HELENA — In Early 2023, Helena’s Friendship Center implemented a new database system to help them more accurately capture the impact the non-profit has on the community.
The Friendship Center provides help and support to survivors of sexual assault in the tri-county area.
According to the Friendship Center, the organization served 722 known individuals in 2023 and fielded hundreds more calls to its 24/7 crisis line.
The crisis line received some 1,800 calls last year.
Sexual assault survivors in the tri-county area, including Lewis and Clark, Broadwater and Jefferson counties, were able to access services that include legal advocacy, in-hospital response, safety planning, emotional support and community referrals through the Friendship Center.
The center also provided 150 adults and children with the equivalent of 8,500 nights of shelter.
In a news release, the center says its new database system has confirmed increasing demand for the services offered, including work beyond direct services.
The Friendship Center works to interrupt cycles of violence and prevent it from happening in the first place through education.
The organization has been serving Helena since 1971.
