Hope Crisis Center continues to serve victims of abuse, commissioners hear budget request

​YORK – The Hope Crisis Center continues to serve victims of abuse as the need grows and fears about funding loom.

​As York County provides finances to Hope Crisis Center, the commissioners met with Carmen Hinman, director, this past week to discuss her year-end report and budget request for the new fiscal year.
The Hope Crisis Center is a non-profit organization committed to supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence through 24/7 services, emergency shelter, financial assistance and community education. It serves York, Gage, Seward, Saline, Jefferson, Fillmore and Thayer Counties.
They are requesting $13,883 from York County this next year, which is a slight increase over the $13,000 allocation last year.
In 2024, the agency served 613 victims – 152 of which were children. They provided emergency shelter for 40 victims – having a total number 1,328 shelter nights. They also responded to 4,272 hotline calls. Sixty-three victims of sexual assault were served with three requiring medical advocacy. They also assisted with 11 sexual assault protection orders.
In helping victims – many of whom are fleeing abusive situations – they provided $16,217 in financial housing assistance; $47,655 for shelter costs; $73 for medical assistance; $4,133 for food; $2,503 for transportation; $58 for laundry.
They also provided many outreach presentations as an effort to help stop domestic violence. They conducted over 164 presentations, reaching 2,967 youth and 272 adults with vital information about healthy relationships, consent, boundaries, safety planning and available resources.
They do fundraising and receive grants and donations.
Hinman said federal funds which are funneled through the Nebraska Crime Commission continue to lessen each year. For the past fiscal years, the organization has experienced a significant and steady incline in grant funding: 2020, $317,602; 2021, $289,716; 2022, $289,716; 2023, $168,000; 2024, $168,000; 2025, $117,600.
“That’s quite a drop in funding” from the crime commission, said York County Commissioner Chairman Randy Obermier.
She said other federal funds are in limbo, “and that is a huge hit for our organization so we are actively fundraising. We, as always, want to thank our counties as we couldn’t do this important work without our counties.”
The commissioners thanked the agency for its important work in helping victims and said they’d consider the budget request as the process continues this summer.