Osceola County proclaims October 2025 Domestic Violence Awareness Month; Help Now reports thousands served

The Osceola Board of County Commissioners on a unanimous vote declared October 2025 Domestic Violence Awareness Month and heard a presentation from Help Now, the county’s state-certified domestic violence center, outlining the agency’s services and community outreach.

The proclamation, read into the record and adopted by the board, recognizes the scope of domestic violence and affirms the county’s support for survivors and local service providers. Help Now representative Miss Douglas used the presentation to give elected officials and the public a snapshot of the agency’s services over the past year.

Miss Douglas told the board Help Now had “received and responded to 3,523 crisis calls for help this year” and provided extensive support services, including more than 12,000 hours of individual counseling and roughly 16,000 bed-nights of safe shelter for 371 individuals. She said the agency provided more than 3,000 hours of support-group services and more than 2,000 hours of children’s trauma-informed services. “We pivot on those safety plannings for each occurrence,” Miss Douglas said, describing individualized safety planning for survivors.

The presentation also outlined Help Now’s prevention and economic empowerment programs, including housing and financial-safety planning, and its Pathways to Hope and Camp Hope programs for children who have experienced domestic violence-related trauma. Miss Douglas said the agency engages volunteers (407 reported) and runs educational trainings; she said Help Now delivered 88 trainings to 1,647 people and engaged more than 5,000 people at community awareness events.

Commissioners and the presenter discussed local partnerships and funding. Miss Douglas noted Help Now is largely federally funded and does not charge survivors for services because state certification prohibits fees that would create barriers to care. Commissioner Brief thanked Help Now and its staff for running the county’s only domestic-violence shelter and for years of service.

The agency announced an Oct. 30 rally on the courthouse steps, a walk through downtown Kissimmee escorted by law enforcement and a candlelight vigil at the Kissimmee Police Department to conclude the month’s events.

The proclamation was approved by the board without recorded opposition.

Help Now materials and the presentation cited in the board packet list program and service figures presented to the commissioners and supplemented the oral remarks. The board photo opportunity and recognition also included presentation of the county’s designation of Help Now as the nonprofit charity of the year at the State of Osceola event.