Connecting Survivors to Safety, Stability, and a Path Forward

The Pillar Project provides trauma-informed advocacy, crisis support, resource navigation, job-readiness assistance, and professional education for survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual assault in Baltimore and surrounding Maryland communities.

We provide direct advocacy and support while using trusted community relationships to connect survivors with specialized housing, legal, mental health, and emergency resources.

Advocacy

Trauma-informed crisis support

Referrals

Warm connections to trusted providers

Workforce

Job readiness & professional pathways

Training

Education for police, hospitals, and community

Our Approach

Support Should Not Require Survivors to Navigate the System Alone

Survivors are often handed phone numbers, websites, or lists of organizations while they are still managing fear, trauma, transportation challenges, employment concerns, childcare responsibilities, and immediate safety risks. The Pillar Project provides more than a list. We help survivors identify their needs, understand their options, connect with appropriate resources, and continue moving forward.

01

Listen

We begin by understanding the survivor's immediate needs, concerns, and goals — without judgment and without a script.

02

Stabilize

We help identify urgent safety, transportation, food, clothing, documentation, or crisis-support needs and address what we can right away.

03

Connect

We provide warm referrals and resource navigation for housing, mental health, legal, employment, and other specialized services.

04

Rebuild

We support job readiness, professional development, financial stability, and long-term independence — well after the initial crisis.

What We Provide Today

Direct advocacy, warm referrals, and workforce support — with follow-through survivors can rely on.

Direct Advocacy & Navigation

  • Crisis intervention and safety planning
  • Trauma-informed advocacy and emotional support
  • Protective-order process guidance
  • Housing and shelter referrals
  • Mental-health resource navigation
  • Legal-resource navigation (referral only)

Workforce & Stability

  • Resume development and interview prep
  • Job-search and placement referrals
  • Professional-development coaching
  • Work-appropriate clothing coordination
  • Hospitality pathways with ServSafe (when available)
  • Ongoing follow-up to sustain employment

Professional Training

  • Human trafficking indicators on DV calls
  • Trauma-informed communication for first responders
  • Survivor-centered intervention practices
  • Referral and resource-navigation training
  • Delivered to police, hospitals, and community groups
  • Includes co-presentation with survivor leaders
Community Resource Network

We Work Inside a Broader Ecosystem

The Pillar Project maintains professional relationships with organizations and service providers throughout Maryland. Depending on a survivor's circumstances, eligibility, location, and provider availability, we may help connect individuals with organizations offering shelter, legal support, counseling, family services, rapid rehousing, or other specialized assistance.

Referral connections are made based on survivor consent and provider capacity. The Pillar Project does not guarantee placement, funding, or acceptance into any external program.

Types of Providers in Our Referral Network

  • Emergency shelter
  • Legal-services orgs
  • Trauma-informed counseling
  • Rapid-rehousing programs
  • Family Justice Centers
  • Human-trafficking navigators
  • Sexual-assault advocacy
  • Baltimore City DSS

Resources

Local Support

Get Involved

Volunteer, donate, or partner with us to support survivors in Baltimore.

You are not alone. Help is available now.

Reach out to us or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at any time.