Sexual Assault Prevention & Counseling Center: Building Awareness, Offering Hope
Helping a critical community resource expand its reach
Project Snapshot
The Sexual Assault Prevention & Counseling Center (SAPCC) at YWCA Lancaster is Lancaster County’s front-line crisis response for survivors of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse. Despite their life-saving services—including a 24/7 hotline and trauma-informed counseling—the community wasn’t aware of all the support available. As hotline calls declined, especially during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, SAPCC turned to Dana Robertson for a strategy to build awareness and increase access to care.
Discovery Rooted in Survivor-Centered Care
Through deep discovery, we found that while SAPCC’s staff were experts in survivor support, their message wasn’t reaching the people who needed it most—or the community members who could amplify it. Their story was buried under outdated materials and scattered outreach. We built a strategy to shift that, focusing on connecting with new ambassadors, creating space for survivor voices, and developing clear, accessible messaging that reflected the center’s compassionate approach.
Building a Brand Strategy for Impact
I led the creation of a focused brand strategy that clarified SAPCC’s mission and mapped out how to bring it to the community in a way that built trust. We streamlined the visual identity to be more approachable and memorable, audited and refreshed key materials, and created an ambassador engagement strategy to help allies spread the word. Together, we built a roadmap of actions—starting with brand clarity and evolving into ongoing storytelling to keep the conversation going and the support growing.
The Impact
The strategy laid the groundwork for increased awareness and engagement:
SAPCC gained new community ambassadors committed to spreading their message.
The updated visuals and messaging made the Center’s services easier to find and trust.
Survivors and supporters alike had clearer pathways to access resources and take action in their own lives and communities.
By leading with care and clarity, SAPCC was able to expand its reach—and strengthen its role as Lancaster’s vital support for survivors.
Closing Thought
When your mission meets your community with clarity and care, awareness becomes action—and action becomes healing.
