Our 2022-23 Annual Report

When I was a little girl, one of my favorite books was The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. My mother patiently read it to me every night until I knew it by heart. When the caterpillar turned into a beautiful butterfly, I was overjoyed every time. Just remembering how my mom would flap the pages of the book like a butterfly’s wings, animating the illustration and showing off the colors, makes me smile even now.

I get that same feeling when I think of this agency’s 2022-23 year. Not unlike Carle’s caterpillar, our agency went through a time of enormous transformation. In March of 2023, after 22 years as Foothills Alliance, we became First Light:  A 24/7 Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Resource Center. Now our name reflects what we’ve always been, a beacon of hope for survivors of sexual assault and child abuse in the Upstate.

While eating watermelons, cupcakes, cheese, and pears would certainly have been the easier route to transformation, our work was no less a labor of love. In 2022-23, the staff at First Light served more people than any year in our agency’s history, providing services to 1,637 primary and secondary survivors.

We conducted 423 forensic interviews and 74 forensic pediatric medical exams, helping law enforcement and DSS investigate cases of child abuse, neglect, sexual assault, and even homicide. Our staff and volunteers took 155 calls on our helpline, accompanied 67 individuals to the emergency room, and provided 4,933 minutes – the equivalent of over three days – of crisis intervention for individuals who were affected by interpersonal violence.

The best part is that, unlike the caterpillar, we did not labor alone. As we poured our time, expertise, and love into this community, so the community poured into us. We were honored to partner with the Anderson Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Anderson program which helped raise awareness and funds for our mission. Additionally, we had overwhelming support from our community at large, receiving generous gifts from individuals, local foundations, churches, and small businesses.

We hope you have delighted in our transformation as much as we have. Certainly, we could not have achieved it without your steadfast support. Even though we have transformed, we are like the caterpillar, still hungry. Hungry for the justice we can help bring to our children. Hungry for the healing we can give to our survivors. Hungry to achieve our vision of a trauma-informed community that empowers survivors of sexual assault and child abuse.

Until we achieve that vision, we’ll keep eating.