The Bull City may very well be the most compassionate city. Durhamites have a true altruistic nature. Because of that there are many non-profits that do the good and hard work of helping those in need. The Durham Crisis Response Center has been helping victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and sex trafficking for 42 years and needs our help to continue this important mission.
Special thank you to Realtor Liz Schoeneberger for helping us share the incrediBULL work of the Durham Crisis Response Center (DCRC) by way the Durham DoGooder Community Partnership Package. Liz is truly an unBULLievaBULL human being doing good in Durham.
DCRC’s Executive Director Kent Wallace-Meggs took the time to share with us what DCRC does and how we all can help.How long has DCRC been in operation?
DCRC had its beginning in 1977, through a grant from the North Carolina Governor’s Office, later to be known as the N.C. Council on the Status of Women, the Orange/Durham Coalition for Battered Women, was established under the leadership of the YWCA. The crisis line received 200 calls the first year.
How did DCRC come to be?
In 1984, the Rape Crisis Center of Durham was established, again under the leadership o the YWCA. In 1987 the Advisory Board determined the center would be more effective as a stand-alone agency.
Meanwhile, the Coalition had established a shelter program that had to increase to meet the demands. After 20 years of service, a new initiative was developed called the Orange County Outreach Project. The group sought to start services that would better address the needs and concerns of the citizens of the Orange County community. From that point, the Coalition changes its name to ARISE: Durham Coalition for Domestic Violence.
In 2000, these efforts combined into one October 15, 2001, merged to become Durham Crisis Response Center. It is continuing its rich history as an active grassroots organization as a comprehensive agency for both sexual assault and domestic violence.
What DCRC does.
For nearly four decades, Durham Crisis Response Center (DCRC) has been the sole provider of comprehensive shelter and support services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, and their families, in the Durham area. DCRC’s continuum of service includes a 24-Hour Help Line, emergency shelter, safety planning, crisis intervention, information and referrals for job training, housing, and childcare; counseling and support groups; legal advocacy; assistance with filing for victim compensation; hospital accompaniment; community education and outreach. All of DCRC’s services are free, confidential, and available in English and Spanish. DCRC also offers educational workshops and professional training for service providers, law enforcement, hospitals, faith-based organizations, schools, civic groups, and other community members. In its history, DCRC has helped more than 20,000 people through our services.
Every day, Durham Crisis Response Center (DCRC) helps those whose lives are torn apart by domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking. Our neighbors, friends, and family members – many of them women and children sought and received help from DCRC. They needed someone to listen in a supportive and nonjudgmental way.
DCRC is here to help, and we do this by offering a place that is safe and secure—free from abuse. DCRC is a place where victims of domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking can find a safe haven, and with guidance and support, they can find their voice and the strength to rebuild their lives. DCRC is a refuge, a place of safety, hope, and new beginnings.
Last year alone, DCRC:
- Responded to over 5,794 calls on our 24-hour helpline with the support of over 20,068 volunteer hours;
- Sheltered 299 adult and child victims providing food, clothing, support, and safety;
- Responded to 1,050 domestic violence victims through crisis intervention, legal advocacy, support groups, and other services to help keep them safe.
During this same timeframe, more than 463 fleeing households (adults and children) were unable to receive shelter services from DCRC because our shelter, the only shelter equipped to serve domestic and sexual violence victims in Durham, was full. While DCRC could not shelter this number of victims in need, we worked with them to find safe alternatives.
Our goal is always to be there when a victim is in need.
As a nonprofit organization, Durham Crisis Response Center’s mission is to work with the community to end domestic and sexual violence through advocacy, education, support, and prevention.
What is our current fundraising focus?
Since all services DCRC provides are free, every dollar raised helps ensure we can meet the growing needs of Durham. There is currently a strong focus on raising much need unrestricted funds to cover unexpected or postponed expenses and begin to lay the foundation for a capital campaign to address the need for additional shelter space. Last year alone, we were unable to shelter 140 families and had to find alternative avenues to safety.
We not only need more shelter space, but we are also running out of space at other direct service locations. Additionally, there are ongoing and often unexpected repairs and maintenance. In the shelter alone, mattresses need replacing; bathrooms need repairing, and the kitchen needs to be remodeled.
As Durham is continuing to grow, the need for shelter and comprehensive services for those impacted by domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking increases, and DCRC must be prepared to meet this need.
How can the community help?
Donate today online at durhamcrisisresponse.org or through our social media account on Facebook/DurhamCrisisResponseCenter. Every donation supports DCRC’s mission to work with the community to end domestic and sexual violence through advocacy, education, support, and prevention.
Share your time and talents assisting with fundraising, volunteer to answer calls on our 24/7 Help Line, create your own fundraising event through your local connections, and many other opportunities exist; help around the shelter, office, or thrift boutique.
Be in the know: visit our website and know the signs of Domestic Violence. Share the site as a resource to family and friends, should they ever need the information.
What are three things you would like everyone to know about the work you are doing:
- Domestic and sexual violence knows no socioeconomic status or cultural boundaries- anyone can find himself or herself in an abusive situation at any time.
- When abuse occurs, the community must have someone to turn to for immediate support, resources, and shelter. DCRC is here!
- Services are free, confidential, and available 24/7/365 in English and Spanish. Other languages supported through translation services.
What is the best contact information for someone wanting to get involved in the organization:
Visit our web site at www.durhamcrisisresponse.org
Call our main number at 919-403-9425
Should anyone need help contact our 24- hour Help Lines:
919-403-6562- English
919-519-3735 Spanish