MACON, Ga. — Domestic violence and sexual assault centers across Georgia are facing large budget cuts.
The Crisis Line & Safe House of Central Georgia is just one of them. The center provides services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Federal money supports 80% of funding for shelters like them all across Georgia, but available funds keep getting cut, and projections show these shelters could see a loss of 37% in the upcoming fiscal year.
"Hearing about the cuts terrifies me because I speak to these clients every day on the phone seeking shelter. I know how frantic they already are with the services that we're able to provide," Suzanne Walker, the shelter director, said.
Crisis Line provides help through five programs: Safe shelter, legal services, sexual assault center, counseling center and 24-hour crisis hotline.
In 2021, they served 2,253 individuals. Walker works with victims every day.
"We had a client recently, she's so excited to get her very first apartment ever. She cried in my office the other day because she said, 'I couldn't have done this without your agency, without helping me walk through the steps. What do I do next? How do I do this?'" said Walker.
The demand for their services skyrocketed during the pandemic, but executive Director Dee Sims says they never closed their doors.
Crisis Line & Safe House used multiple hotels in the area to ensure people had rooms to themselves.
"Huge increases in our food and grocery bills, our client assistance bills, just housing bills because our shelter mortgage didn't go away. Our rent here didn't go away," Sims said.
Right now, the shelter is at full capacity, and if someone in need calls, they may have to leave Macon to get help.
"If they have to leave behind their job, their family, their community, but at the same time we need those other shelters to be open, because if we are full and other shelters close down, where are they going to go?" Walker said.
Now, when the need is so high, Crisis Line alone faces a loss of more than $561,272.
It's a loss the agency says will likely lead to staff layoffs and drastic cutbacks to local services.
"I can't imagine listening to those phone calls again and having to tell the person again, 'I'm so sorry, there's no options,'" said Walker.
Sims says she hopes Governor Kemp will help with the federal funding loss by using some money available from the American Rescue Plan.
If you are experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault their crisis hotline is open 24/7. The number is (478) 745-9292