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Speakers urge Gaston County to continue funding Hope United survivor services, calling domestic violence a 'code red' priority
Summary
At the May 13 work session, speakers including retired judge Jesse B. Caldwell III and advocate Caitlin Caldwell urged commissioners to maintain county funding for Hope United Survivor Network, emphasizing its role in preventing fatalities, supporting prosecutions and reducing long‑term costs.
GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Multiple public commenters at the Gaston County Board of Commissioners' May 13 work session urged the board to continue county funding for Hope United Survivor Network, a local organization that provides crisis intervention, shelter, court accompaniment and coordinated services for survivors of domestic violence.
Jesse B. Caldwell III, who identified himself as having worked 52 years as a lawyer and a superior court judge and who said he has lived in Gaston County for 75 years, urged commissioners to preserve financial support for the organization. Caldwell described domestic violence as “insidious” and said sustaining services for survivors is a priority for public safety and community stability. “May I respectfully submit … that in trying to fight domestic violence in Gaston County, this is a high priority need. This is a code red priority need,” Caldwell said.
Caitlin Caldwell, who also spoke in favor of maintaining support for Hope United, framed domestic violence as a public‑safety issue and cited research she said links domestic violence history to mass‑shooter behavior. She described local programming coordinated by Hope United: a danger‑assessment tool used in high‑risk cases, a high‑risk fatality prevention task force that coordinates law enforcement and prosecutors, court accompaniment and services aimed at helping survivors achieve independence from abusers. “Without Hope United, the ability to prevent fatalities and hold offenders accountable is diminished,” she said, urging the commissioners to consider Hope United a key budget priority.
Speakers emphasized prevention and the long‑term economic argument for funding: Caitlin Caldwell said a single homicide’s public cost — including criminal‑justice and incarceration expenses — can exceed the organization’s annual budget. Both speakers asked the board to weigh prevention benefits against potential future costs to the justice and health systems.
The board accepted the public comments; no vote or formal response about Hope United funding was recorded during the May 13 work session. The county manager presented a recommended FY2026 budget at the same meeting; the board will hold a public hearing and is scheduled to consider adoption of that budget on May 27, when funding decisions would be finalized.
