Augusta Domestic Violence Organization Cancels Annual Fundraiser

It’s a beloved fundraising event that usually takes place in January, but unfortunately for SafeHomes Domestic Violence Center, this year’s Fake It to Make It has been canceled. The organization made the announcement at the end of October on its Facebook page, citing the impact of Hurricane Helene. 

In a Facebook post on October 30, 2024, SafeHomes shared that the impact of the storm was greater than it realized, and it had to “pivot accordingly.”  

“While we are so grateful for the teams, vendors and sponsors who were willing to be part of the event, we recognize and sympathize with the hardships that many are continuing to endure,” the post went on to say. “While our mission doesn't stop, and this will cause a significant impact to our budget, we also care about the well-being of each of our teams, our sponsors and our community at large.” 

The Fake It to Make It fundraising and event page confirms that without the event, the organization will have a net income loss of $203,000. 

While the organization won’t be hosting its major fundraising event this year, there are still ways the community can make donations supporting the SafeHomes mission. Monetary donations can still be made through the Fake It to Make It fundraising page here. 

In addition to monetary donations, the organization also accepts a variety of items throughout the year. The SafeHomes website lists these items as current needs: 

For donating larger items (furniture/appliances/etc.), SafeHomes asks that you call their office at (706) 736-2499. 

Donations can be dropped off at The Edge at Warren Baptist Church at 3231 Washington Road. Upcoming drop-off dates are Friday, February 7 and Friday, March 7 between  noon and 2 p.m.  

The Martinez Campus of Abilene Baptist Church also accepts donations. It is located at 3917 Washington Roady in Martinez and will accept drop-offs Tuesday, January 21, Tuesday, February 18, and Tuesday, March 18, between 5 and 7 p.m. 

SafeHomes Domestic Violence Center also has an Amazon Wish List. Items can be purchased through the wish list and sent directly to the center. See the Amazon Wish List here. 

Fake It to Make It has been a SafeHomes signature event since 2016. Since its inception. it has raised more than $1.5 million for the SafeHomes mission to help victims of domestic violence.  

The lip sync challenge show has been a popular event, with the show selling out almost every year. In 2019 and 2024, the event was voted Best Fundraising Event by readers of Augusta Magazine.  

Fake It to Make It features six teams of five who compete to take home a coveted championship belt for the titles of Top Fundraiser, People's Choice, and Judges’ Choice. 

SafeHomes, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization based in Augusta, GA. The program has been serving the area for more than 35 years and is the only domestic violence program for the East Central Georgia Region, which includes: Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, and Wilkes counties.  

The mission of SafeHomes is “to transform victims of domestic violence into survivors.” The organization does this through providing emergency shelter, legal advocacy, counseling, support groups, job training, and more. Victims of domestic violence are often referred to SafeHomes through law enforcement, medical professionals, and other victim service providers.  

Services through SafeHomes are completely free and confidential for victims, but the organization would not be able to provide these services without donations and support from the community. Learn more about SafeHomes and how you can donate or volunteer at SafeHomesDV.org.