When Escaping Is the Only Option

Dear Supporter,

While many families were gathering around holiday tables, Eva was quietly packing what she could carry—holding her children close and leaving behind everything familiar to survive.

For years, Eva endured escalating physical and emotional abuse. She tried to protect her children. She tried to make it work. But last month, the violence reached a breaking point. Staying was no longer an option.

With no plan, no place to go, and fear following closely behind, Eva made the bravest decision of her life: she ran.

When Eva arrived at the Family Crisis Center of East Texas Safehouse, she was exhausted, terrified, and uncertain of what came next. The holidays—so often filled with joy—became a season of survival.

Because of compassionate supporters like you, Eva and her children were met with something they hadn’t felt in a long time: safety.

A warm bed.
A locked door.
A team who believed her.

Your generosity provided emergency shelter, trauma-informed care, counseling, and the reassurance that she and her children were no longer alone. But escaping abuse is only the first step. Healing, stability, and rebuilding a life free from fear takes time—and continued support.

Eva is not alone.

Today, 29 adults and 66 children are living in the Family Crisis Center’s Safehouse and Transitional Housing—each with their own story of courage, loss, and hope. As we move into a new year, the need for shelter and services has not slowed. In fact, it has grown.

Your gift today helps ensure that when someone else makes the life-saving decision to escape, there is a safe place waiting for them.

Your Donation Makes an Immediate Impact.

Your support helps to:

• Provide safe, confidential shelter for survivors and their children
• Offer counseling and trauma recovery services that support healing
• Deliver legal advocacy to help survivors navigate protective orders and court systems
• Assist with basic needs and financial support as families rebuild their lives

A gift of $35 provides one night of safety—a peaceful place to sleep without fear.

Could you give one night of safety?
What about three nights—or even five?

Our 2026 Goal: $200,000 to Protect Families in Crisis

By December 31, 2026, we aim to raise $200,000 to provide life-saving shelter nights and critical services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault throughout East Texas.

Your gift is more than a donation—it is a lifeline. It is the moment someone realizes they are no longer trapped. It is the first step toward a future defined by hope instead of harm.

Eva and her children are beginning again. With your help, they—and so many others—can continue moving forward toward safety, healing, and independence.

Thank you for standing with survivors in their darkest moments and choosing to be part of their brighter future.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Whitney Burran
Executive Director

P.S. Every night of shelter matters. Please help us reach our $200,000 goal by December 31, 2026, so families escaping abuse always have a safe place to turn. Your support today could be the reason someone survives tomorrow.