TITLE: Congratulating the Houston Area Women's Center on the opening of the first phase of its new client services facility.

SUMMARY: Congratulating the Houston Area Women's Center on the opening of the first phase of its new client services facility.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Houston Area Women's Center celebrated the opening of the first phase of its new client services facility, One Safe Place Houston, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 25, 2025; and WHEREAS, Since 1977, the Houston Area Women's Center has helped countless women, children, and families rebuild their lives free from the threat of violence; the agency provides crisis intervention services, lifesaving assistance, trauma-informed support, and violence prevention initiatives for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking, and it also works with policy makers and the criminal justice system to enact change in behalf of its clients and their communities; and WHEREAS, HAWC utilizes a tailored, continuum-of-care approach with respect for the specific needs of each of its clients; it employs 190 paid staff members while drawing from a volunteer base of more than 1,000 people, and its resources include a residential emergency shelter and a 24/7 hotline call center for those escaping domestic or sexual abuse; and WHEREAS, For nearly half a century, the Houston Area Women's Center has guided a multitude of survivors on the path toward healing and justice, and its new client services facility is certain to help the agency greatly in advancing this worthwhile mission; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate the Houston Area Women's Center on the opening of the first phase of One Safe Place Houston and extend to its staff, volunteers, and clients sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the agency as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Simmons Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 857 was adopted by the House on June 1, 2025, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House