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Guadalupe County issues proclamations for sexual‑assault awareness and child abuse prevention; local nonprofits outline services
Summary
At its March 25 meeting the court proclaimed April 2025 as Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month; local nonprofits including Thriving Hearts, the Children's Advocacy Center and CASA summarized 2024 service volumes and upcoming events and asked for continued county partnership.
Guadalupe County Commissioners Court issued proclamations on March 25 recognizing April 2025 as National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. Representatives from local nonprofit providers described services, caseloads and upcoming fundraising and awareness events and thanked the court for ongoing partnerships.
Manaje Harika, CEO of Thriving Hearts Crisis Center, thanked the court for the proclamation and said the center provided services to survivors in 2024. In her remarks she said, "In 2024, we served 514 victims of domestic violence and sexual assault at the bridal center," and emphasized the continuing need for partnership as the community grows. Thriving Hearts and county staff also noted hospital accompaniment services and advocacy efforts.
Christy Williams of the Guadalupe County Children's Advocacy Center outlined that the center served 903 children in Guadalupe County last year and will host pinwheel events and fundraisers in April. Nicole Douglas of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) said CASA serves children and trains volunteers and noted the organization's 40th anniversary and recent service totals (392 children served in its 4‑county footprint).
Commissioners praised the providers’ work, read proclamations and unanimously approved them. Commissioners encouraged public participation in upcoming events (pinwheel displays, runs, fundraisers and a blue breakfast hosted by SJRC Texas Belong on April 29).
Notes on numbers: During the meeting, differing figures were recited in proclamations and by speakers (e.g., the proclamation text cited one set of service and accompaniment numbers while nonprofit speakers gave others); the article reports both figures as they were presented to the court.
