Resilience

What Resilience does

Resilience is an Illinois-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1974 (as Rape Victim Advocates) by Northwestern Memorial Hospital OB/GYN Dr. Natalie A. Stephens, providing trauma-informed crisis intervention, advocacy, and survivor support services to sexual assault survivors in the Chicago metropolitan area. Until 1986 it operated entirely on volunteer labor before hiring its first executive director; in 2024 it rebranded to Resilience and relocated its main office to 444 North Michigan Avenue on the Magnificent Mile. The organization's revenue model is donation- and grant-driven, supplemented by sliding-scale fees from the Resilience Training Institute (RTI) and proceeds from fundraising events; all direct survivor services are provided free of charge regardless of immigration status.

The core service portfolio covers three pillars: Trauma Therapy (individual, group, family, couples, school-based, and art therapy up to 20 sessions, offered in English and Spanish), Medical and Legal Advocacy (24-hour in-person crisis response at 12-15 partner hospital emergency departments and accompaniment through criminal justice, protective orders, and Title IX processes), and Education and Training (prevention workshops for youth and adults plus RTI's professional certification programs supporting compliance with the Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Act). Supporting programs include the Our Music My Body venue-based consent campaign (in partnership with Between Friends), the 120+ volunteer medical advocate program, annual Sexual Assault Awareness Month activations, and ICE preparedness resources for immigrant survivors.

Reach is anchored by 38 paid staff, 249 volunteer advocates, a 24-hour Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline, three community offices (downtown, East Garfield Park, and the YWCA Medical District Center), and embedded coverage at Advocate Illinois Masonic, Stroger, Northwestern Memorial, Rush, and UIC hospitals. The organization serves 1,500-2,000+ survivors and loved ones annually, reports 99% ER-survivor satisfaction, and cites outcome data that survivors with advocate support are 59% more likely to have police reports taken. Resilience operates exclusively in the Chicago metro area and is governed by a board under Executive Director Donna Jacobson, with no venture, private equity, or parent-company ownership.

Name

Resilience

Legal name

Resilience

Website

https://ourresilience.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Resilience is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1974, providing free 24-hour crisis response, trauma therapy, and medical/legal advocacy to sexual assault survivors across 12-15 partner hospitals and community offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention and Survivor Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAAAK

Disaster Recovery, Reconstruction & Resilience Programs

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Relief

SECONDARYHLAFACAN

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Behavioral Health & Substance Use Treatment

Keywords

• Sexual assault services
• Trauma therapy
• Crisis intervention
• Survivor advocacy
• Prevention education

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: Resilience relies on tax-deductible contributions from individual donors and corporate sponsors. Donations support all programs and services including trauma therapy, advocacy, and prevention education.
2. Event Fundraising: Annual events including Cocktails for a Cause, Brunch & Bowl Fundraiser, Evening of Impact, and Celebrating Resilience Luncheon generate revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations.
3. Professional Training Fees: The Resilience Training Institute offers sliding-scale priced professional training programs including 40-hour Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training, Preventing Sexual Violence in Higher Education Training, and Confidential Advisor Training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Resilience provides free, confidential crisis intervention, trauma therapy, and medical and legal advocacy services to sexual assault survivors in the Chicago metropolitan area, supplemented by prevention education and fee-based professional training programs delivered through the Resilience Training Institute. All survivor-facing services are provided at no cost regardless of immigration status, gender identity, or ability to pay, with 24-hour hospital response at 12 partner emergency departments and bilingual English/Spanish support.

Product overview

Resilience is an Illinois 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization providing comprehensive crisis intervention and support services for sexual assault survivors. Founded in 1974 as Rape Victim Advocates, the organization offers a unified service model centered on trauma-informed care. The core service portfolio includes Trauma Therapy Services (individual, group, family, couples, school-based, and art therapy), Medical and Legal Advocacy (24-hour hospital crisis response at 12 partner hospitals and criminal justice system navigation), and Education and Training (prevention education and professional training via the Resilience Training Institute). Supporting programs include the Our Music My Body campaign for music venue safety, Volunteer Medical Advocate Program, Sexual Assault Awareness Month programming, and resources such as the Ricky Tells His Truth children's book and ICE preparedness materials. All services are provided free of charge regardless of immigration status, gender identity, or other characteristics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Our Music My Body: A grassroots campaign created in partnership with Between Friends to raise awareness about sexual harassment in the music scene, promoting consent-informed music spaces.
• Resilience Training Institute (RTI)

