PASSAGES, Inc.

Thank you to our $1,000 Diamond WAm sponsor 

Prevention And Services for Sexual Assault through Guidance, Empowerment, and Support 

PASSAGES, Inc.  was founded in 1980 as The Rape Crisis Center in Clarion County. 
   The first "office" was located on Clarion University's campus (Clarion State College at the time) in Harvey Hall.  It was the idea of Mary Ann (Roseman) Kernich and Teri (Drayer) Rhodes who, due to their jobs as a 911 communications operator and member of the campus security staff, had seen too many cases where individuals had nowhere to go for help after being assaulted. Together they, along with a former Clarion State college student, Julie Copen coordinated a county awareness seminar to educate the community about sexual violence. Following this seminar, they were convinced that a place for survivors to go for help was needed. With the help of Karen Dupree from the college's foundation office to help seek out a small amount of funding Clarion County's Rape Crisis center was born.