Local domestic violence advocacy group Hope Alliance of Lewis County will switch from 24/7 operations to a more traditional Monday through Friday schedule next month to address a looming budget shortfall.
Hope Alliance Executive Director Kris Camenzind announced Friday, that the local nonprofit would change its hours in the middle of August as it faces a roughly $300,000 budget deficit. According to the announcement, the organization will maintain the same services, but within traditional business hours.
Under the new policy, Hope Alliance will operate Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
According to the announcement, the Hope Alliance crisis hotline will no longer be staffed outside of business hours. Instead, those seeking domestic violence services outside of business hours will be provided information for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
Those seeking support for sexual assault will be forwarded to an out-of-county advocacy program to provide over-the-phone support. Finally, Hope Alliance will no longer respond to hospital calls outside of business hours.
Camenzind lamented the cuts to services in the recent announcement, adding that financial constraints to maintaining all of the nonprofit’s services have forced the reduction in hours.
Hope Alliance still encourages victims of domestic violence or sexual assault to call and leave voicemails outside of business hours, adding that advocates will return missed calls and “continue to provide advocacy, safety planning, support, referrals and assistance navigating available resources.”
“These decisions were not made lightly,” reads the announcement. “We remain committed to seeking additional funding opportunities that will allow us to restore these critical services in the future.”
According to the announcement, new phone numbers for the resource provider will be posted in the weeks to come.
Learn more at https://hopealliancelc.org/.