Products and services

• Trauma Therapy Services Individual and group trauma therapy for survivors of sexual violence, including short-term therapy (up to 20 sessions), family counseling, couples counseling, school-based therapy, and art therapy. Provided free of charge in English and Spanish.
• Medical Advocacy Services 24-hour crisis response and support for sexual assault survivors at partner hospital emergency departments, including crisis counseling, medical examination accompaniment, evidence collection kit support, and connection to follow-up care.
• Legal Advocacy Services Navigation of the criminal justice system, information on legal rights and options, assistance with protective orders, accompaniment to law enforcement and court proceedings, and referrals for Title IX complaints, immigration, and workplace rights.
• Prevention Education Workshops for youth and adults covering identification of rape culture elements, risk reduction, and bystander intervention. Includes programs for elementary school through college students, youth development programs, parents, and community organizations.
• Resilience Training Institute (RTI) Established in 2018, RTI offers sliding-scale priced professional training programs including 40-Hour Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training, 40-Hour Confidential Advisor Training, Preventing and Responding to Sexual Violence in Higher Education Training (PSVHE), and 60-Hour Medical Volunteer Training.
• Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline 24-hour crisis hotline (1-888-293-2080) providing immediate support for sexual assault survivors in the Chicago area.
• Ricky Tells His Truth Children's book for sexual abuse prevention education that supports conversations with children about body safety, safe and unsafe touch, and disclosure. Currently being re-illustrated and redesigned for expanded classroom and educational use.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% of survivors seen in the ER agreed or strongly believed the crisis services provided were helpful
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Between FriendscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOur Music My Body campaign is a collaborative initiative created in partnership with Between Friends and led by Resilience. The campaign raises awareness about sexual harassment in the music scene and works with festival and venue staff, musicians, and music fans to create consent-informed music experiences.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• YWCA Metropolitan Chicago: Hosts Resilience's Westside community office and youth-focused programming at the YWCA Medical District Center. YWCA's broader mission includes sexual violence support, racial justice, and economic empowerment, with overlapping survivor-services work in Chicago.
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): The largest national anti-sexual-violence organization in the US, operating the National Sexual Assault Hotline and providing crisis intervention, public education, and policy advocacy. Directly comparable mission and overlapping service lines (hotline, education, advocacy), though RAINN operates at a national scale rather than regionally embedded hospital crisis response.
• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC): National resource hub providing training, prevention resources, and technical assistance for sexual violence service providers. Comparable in its training-and-education mission and its role supporting sexual assault service organizations across the country.
• Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA): Statewide coalition of rape crisis centers in Illinois providing training, technical assistance, and public policy advocacy. Overlaps with Resilience on training delivery, policy work, and coalition-building for sexual violence service providers.

Direct peers

• Between Friends: Chicago-based nonprofit providing services to those affected by domestic violence. Resilience's listed partner in the 'Our Music My Body' campaign, with closely aligned mission around interpersonal violence prevention, survivor support, and community education.
• Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE): Chicago-based nonprofit working to end sexual exploitation through legal advocacy, policy reform, and direct services. Operates in the same Chicago geography with overlapping advocacy, prevention, and survivor-support mandates, making it the most direct local peer.

Emerging players

• End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI): Organization focused on training and resources for criminal justice system response to sexual violence. Directly comparable training-and-capacity-building mandate, particularly overlapping with Resilience's law enforcement training offerings.

Regional players

• The Network: Advocating Against Domestic Violence: Chicago-area coordinated response network against domestic violence, providing training, technical assistance, and resources. Comparable mission and Chicago-area footprint, though focused on domestic rather than sexual violence.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/resiliencechi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL9YIHsBYp9yKUyZ_jdBQXJq_YF3eu0QiH
• Facebookfacebook.com/ResilienceChi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/resiliencechi
• Instagraminstagram.com/resiliencechi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Resilience