Published: September 13, 2007 10:44 am      

$1 million pledge

Local women's shelter gets assistance from McCoy family

The Emmett and Miriam McCoy Foundation has contributed $500,000 to the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center (HCWC) for the construction of a new family violence shelter and has also pledged a $500,000 challenge grant to be given when an additional $500,000 in support for the shelter has been raised.

HCWC provides education, violence prevention services, and crisis intervention to victims of family violence, sexual assault, and child abuse in an ongoing effort to bring an end to violence and abuse in Hays and Caldwell counties.

A surge in population growth as well as increased awareness of abuse issues have brought more and more local citizens to HCWC for services, officials say. Over the last 22 years, the shelter has provided 76,498 nights of shelter for 7,283 women and children.

“We are extremely proud to share this gift because of the wonderful work and dedication of the staff and volunteers at the Center,” the McCoys said in announcing the gift and pledge.

For more than 20 years, the Emmett and Miriam McCoy family has supported the work of the center to ensure safety and healing for victims of abuse. HCWC’s first shelter was built by the McCoys in 1983. In addition, the family also built the Counseling and Resource Center dedicated to Dennis and Cindy McCoy in 1996, and Roxanne’s House, now used as the organization’s children’s advocacy center, was purchased in 1997.

“We are deeply grateful for the generous support of the McCoy family in helping our community reach out to each victim of family violence, sexual assault and child abuse,” Marla Johnson, executive director of HCWC, said. “These extraordinary benefactors have changed lives and helped to save children, women and men from trauma and death. We are honored to have the McCoys as partners in this crucial and important work.”

The new family violence shelter is part of a multi-faceted expansion of HCWC to address the increasing needs for programs and services in Hays and Caldwell counties. In addition to providing critical safety needs for victims, the new shelter will also have restricted access both to the facility and to parking and neither the grounds nor the facility will be visible from a public street.

Other features of the new shelter include three separate gathering areas for different aged children, accommodations for 10 families and space for male victims. The expanded capacity will also enable the shelter to “double up” in rooms if the need warrants.

Those interested in assisting HCWC to raise the necessary funds for the $500,000 challenge grant may send donations to the Hays-Caldwell Center, P.O. Box 234, San Marcos, TX 78667-0234, contribute online at www.hcwc.org, or contact them at 396-3404.