Safe Alliance Rallies Austin Community to End Abuse
By Mahlah K. Freeman
Reporting Texas
A donation sign outside of the SAFE office Thursday Nov. 15 in Austin.
At a packed luncheon filled with advocates, survivors and supporters, the Safe Alliance rallied the community of Austin in the fight to end all forms of abuse. Heartfelt stories and inspiring speeches filled the room as guests united over a shared meal to support the mission of ending violence and empowering those affected..
“Safe works because we all care to care,” Dewi Smith, a Safe Alliance volunteer, said. “And to expand that care, we need you.”
The Safe Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to ending abuse in all forms. Its mission is to create a safe and just community by providing support, resources, and advocacy to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and child abuse.
“It is really important to have (events) like this so people can come and witness what our clientele experiences so that they can connect it to the cause,” said Dani Fletcher, senior director of marketing and communication at Safe.
The organization offers a range of services, including a prevention education program, shelter, counseling, legal aid and a 24/7 confidential hotline. Its guiding principles emphasize respectful relationships, inclusivity, survivor focus, accountability and collaboration to achieve its vision.
The celebration is an annual event, and it kicked off with a tour of the east Austin campus where attendees stopped at the four stations to explain the different topics Safe provides services for. After the tours, guests were invited into the auditorium to eat lunch and given pledge cards for donations ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.
“With your help, Safe can provide comfort and a pathway to healing,” Smith said. “Where survivors can feel safe and start rebuilding their life.”
Fletcher said the event’s importance lies in its ability to attract donors and community partners who help visualize the vital work Safe is doing beyond the statistics posted on its website.
“Being here, being able to be where it’s being done just adds value to the experience and helps people understand the after-effects of violence and abuse and how they have to put their lives back together,” Fletcher said.
Many staff members at Safe are survivors themselves and view their roles not as jobs but as a duty to the community. Diana Hernandez, Safe cares advocate manager, is a survivor of domestic violence, trafficking and child abuse, and was the keynote speaker. She shared her journey as a survivor and how she came to work at Safe and received a standing ovation.
“For me getting out of bed (to come to work) is not a job, it’s my passion. I feel that this is the way that I can give back,” Hernandez said. “Helping people and meeting them where they’re at and being an advocate is very important. We are there from day one when they want us in their life all the way until they need us no longer.”
If you would like to be involved in the change Safe is making you can visit their website at https://www.safeaustin.org