The Grayson Crisis Center in Sherman marked 50 years of work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault on Thursday, celebrating with a balloon pop ceremony, KTEN reported.
The organization began in 1976 as a rape crisis line answered by trained volunteers, according to the station. It grew into a fully staffed operation after moving in 2004 into a building of about 9,000 square feet. Staff told KTEN the center remains the county's only emergency shelter for people fleeing family violence or sexual assault.
"When so many people show up for our community to celebrate 50 years, it really gives us that seal of approval," executive director Shelli Shields told KTEN, adding that the center expects to be around for another 50 years "as a community."
What the center does
On its website, the center describes daily work that includes answering crisis calls, providing emergency shelter, helping people seek protective orders and supporting survivors as they rebuild. It also runs community education programs that it says are meant to stop abuse from repeating.
The center reports that in 2025 it:
- worked with 223 adult survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault
- sheltered 66 adults and 58 children
- took 2,957 crisis hotline calls
- counted 1,233 volunteer hours
