Why the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is an All-Star Nonprofit: 

• Beneficiaries' Viewpoints 

  • "I thought was my fault, that I was to blame for what had happened to me. I medicated myself so I didn't have to deal with the pain.  I don't know if it was just being at the Center, or my specific counselor ... I just got such a warm welcome. It was like I had been going there for years. I was able to talk honestly to my counselor and really open up. She helped me realize that I was going to get through this, and that I was going to be okay. I had always blamed myself for what had happened, and with the Center's help, I was able to see that it wasn't my fault. I was just a child. Forgiving myself helped me to forgive my mother and stepfather. I would recommend the Center to anyone who has experienced sexual abuse or assault. The staff will help you overcome the trauma you went through in your life. They helped me to begin to heal, to recover, and to start on a new path in my life." - Kim

• ​Fiscal Responsibility 

  • Because of the nonprofit status of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, the organization relies mostly on donors and grants. In the last year, two major grants have been given that have allowed the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center to expand and become better. On October 7, 2016, the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center was awarded $3,101,184.59 from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). The second grant was from the Ohio Attorney General's Office from the State Victim Assistance Act for $12,684.These two grants combine to make a total of $3,113,868.59. 
  • As a result of this funding, the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has opened an office in Westlake, launched two new ways to access the 24-hour hotline (text and online chat), doubled the amount of Victims Specialists, added a full-time social worker to help people in the STAR program, and added two new community outreach specialists. 
  • President and CEO, Sondra Miller, states that "the services made possible by this funding stream will ensure that more people can recover, heal and thrive after rape or sexual abuse."

• Success of the Nonprofit 

  • The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has been very successful in the Cleveland community. Not only do they serve over 28,000 people per year, but they are also considered and extremely respectable and valuable organization and workplace. On June 21, 2016, The Plain Dealer rated the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center as one of the 2016 Top Workplaces as based on an assessment of employee feedback, alignment with their mission, execution, and connection. One employee stated that "it allows me to do what I love. It lets me work with survivors who need our services, makes me feel empowered and like I'm working to further our mission and the needs of the community. I love the colleagues that I work with and the opportunities to connect with them both professionally and personally." The president and CEO Sondra Miller affirmed this point and restated the importance in providing "the best service to the community."people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together. Claffey adds, “Without this sense of connection, an organization doesn’t have a shot at being named a Top Workplace.”

• Meets Social Needs 

  • The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center truly seeks to meet all social needs of the community that surrounds them. Not only do they reach over 28,000 people a year through their services, but they create roots in the community as well. They have established campus resources and specialists at four local colleges, and over the past years have expanded the Rape Crisis Center to Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula Counties. They have also broadened their counseling services to apply to many different cases, age ranges, and specialties after assessing those in need such as the one third of patients who are under the age of 18.