Recognizing the Crisis Center

Floor Speech

Mr. LONG. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Crisis Center on receiving the Charity of the Year award presented by the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Crisis Center was first established in 1990 for the purpose of providing safe shelter, support, and advocacy for victims of domestic and sexual violence and their children. Since its establishment, the Crisis Center has grown to be able to accommodate up to 40 women and children at one time.

The Crisis Center provides a large number of invaluable services to victims such as support groups, counseling, case management, crisis intervention, court advocacy and a 24-hour crisis hotline. It is the only non-profit in the area that provides such services, and all free of charge. The Crisis Center shelters an average of 300 women, men and children each year, and also provides services to 700 non-resident women, men and children.

As a member of the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence and its Board of Directors for the past 15 years, the Crisis Center has become involved with many other organizations that share its vision for providing a community based response to eliminating domestic and sexual abuse.

The services provided by the Crisis Center have greatly helped to make Branson a safer and happier community over the past 24 years.

I would like to ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Crisis Center on receiving the Charity of the Year award.

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