GCRW May Meeting Speaker: SARC’s Work in Our Community

GCRW is grateful to Elizabeth Landon, Mandy Fisher, and SARC for joining us and sharing more about this important work. Their presentation was a powerful reminder that awareness, compassion, and community support can make a lasting difference for survivors and their families.

At our May general meeting, GCRW was honored to welcome representatives from the Sexual Assault Resource Center — SARC — in College Station for an important and informative program about survivor support, advocacy, education, and community involvement.

SARC has been serving survivors for nearly 23 years and provides support across seven counties. Their work focuses on helping individuals impacted by sexual assault, sexual violence, and certain human trafficking-related situations. One of the most important takeaways from the presentation was that SARC’s services are provided free of charge and are available not only to survivors, but also to loved ones who may be indirectly affected.

Sexual violence can take many forms, and survivors may need different types of support depending on their circumstances. SARC offers a 24/7 hotline, advocacy services, counseling, hospital accompaniment, support during forensic exams, peer support programs, and prevention education. The organization also works with schools, businesses, parents, teens, adults, and community groups to provide education on healthy relationships, boundaries, consent, and awareness.

A key message from the program was that there is no single “right way” for someone to seek help. Some survivors may choose counseling, others may choose to make a report, and some may simply need a safe place to begin processing what happened. SARC’s role is to meet people where they are, provide support, and help connect them with resources.

Mandy shared how vital community support is to SARC’s work. While grants help fund many services, they often come with strict limitations. Donations, sponsorships, fundraising events, and volunteers allow SARC to respond to real-life needs that may fall outside traditional funding guidelines. Even small recurring monthly gifts can help the organization continue providing care and resources to those who need them most.

For those interested in learning more, supporting SARC, or getting involved, we encourage you to connect with the organization directly and explore the many ways to help strengthen this vital resource in our community.