Healthy relationships: Strengthen the safety net for victims/survivors during Centre Gives

If you have been anywhere near social media or opened any local publication lately you likely have seen advertisements and sneak peeks about 2024 Centre Gives. Aren’t we lucky to live in a region where people try to look out for one another and support so many amazing organizations?

For those who are unaware, Centre Gives is an annual online giving event designed to encourage community giving and to support the magnificent work of Centre County nonprofits during 36 hours – starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, May 8 and ending at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 9.

During Centre Gives, donors may visit CentreGives.org to make secure donations to their favorite local nonprofit organizations — like Centre Safe! The minimum donation is $10, and every dollar donated to participating nonprofits goes further thanks to the Centre Gives stretch pools provided by Centre Foundation and the Hamer Foundation. Your gift could also help qualify Centre Safe and others you support to win additional cash prizes!

This exciting community giving event is hosted by Centre Foundation and supported by its community impact funds and partnerships with local businesses. In 2012, Centre Foundation established Centre Gives to support and raise awareness of Centre County’s many nonprofit organizations and the incredible work they are doing in our community. Since its inception, more than $17 million has been invested into our community through Centre Gives, benefiting more than 200 local organizations.

Support Centre Safe during Centre Gives

Centre Safe, formerly the Centre County Women’s Resource Center, has spent the past nearly 50 years providing professional, free and confidential services for victims/survivors of sexual violence, domestic/dating violence, and stalking across Centre County. Our clients range in age from newborns to older adults and represent various identities and populations. Services include emergency shelter/housing, counseling, advocacy, 24/7 hotline, hospital and court accompaniment, outreach, education, legal support, and safe custody exchanges/supervised visitations through our Child Access Center.

In FY 2022-2023, Centre Safe supported nearly 270 victims of sexual assault, more than 900 survivors of domestic/dating violence, and approximately 200 individuals and families seeking emergency shelter and/or housing. When you donate to Centre Safe through Centre Gives, you are having a direct positive impact on the lives of so many people in our region just needing to feel like they are not alone and there are people who care.

Do not take my word for it. Read the words of our clients.

“I naively thought I would never be one of those people needing support from Centre Safe,” one client wrote. “But then suddenly I did, and I was so incredibly thankful for the love and support staff showed me. I am where I am today in large part due to the skills I learned at Centre Safe.”

Another client wrote: “Centre Safe saved my life. I was struggling for so long not dealing with traumatic situations that happened to me when I was much younger. I did not have the tools then. We were never taught how to talk about sexual assault, consent, our boundaries. So, when those boundaries were crossed, I did not know what to do. Fast forward years later and I was just not managing life well. But a friend suggested I call Centre Safe’s hotline, and the voice on the other end was so soothing and helped me start to think about things differently. It was not quick or an overnight fix. After that night I was able to connect with a counselor and use Centre Safe services. I now feel like I am finally on the path to healing.”

If you are interested in taking that step toward healing, you are welcome to call our 24/7 hotline toll-free at 1-877-234-5050 or visit www.centresafe.org . If you are interested in donating to Centre Safe post Centre Gives, you are always able to donate online at www.centresafe.org and click on get involved, make a donation. People can also mail donations to Centre Safe, 140 W. Nittany Ave., State College, PA 16801.