10/15/2026
Dear Friends and Supporters of SafeCenter,
I hope the middle of October and the start of our beautiful fall season in Michigan finds you well, healthy, and staying safe.
October 1st marked the beginning of a new fiscal year for our organization, and I am writing today to provide you all with updates now that we have some clarity around what this year will entail for us.
First, our federal and state grant funding experienced a significant reduction for the current new fiscal year. Across the State, organizations like SafeCenter who receive federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and state Crime Victim Sustainability Funding (CVSF) dollars through MDHHS-Division of Victim Services were reduced by percentages in correlation to the range of dollars we are allocated each year. For SafeCenter, specifically, we were reduced by 18% across our combined federal/state domestic violence funding and by 11% across our combined federal/state sexual assault funding. As of July 2026, we had strategically closed our Downtown St. Johns Office to save on operational and administrative expenses, and as of September 30, 2026, our team was reduced by two full-time positions and one part-time position. As of October 1, we are now a team of six full-time and four part-time staff working across two counties, 24/7/365, to provide comprehensive dual domestic and sexual violence services to victims/survivors.
Second, with fewer staff working 24/7/365 across both counties, we made a few internal modifications to our workflow to ensure that each piece of our comprehensive services is covered to the utmost extent possible. Although we no longer have a stand-alone office space in Clinton County, we are partnering with other entities within the county to ensure that we are meeting with victims/survivors close to home and providing them with the same level of advocacy, therapy, and supportive services that have always been in place. We remain committed to our strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts across both Counties to ensure that the needs, safety, and well-being of victims/survivors within our community is at the forefront of all we do. Our Administrative/Advocacy Office and Emergency Shelter located in Shiawassee County (Owosso) remain in-tact and operating the same as before.
Third and of most concern to us at SafeCenter, is the reality that with fewer dollars being allocated to victim services agencies locally, across the State, and nationally, the risk of harm up to and including lethality, for victims/survivors is at an all-time high. Since the end of last fiscal year and into the new fiscal year, we have heard of some of our sister-agencies (those funded and like SafeCenter in mission, etc.) having to permanently close their doors as they simply cannot maintain operations in light of the funding reductions. What this means for victims/survivors, is less access to essential, life-altering supports and resources when they are in danger. We anticipate that we will again see a rise in the level of high danger cases, and the severity and frequence of violence, locally, state-, and nation-wide.
Knowing that we would be facing uncertain and difficult times, our Leadership Team and Board of Directors has been working tirelessly over the past year to mitigate any negative impacts to SafeCenter’s programs and services, and victims/survivors coming to us for assistance. We have been in our community doing the day-in, day-out business of advocating for and supporting child, teen, adult, and senior victims/survivors for 42 years, and we intend for these direct, essential services and supports to remain in place. We know that these are challenging times for many – financially, politically, etc. – and we know these hardships only exacerbate the issues of domestic and sexual violence in our local communities, across our State, and nationally. We regularly keep a pulse on what is happening at the federal, state, and local level and know that this has been a tumultuous time for victims/survivors. We see you, we hear you, we stand with you.
In honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I invite our community members – individuals, families, businesses, churches, civic organizations, etc. – to partner with SafeCenter in our mission to “Empower. Advocate. Educate. Prevent.” and keep our 24/7/365 life-altering programs, services, and supports to victims/survivors in place for this year and the foreseeable future. Every ounce of support makes a difference, and every dollar raised stays right here in our local community.
Next week, we will have our 7th Annual Telethon Event from 8am – 8pm on Tuesday, October 20-Thursday, October 22, and I invite you to donate – in-person at our office (1300 N. Hickory Street), via phone (989-723-9716), via mail (PO Box 472, St. Johns, MI 48879), or online (www.thesafecenter.org/donate). Together, we can show victims/survivors that we believe them, we see them, we stand with them, we support them and ultimately help to make the Clinton and Shiawassee County communities a safer place to live, work, and play for all.
Thank you for following us and thank you for your continued support of our mission and vision in these rapidly evolving and uncertain times.
With gratitude,
Hannah L. Gottschalk, LMSW
Chief Executive Officer, SafeCenter
