Residents in Wylie and eastern Collin County now have easier access to domestic violence support services thanks to a new partnership between Hope’s Door New Beginnings Center and Hope for the Cities.

Since mid-November, Hope’s Door New Beginnings Center (HDNBC) has begun offering in-person services one day a week from the Hope for the Cities Resource Center in downtown Wylie, located inside The Cross Church Event Center.

Megan Valdez, CEO of HDNBC, is onsite Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., providing assistance to individuals and families impacted by domestic abuse, family violence and teen dating violence.

The move is part of an effort to reduce barriers survivors face when seeking help — particularly transportation challenges that disproportionately affect eastern Collin County communities.

“In the past, we’ve assisted about 45 individuals and families in Wylie, and around 140 in the surrounding area, including Lavon and Josephine,” Valdez said. “So, it makes sense to come over here and be present.”

Hope’s Door has been “building lives without violence” for more than 40 years, offering intervention, prevention and education services to individuals and families affected by intimate partner and family violence. The nonprofit operates shelters in Plano and Garland, offices in both cities and a resale store, following a 2016 merger between Hope’s Door and New Beginnings Center.

The Wylie presence is designed to complement those services rather than replace them. According to Valdez, nearly half of HDNBC’s outreach services — including counseling referrals, advocacy, case management, legal navigation and its Batterers Intervention and Prevention Program — are provided virtually, which allows survivors to connect when safety, work schedules or transportation limit in-person visits.

Still, physical proximity matters.

According to HDNBC, transportation is one of the biggest barriers survivors face when accessing help, which can lead to delayed counseling, missed legal support or staying in unsafe situations.

Eastern Collin County has little to no fixed-route public transportation, says HDNBC, which can leave survivors without options. By locating services in Wylie, the nonprofit aims to meet people closer to where they live, work and go to school.

Hope for the Cities Executive Director Jon Bailey said the downtown Wylie location was intentionally chosen to support that mission.

“We need this space used for the right reasons, with the right organizations,” Bailey said. “The strategic location of being downtown is so good.”

Bailey added the resource center offers private office space where clients can meet confidentially, with flexibility to expand services if demand grows.

“The goal is to start with once a week, which is what we’ve been doing,” Valdez said. “We did a soft announcement on social media, and in January we’ll add signage so people know we’re here.”

Hope’s Door serves survivors regardless of gender identity, ethnicity, disability, immigration status, primary language or sexual orientation. Multigenerational families, including children and older adults, are supported.

In addition to crisis support and advocacy, the nonprofit places a strong emphasis on prevention and education. Community educators provide training and presentations designed to help participants recognize unhealthy behaviors and build skills such as boundary-setting and resilience.

“We really try to focus on youth — not just talking about what violence is, because kids tune that out,” Valdez said. “We talk about how to prevent it from happening in the first place, whether that’s in friendships or dating relationships.”

While recent legislation has made it more challenging for outside organizations to enter schools regularly, Valdez said community-based education remains critical.

“Almost every time we do a presentation, at least one person comes up afterward and says, ‘I think I need help,’ or ‘I just left a relationship like this,’” she said.

Hope’s Door also frequently works with survivors whose experiences overlap with human trafficking, which Valdez noted is often intertwined with domestic abuse.

“Many people don’t identify as both,” she said. “Their trafficker may be a boyfriend or family member, and that abuse becomes normalized.”

Last fall, the Wylie City Council recognized Domestic Violence Awareness Month with a proclamation, highlighting the importance of continued awareness and access to resources.

For now, Valdez said the organization is focused on establishing a consistent presence in Wylie and evaluating community response.

“If we see a lot of people who want these services in person here, then we would talk about having someone in Wylie more regularly,” she said.

Anyone in need of immediate assistance can call Hope’s Door New Beginnings Center’s 24-hour hotline at 972-276-0057. Walk-in support is available Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hope for the Cities Resource Center, 200 N. Ballard Avenue in downtown Wylie.

For more stories about the Farmersville community, see the next print or digital edition of The Farmersville Times. Subscribe today and support local journalism.