AUSTIN, Texas — Domestic violence and abuse doesn't discriminate against age, race, or gender.
That's why two organizations that help end that for children and adults have joined forces.
"As an organization, we are absolutely committed to hearing, honoring, acknowledging the voices of survivors,” said Kelly White, CEO of SAFE Alliance.
The Austin Children's Shelter and SafePlace have merged to become the SAFE Alliance, which stands for Stop Abuse For Everyone.
White says the partnership has been in the works for a while, but finally became official at the start of this year.
"We were doing a better job for the people we serve, we had a louder voice, we were impacting policy in a bigger way, we were doing a better job at really getting to a place where we could work to ending violence and abuse," White said.
Nearly half of the organization's annual budget comes from donations, so there's a greater need for more funding.
SAFE Alliance has 350 employees and more than a thousand volunteers, but the stress of the job can mean workers burn out quickly.
"They're working 24/7 dealing with some of the most traumatized and vulnerable people in our community," said White.
White knows firsthand what it's like to be that person seeking help.
"I was once in a very abusive marriage, and my son got hurt when he was a little boy trying to protect me from his father, and I am anything but a victim," White said.
It's that same attitude that SAFE Alliance wants to inspire in everyone they serve.
"We get to see people figuring out how to make great lives for themselves, for their children, for their families, for generations to come."