the DeKalb Rape Crisis Center accompany victims to the hospital when evidence is collected. They also accompany victims during conversations with police and when they appear in court.

Those volunteer-provided services wouldn’t vanish if the DeKalb Rape Crisis Center doesn’t fill its funding gap, Gevertz said. But those services could be indirectly affected because coordination, training and recruitment of volunteers is handled by a shrinking number of staff members who are having to do more with less.

“We will be a resource for people and sexual assault survivors regardless of what happens to our funding, but what will happen is that when survivors call us, we won’t be able to offer individual or group therapy,” Gevertz said.

The center’s four counselors on staff have stopped seeing new clients until more funding is secured, she said. A volunteer services coordinator position has already been eliminated.

The center provided counseling to 609 clients last year and provided information or referrals to 1,598 people who sought help, according to statistics provided by Gevertz.

Contributions to the center are down from $21,833 last year to $8,261 so far this year, and events have raised $4,950 this year compared to $43,701 last year. Foundation funding has decreased from $19,000 to $5,400, Gevertz said.

A large part of the center’s budget comes from government sources–$106,000 from a federal Victims of Crime Act and $37,000 from DeKalb County.

The DeKalb Rape Crisis Center has planned a wine tasting and silent auction event Thursday to raise money. The center also has launched a campaign called Women Who Lead, which is seeking the financial support of community leaders.

For more information, contact the center at (404) 377-1429 or www.dekalbrapecrisiscenter.org.

Contributor: Mark Niesse in Misc | subscribe to rss |   share