Julie Valentine Center is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides free, confidential services to victims of sexual assault and child abuse. We are one of 14 rape crisis centers in South Carolina. We also educate the community on how to identify, respond to, and prevent sexual violence and child abuse. Our mission statement and philosophy provide the framework for all of our services. We at JVC advocate for and support survivors of sexual assault and child abuse. We ensure that survivors are respected, valued and their voices are heard. Some of our core values include trust, compassion, empowerment, accountability and inclusion.
Julie Valentine Center's mission is to stop sexual violence and child abuse and the impact of these crimes through prevention, investigation, collaboration, treatment, and advocacy.
The History of Julie Valentine Center
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1974 -The Rape Crisis Council of Greenville was founded by a group of 13 female volunteers. At the time there were no support services for rape victims in Greenville other than medical and legal services and they decided to dedicate their time in support of rape victims. The ladies partnered with Greenville Hospital System to provide confidential support for rape victims, became a United Way Community partner, and opened a small office in the basement of Fourth Presbyterian Church. From there, a two-room office at the YWCA became home. 1995 -The growing agency grow relocated, through the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. James Gowan, to a large house at 25 Mills Avenue. 1998 -The agency expands its services to child victims and becomes home to the Upstate Children's Center. |
2001 -The Alliance for Community Trust (ACT) was created by merger of the Greenville Sexual Trauma Center, Prevent Child Abuse Greenville, and the Greenville Children’s Advocacy Center. The objective of this merger was to combine support and administrative functions for all agency programs to improve operational efficiency and provide a single infrastructure to improve and expand delivery of services to the clients served. Due to rapid growth, children's advocacy services moved into a second house at 111 Mills Avenue.
2004 -ACT obtained a large building at 2905 White Horse Road where all programs could be housed in the same building.
2005 - the Alliance for Community Trust (ACT) officially became the Greenville Rape Crisis and Child Abuse Center (GRCCAC). The name change allows our mission of advocacy and service, along with our name to be easily recognizable within our community.
2011 -After years of debate over a name change (we joked that GRCCAC was the scariest name in children’s non-profit) that would better serve our clients and represent us well in the community the board of directors votes for re-branding.. Julie Valentine was a victim of fatal child abuse/abandonment over 20 years ago and her story has inspired and touched many in our community for years. Wanting to take up her cause in her honor, GRCCAC renamed and re-branded itself in February 2011 as Julie Valentine Center. While our cause and commitment to survivors in our community remain the same, JVC has experienced great support and success with its new name and image. Ultimately, it has allowed us to provide a more welcoming and positive environment for clients while empowering us to speak more boldly of our work in the community. JVC looks forward to many more years of advocating for survivors of child abuse and sexual assault and helping them on their healing journey.
2004 -ACT obtained a large building at 2905 White Horse Road where all programs could be housed in the same building.
2005 - the Alliance for Community Trust (ACT) officially became the Greenville Rape Crisis and Child Abuse Center (GRCCAC). The name change allows our mission of advocacy and service, along with our name to be easily recognizable within our community.
2011 -After years of debate over a name change (we joked that GRCCAC was the scariest name in children’s non-profit) that would better serve our clients and represent us well in the community the board of directors votes for re-branding.. Julie Valentine was a victim of fatal child abuse/abandonment over 20 years ago and her story has inspired and touched many in our community for years. Wanting to take up her cause in her honor, GRCCAC renamed and re-branded itself in February 2011 as Julie Valentine Center. While our cause and commitment to survivors in our community remain the same, JVC has experienced great support and success with its new name and image. Ultimately, it has allowed us to provide a more welcoming and positive environment for clients while empowering us to speak more boldly of our work in the community. JVC looks forward to many more years of advocating for survivors of child abuse and sexual assault and helping them on their healing journey.
