03/08/2026
Happy International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month!
Today, we recognize the many achievements women have made in the ongoing pursuit of equality and liberation. At Rebuilding Hope, the courageous work of the women who came before us continues to shape our efforts today to address gender-based violence and s*xual assault.
In 1972, a group of young women attending the Tacoma Learning Center surveyed Pierce County and found that there were almost no services available for people who had experienced r**e and s*xual assault. In response, they stepped in to provide much-needed support to victim-survivors, forming what was then known as Pierce County R**e Relief (PCRR) in partnership with the YWCA Pierce County. With no initial funding, our founders answered crisis calls from their own homes and coordinated referrals for resources and housing with other local organizations. In 1975, PCRR was formally incorporated as its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
While some early records are limited, our research has identified several of these founding women, including Ilene Molinder, Maureen Saylor, Nancy Bear, Concetta Murphy, Nancy Stanton, and Judith Fortier.
Pictured here is Illene joined by our Executive Director, Carlyn Sampson, during an interview celebrating our 50th anniversary last year. We also included pictures from photo albums passed down from earlier staff. If you know any of these women named or pictured or their family members, we would love to connect. Please reach out to us at Development@rebuildinghope.org.
As we reflect on the impact of their work, we honor their vision, resilience, and determination. Rebuilding Hope is recognized as the longest consecutively operating community s*xual assault resource center in Washington State. Although our name has changed over the past half-century, our commitment to serving victim-survivors and continuing our Founding Mothers’ legacy remains steadfast.
