ASHEVILLE, N.C. – September 18, 2026 — Our Voice, the Western North Carolina nonprofit dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking, recently released its 2025-26 Annual Report. The document details a year of expanded services and growing demand for support, even as federal funding for the organization’s survivor services faced sharp decline.
Over the past year, Our Voice answered 1,923 crisis line calls, supported 172 survivors through counseling, and provided 13 forensic exam accompaniments across Buncombe, McDowell, and Transylvania Counties. The organization also reached 667 adults and 406 youth through prevention education and logged 4,197 volunteer hours in support of its mission. Our Voice also supported community infrastructure for survivors, including expansion of the PorchLight Project. This partnership with Helpmate trains local businesses—78 and counting—to serve as safe, welcoming spaces for survivors.
“I am so grateful for the amazing team of passionate change makers we have at Our Voice. In the last year, we have served many survivors and continued our vital prevention education work to end violence before it begins,” said Rita Nugent, Our Voice Executive Director. “We are also grateful for the survivors who have put their trust in us to walk alongside them in their healing. This report shows that despite the pain that persists in our community, healing is possible.”
The report also reflects a shifting funding landscape. Our Voice navigated the loss of more than $130,000 in federal funding last year under shifting national priorities, and faces more than double the loss this year, with an expected gap of $333,000. This funding has direct impacts on a broad range of services including counseling and bilingual advocacy for survivors. The loss has made community investment more essential than ever to sustain the organization’s continuum of care.
Matt Walter, Our Voice Board Treasurer, said, “I’ve seen firsthand how government funding cuts are impacting Our Voice and our ability to provide free, critical services to survivors. These services must remain available to every survivor who needs them. That will take all of us—local businesses, organizations, and individuals—stepping up to support this vital work.”
For more information about Our Voice’s work, visit www.ourvoicenc.org. If you or someone you know needs help, Our Voice’s 24/7 crisis line is available at (828) 255-7576.