FAIRBURY, Neb. - Awareness. Advocacy. Acceptance. Those are three core services that Hope Crisis Center supplies to survivors and victims of domestic violence across Southeast Nebraska all year long. 

“Whatever they’re in need of, we provide that, so they can move on to the next chapter of their life," Hope's program manager, Mindy Burns, said. 

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, so the whole Hope Crisis Center crew gathered this week in Fairbury to put the final touches on their plans for their big annual fundraiser. Coming up this Saturday in Wilbur, it’s a charity cornhole tournament they call “Tossing Out Domestic Violence” - and just like all of their events, this one aims to help increase awareness and knowledge of the problems that domestic violence presents.  

“The things that we deal with, domestic violence and sexual assault, are things that thrive in silence and darkness," said Mindy Vanlaningham, whose many roles at Hope include serving as the group's primary community educator. "For so much of history, we just haven’t wanted to talk about it, we haven’t wanted to believe that these things are happening in our communities, and what I want to do is open that door for conversation." 

"We have to build that awareness so that other people know about us," Burns echoed. "If you’re not affected by domestic violence, a lot of times you don’t even know it’s happening in your community – but it is, it’s happening everywhere. So we have to raise that awareness to make other people aware of the work that we’re doing."

"Tossing Out Domestic Violence" is the group's second annual October fundraiser. They hosted it in Fairbury last year and have moved to Wilbur in 2024, part of a plan to cycle through all seven counties that HCC services. This Saturday at Sokol Hall will feature food trucks, a four big prizes up for grabs in a raffle ($20 per ticket or three tickets for $50), and the cornhole tournament - teams can preregister or sign up onsite, and the competition begins at noon. 

But this Saturday’s event is about more than just tossing bean bags – it's a crucial fundraiser. Executive director Carmen Hinman says Hope has lost more than 150 thousand dollars in grant funding within the last year, a major hit to a small nonprofit, which relies heavily on external funds just to stay afloat and continue to help survivors thrive. 

"The last thing that we want to do is turn away any services for anybody that’s in need," Hinman said. "We actually feel like we fundraise all the time. We’re appreciative, but it’s something we feel like we have to do to keep things alive at our organization. We keep asking for money so we can keep our doors open and keep serving."

A small staff of nine that serve and assist more than 600 people per year across seven Nebraska counties, Hope Crisis Center is an essential service to many people at a critical crossroads in their lives.

"Our work can be deflating, but it just takes that one family that you know that you helped," said Hinman, who was worked for Hope Crisis Center in one role or another since 1997. "Helped secure some freedom in their life, some safety. And helping to truly break that cycle for good.”