{ feature }
Helping Hands
A local with a big Heart supports survivors in her community
Story by Bianca Rawlings Photos by Felicia Frazar
S
tephanie Johnson has lived in Seguin most of her life, but it wasn’t until she moved back to be closer to family after her grandfather’s passing that she found out about the Guadalupe Valley Family Violence Shelter. “I was born here, raised here, but never knew there was a shelter here until I moved back.” Johnson said. It was during college that she stumbled across a volunteer ad in the Seguin Gazette for the shelter and decided it would be a good use of her time. Johnson started as a volunteer nearly 14 years ago, a few years later she became a case manager. Now she is currently the Sexual Assault Program Coordinator and Case Manager at the Guadalupe Valley Family 14 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING
Violence Shelter. She uses her time well at the shelter. From assisting with the creation of programs and providing support for countless families, Johnson continues to lean into every role she takes on at the shelter. “As a volunteer I started out answering phones a couple hours a week and never thought I would be a full-time employee,” Johnson said. Johnson may have never guessed it at the time, but she gave it her all and has since become a strong supporter of survivors of abuse across the four counties — Guadalupe, Gonzales, Karnes and Wilson — served by the shelter. “She is a knowledgeable and experi-
