Last year, Hope Crisis Center received over 4,000 hotline calls from across southeast Nebraska.
That means over 4,000 people in Seward, York, Fillmore, Thayer, Jefferson, Gage and Saline counties found themselves in the kind of situation where they needed Hope Crisis Center’s help—whether that was finding shelter after escaping an abusive relationship, receiving medical and legal advocacy after sexual assault or simply getting advice for a number of complex scenarios.
When the 24/7 hotline rings, the conversations Hope Crisis Center employees have can last anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours.
“No two are the same,” Shannon Koranda said.
Koranda, a Victim Advocate at the Seward office, has been working with the center for over 7 years. When she answers a call, the first thing she does is assess the situation and ask lots of questions.
Some calls may involve offering advice or referring someone to legal aid, while others may involve meeting a caller and picking them up if there’s an immediate need. The center also offers bilingual services, so they can help both English and Spanish speakers in the area.
In more extreme cases where someone is trying to leave an unsafe situation, Hope Crisis Center is able to provide emergency housing and other necessities like food, clothing, medication and transportation.
While many calls come from someone needing help themselves, the center also receives referrals from local police.
“We have a good working relationship with our law enforcement,” Koranda said.
In 2024, the center was able to help 613 people, including 152 children. While these may seem like large numbers, in reality there are even more.
Koranda noted that statistics like these only include cases that have involved prosecution, and many more people have received assistance from the center.
Beyond helping survivors of domestic and sexual violence, the nine employees across Hope Crisis Center’s four offices do outreach events and presentations to educate local communities on what healthy relationships look like, how to identify abuse and how to help survivors.
Although having these conversations seems to have gotten easier over the last several years, Koranda said that it’s still hard.
An estimated 1 in 4 women and 1 in 10 men will experience abuse or stalking in their lifetime, but “nobody wants to believe that it’s happening in their community,” Koranda said. “We just kind of have that idea that it’s not happening here. So I think we’re always actively fighting against that.”
Despite having a small team due to funding cuts, Koranda is proud of the work she and her coworkers are doing. In a field that often deals with high turnover rates due to employee burnout, the center’s newest employee has been with them for four years.
“I would say we have a very strong team, and a very seasoned team,” Koranda said. “We have a lot of long-term staff, so that is pretty uncommon. If you look at statewide programs it’s very hard to find people with that sort of longevity. So that’s something we have that is unique. I think we just support each other very well. We make a good team.”
This year was Hope Crisis Center’s fourth year participating in Seward County Gives, and they were able to raise half of their $10,000 goal. Over the last five years, they’ve seen their federal grants decrease by 50%, so local funding is needed more than ever.
Koranda was grateful not only for the funding provided by Seward County Gives, but also for the opportunities to build community and have a platform to raise awareness about their work.
“It is my passion and my calling to uplift, empower, and walk alongside survivors as they break the cycle of violence and find a path for healing and a positive future,” Koranda said.
“Supporting Hope Crisis Center before, during, and after Seward County Gives ensures that despite large funding cuts, we can continue to ensure that safe shelter remains an option for those fleeing domestic violence.”
Monetary donations are the most helpful, especially since grant funding typically has restrictions on how it can be used. Besides monetary donations, the center always welcomes cleaning supplies, office supplies, personal hygiene items, and gift cards for survivors.
To keep up with donation drives and outreach events, you can find Hope Crisis Center’s Facebook page at facebook.com/hopecrisiscenterne/. For more information, visit their website at hopecrisiscenter.org.
