Responding to Increased Need in the Community

This year has been unprecedented for all of us. For survivors of domestic and sexual violence, the pandemic led to many victims having to shelter in place with an unsafe person. 

Our agency adapted quickly when Tompkins County first shut down in March. This required implementing new technology and developing infrastructure in order to operate virtually while keeping our confidential shelter open at a reduced capacity. In addition to the unanticipated technology upgrade costs, we had to cancel our largest in person fundraisers and were faced with a large gap in our budget. 

As restrictions began to ease over the summer, we expected and responded to a surge in the need for our services. 

Between July-October, our 24/7 hotline received an increase of 65% in call volume compared to 2019. Our monthly client caseload increased by 34% compared to last year. We’ve continued to provide these unique and necessary services during the pandemic and will continue to support every victim who contacts us. We need your help now more than ever to continue meeting this demand. We promise you that your gift will make a difference for families in our community.