Address Available to Volunteers • 404-377-1429
The DeKalb Rape Crisis Center provides help for rape survivors and their families. Created in 1991, the DRCC provides 24 hour, 7 day-a-week hotline phone counseling. It provides group counseling, speakers and study curriculum for schools and other organizations, and services to the Hispanic community. It has also developed programs to support victims in hospitals and courts.
In 2000 DRCC responded to 533 hotline calls. There were 338 individual and group counseling contacts and 514 follow-up contacts. DRCC reached out to 6,500 individuals through its speaker bureau. It responded to 1,290 referral requests. It accompanied 120 survivors who chose to pursue their cases through the legal system and provided over 500 members of the Dekalb Hispanic community with education and outreach.
The staff includes a director, counselors, a volunteer coordinator, a development director, hotline volunteers, and a Hispanic Community coordinator. There is an active board of directors. The annual budget for DRCC is $241,000. Donations come from county, state and federal grants, private, civic and corporate contributions, and fund raising events such as Take Back the Night Race. Decatur Presbyterian Church contributes only $100 but wants to support DRCC with volunteers as much as possible.
Opportunities to serve include the following:
• Prepare comfort kits at the DRCC office. Comfort
kits are given to survivors at the hospital and include shampoo, soap, a change of clothing, etc.
• Participate in a focus group needed to review educational video.
• Shop for office supplies and comfort kit needs.
• Help
assemble the training manuals for training classes. This occurs three
times a year.
• Prepare
mailings when needed.
• Be
a door and phone volunteer during the summer.
• Monitor
the hotline. This requires training in how to take such calls and counsel
people who call for assistance.
• Be
a community speaker. After being educated about the rape crisis center,
speak at community events.
“With quiet dignity they drop into our busy place, get the help they need and move back into the world to live productive, healthy lives," said Jan Bedol, DCRR board member and DPC elder. "This group—the survivors of sexual assault for whom we provide a quiet corner with easy chairs and inspirational writings—is our reason for being here. It’s not stress free here, and it’s rarely peaceful, but what an energizing and delightful place to be! And what important work to do! Helping people restore their lives, giving volunteers a place to make a difference, and helping young people change their thinking and behavior so as to prevent assault make living in this beehive worthwhile."
Consider volunteering to be part of an organization that truly helps reconstruct lives.
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