The campus safety group SafeHorns is looking to fundraise $75,000 to keep their West Campus student support space.

Founded in 2016, SafeHorns is an organization of UT parents and community members who advocate for campus safety. SafeHorns Place, a community space located in the basement of Congressional Church on West 23rd Street, has been the central location for the group’s events and education for almost two years. According to a January Instagram post, SafeHorns is seeking financial support to keep the space for another year. Joell McNew, the president of SafeHorns, said their fundraising goal is $75,000 due to the unexpected continuation of their partnership with the church, which renews each March.

“When we initially started, we were fortunate to have a lot of support from our parent members and some community members and very quickly raised $50,000 to take over that space for one year, … because the church (was) going to be torn down and redeveloped,” McNew said. “They haven’t redeveloped, so they keep saying, ‘you can stay longer.’” 

McNew said SafeHorns has raised $14,000 so far. She said the space has been the heart of the campus community, but the continuous costs of $2,800 a month are immense without outside support. 

“We love this space, we’re doing a lot of work in the neighborhood,” McNew said. 

Olivia Wilson, a strategic and risk communication sophomore, said she has attended several events at SafeHorns Place through her spirit organization, Texas Sunshines, and that the support she has received has been great.

“I attended a self-defense seminar/class through SafeHorns,” Wilson said. “Not only did I learn how to physically protect myself, but I also learned how to verbally protect myself.” 

Wilson recounted a time she felt unsafe walking around West Campus, but found comfort in the knowledge that the SafeHorns Place and the West Campus Ambassadors, which are supported by SafeHorns, were just around the corner. 

“I know there’s people right around the corner that can come help in a case where I’m in danger,” Wilson said.