(Seguin) — For hundreds of survivors across the area, a community fundraising effort is helping ensure there will continue to be a safe place to turn during their darkest moments.
Thriving Hearts Crisis Center, formerly known as the Guadalupe Valley Family Violence Shelter, has announced that it reached its $25,000 goal through its Rooted in Safety Spring Giving Campaign, securing funding to continue providing emergency shelter, counseling, advocacy and crisis support for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking.
The donations were received from individuals, businesses and community partners across Guadalupe, Gonzales, Karnes and Wilson counties. Thriving Hearts Crisis Center CEO Jana Evans says the success of the campaign reflects the community’s commitment to helping those in crisis.
“That means that whenever someone in the community — a survivor is able to reach out to us that needs safety — we’re available at that time. So being able to have that money, the hotline calls, having someone here 24-7 to be able to, whenever that time is that they are reaching out for safety, we’re able to be there, able to provide that emergency shelter for them,” said Evans.
According to the nonprofit, the fundraising effort grew beyond its financial goal by bringing attention to the ongoing need for services for survivors throughout the region.
Evans says the campaign will help ensure survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking continue to receive critical services, including emergency shelter, crisis intervention, counseling, advocacy and other support.
“So whenever that time is that they are reaching out for safety, we’re able to be there, able to provide that emergency shelter for them. You know, with the shelter, that means we’re feeding them, we’re providing them with hygiene items and more because sometimes they come with nothing. So that money goes towards being able to ensure that when they finally, you know, it takes seven or eight times sometimes for someone to finally leave situations like that — and so whenever they finally do have the courage to do it and they’re able to make that step, being able to have this money allows us to be able to help them on that next step to be able to provide that safe place and support,” said Evans.
In 2025, Thriving Hearts Crisis Center provided more than 1,600 nights of emergency shelter and answered more than 1,400 crisis hotline calls from people seeking help. Plus Evans says the funding raissed is more than just for immediate emergency support.
“And if it’s not an emergency shelter, we’re able to provide the advocates with the resources and provide them with other ways, like whether that be legal support, go into the court with them, go into the law enforcement (offices) with them, different things like that — we’re able to provide that support. So however that looks like for them, being able to provide our counseling services, so being able to help them with the healing part of their journey. So all that money, it means a whole new, like a first step for a whole new life for someone,” said Evans.
The organization also reports that this current fiscal year, it provided 5,716 services to 443 clients, totaling 3,258 hours of support. Staff members have also delivered 834 hours of counseling to 184 survivors and responded to 1,328 hotline calls.
Although the Spring Giving Campaign has ended, Evans say the need for services continues year-round. She says community members can continue supporting the organization’s mission through financial contributions or by becoming involved with its programs and outreach efforts.
“Even though the spring giving campaign is over, the safety is still there and the need is still there so they can donate by going online at www..thrivingheartcc.org and donate anytime to support our mission or mail to P.O. Box 1302, Seguin, Texas 78155 in order to still support us. So that even though the campaign’s over, the support can continue whenever they feel the call to do it,” said Evans.
The non-profit can also be supported by following all future needs and fundarisers found on the Thriving Hearts Crisis Center website and Facebook page.