About Us

The mission of HOPE Center is to create zero tolerance for sexual and domestic violence through healing, outreach, prevention and education. Through innovative programming, we offer direct support to victims of violence in Rice County, collaborative support to other organizations that serve victims, and educational support to the entire community. All of our services are free and confidential.

Our Core Values

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HEALING

HOPE Center provides supportive services to victims and their families, including crisis intervention, a 24-hour Safeline, information, and referrals to supportive services.  We walk alongside survivors through the criminal justice system, help support people during forensic exams, provide information about the next steps, help with orders for protection and harassment restraining orders, and accompaniment to court proceedings. We offer supportive listening and resources for healing. We are the only agency that walks through the healing journey and helps provide HOPE.  Our services are trauma-informed and client-centered.  We focus on what our clients want and need and help ensure they walk away feeling heard and supported.

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OUTREACH

We provide specialized training to a variety of audiences including community organizations, faith communities, employers, professionals, educators, and criminal justice professionals.  Twice a year we provide a 40-hour training for HOPE Center volunteers to help answer our Safeline.  Our goal is to make sure every person in Rice County knows about the resources that the HOPE Center has to offer.

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PREVENTION

To help achieve our mission of a violence-free community, we have to invest time and resources into prevention.  The HOPE Center goes beyond individual assistance to community-wide solutions to do this.  We regularly network with social services, law enforcement, the medical community, etc., and provide them with screening and assessment tools.  We speak to schools and people of all ages about how to create healthy relationships, what to do if you are concerned about someone you love, and what to do if you are worried about someone you care about. 

If you would like us to speak to your church group, place of employment, book club, classroom, etc., check out this available presentation list.

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EDUCATION

Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence thrive in silence.  Our goal is to educate the community about common responses to domestic and sexual violence, talk more about what trauma does to the brain and body, and help normalize talking about difficult conversations.  We do this by sharing information on our Facebook page, sharing presentations, and writing a monthly article in the local newspapers. (You can find previous articles here.)  Survivors often ask, “Why did this happen to me?”, “How do I keep this from happening again?”, “What are Red Flags? What are Green Flags in relationships?” How do I talk to my kids about sexting?  What do I tell them about safe and unsafe touch?  How can I keep my kids safe- in the real world and online?  We have resources and information we would love to share!

Board of Directors

The HOPE Center is governed by an all-volunteer board of directors selected from the Rice County community and surrounding area. Members bring a wide variety of professional experience – from legal knowledge to investment opportunities and insights to nonprofit management and education – the HOPE Center Board of Directors can steer the organization toward success. Thanks to their diverse knowledge and professional backgrounds, each member comes at an idea, issue, or need from a unique perspective. When these points of view converge, a balanced, well-reasoned result emerges. We thank our incredible Board of Directors for their time, talent, and love for our community.

We are currently accepting applications to join our Board fo Directors. Members can serve up to three three-year terms on the HOPE Center's Board of Directors. Call Erica at 507-332-0882 for more information.

Apply Now!

HOPE Center Staff includes:

  • Executive Director
  • Director of Advocacy
  • Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator
  • SMART Coordinator
  • Volunteer Coordinator
  • Blueprint Advocate
  • Hispanic Services Coordinator
  • Financial Coordinator