In its 49th year, the theme of this year’s fall gala benefiting nonprofit mental health services provider The Women’s Center is “Moving Forward Together.” The gala will be held Oct. 28 at The Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, Virginia.
The center is dedicated to serving survivors of domestic violence as well as men, women and children. It is also among the few providers that accept insurance for therapy and counseling. In 2022, some 1,640 clients received counseling, 56% of whom received it either at no cost or for a reduced fee.
Rachna Krishnan, CEO of The Women’s Center, said this year’s gala has a theme that reflects a cry for more togetherness coming out of the pandemic. In 2020 and 2021, the gala was held virtually. When the event returned to in-person in 2022, it not only was well-attended, but was the largest fundraiser to date.
This year’s gala is already promising to echo last year’s enthusiastic participation, she added.
“A lot of organizations are looking at this as a way to bring their people together, to bring their clients together and build that sense of community,” Krishnan said. “People want that sense of community. They want to give back to the community. They want to know that they’re making a difference and having an impact ⏤ and they get that at The Women’s Center. And they get that feeling when they’re at the gala. They get an overview of our services, and they really understand the impact that The Women’s Center has and the impact that they are having.”
The fall gala is the biggest fundraiser of the year for The Women’s Center. Amna Nawaz, co-host of PBS NewsHour, will emcee for the second year in a row. There will be silent and live auctions, photograph opportunities and more.
About The Women’s Center
Mental health counseling is a cornerstone of what The Women’s Center does. Bilingual services are expanding, and the center is also making an effort to do outreach in communities where services are most needed. Krishnan said there is also increased interest in the center’s workshops, which focus on career development, financial planning, and divorce and mediation.
Last year alone, the center provided 20,597 hours of individual, couples and family mental health counseling to 1,640 community members. It also provided 9,218 hours of crisis intervention, mental health counseling and advocacy to 671 domestic violence survivors. The center also assisted with 3,154 calls around information related to careers, children and teens, suicide prevention, mental health, domestic violence and sexual assault.
The center is in a new location to serve its expanding client base and house more therapists. In addition to the main office in Vienna, Virginia, the Center also has a location in Washington, D.C., and provides community services at satellite locations in the region as needed.
“Loneliness, anxiety, depression ⏤ it is still very pervasive,” Krishnan said. “What we’re seeing now in the community and amongst our corporate sponsors and donors is a desire to create that sense of community ⏤ people first.”