Project Help “someone’s someone” be the Voice in OUR Community

By April May

Many have heard of us, but most have not until that someone is you or you are someone’s daughter, someone’s son, someone’s wife, someone’s parent. So, who are we? What do we do?
We are BELIEVERS— We are Project HELP!

We are YOUR non-profit organization that is staffed by professional counselors and advocates that are committed to providing hope, empowerment, and healing to those affected by sexual violence, violent crimes and sudden death of a loved one as a result of a violent crime.

Project HELP provides free counseling, advocacy services and a 24-Hour Crisis & Referral Helpline to our community, YOUR community.

Project HELP has served Collier County for 37 years and we want everyone to know WHO we are, WHAT we do, and HOW to reach us if you or your someone ever needs our help.

Thalia Vazquez

If you are reading this and you or your “someone” has not heard of Project HELP, you may be thinking or saying—NOT my community! NOT Naples, Florida! NOT Collier County! That—
Rape does not happen here in paradise! Sadly, it does. . . no one wants to talk about the elephant in the room! Project HELP wants to normalize the conversation about Sexual Violence-YES Rape! Astonishingly, Project HELP assists more than 5000 new clients each year, provides more than 10,000 client service hours and answers 2,000 calls to the 24/7 HELPline— all of which are completely FREE and confidential.

Now that you know the basics of who we are, what do we actually do? How does that “someone” go about contacting Project HELP? Then what happens?

Imagine the Strength, the Courage that it takes “SOMEONE” to pick up the phone and reach out to Project HELP or the 24/7 HELPline. Imagine “SOMEONE” on their darkest of days asking for help; asking to relive that day as someone faces the trauma head on. “Thank you for calling the crisis and sexual assault helpline this is April, how may I help you?” It begins with speaking to one of our many volunteers on the line after-hours or one of four victim advocate counselors, or one of five therapists, or a Master Level Intern, one of 14 BELIEVERS on the other end of the phone. It begins with a session of crisis intervention. It begins with a session of healing with a certified animal assisted therapy dog. It begins with EMDR Therapy-Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It begins with Art Therapy. It begins with Dialectical Behavior Therapy. It begins with a supportive person by your side through the court system. It begins with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for child survivors—YES, children too!

Every ‘’Someone” has a journey of healing. Project HELP can’t take away the trauma but Project HELP can help “someone” heal from the trauma. It all begins with being a BELIEVER and talking about the elephant in the room.

Featured Photo: Susan Abraham, Alex Abraham and Cooper

Are you a BELIEVER? If so please consider volunteering, joining us at National Crime Victims Rights Week on April 27, 2023 at Baker Park, be a voice for our community, your community where survivors will be heard, BELIEVED and supported!

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