Frankie Fowler

For 35 years, Frankie Fowler has provided more than 26,500 hours of volunteer services to countless numbers of survivors and community members through her work for SafePlace, a partnership agency of the SAFE Alliance. She has worked in the shelter, been a voice of hope to callers on the hotline, engaged youth in presentations on healthy relationships and preventing domestic, sexual and dating violence, and volunteered at community events to raise funds and awareness of these issues.

In all she does, Frankie teaches that love is about equality and respect. She has imparted this message to thousands, which they take with them and share with others. She helps break cycles of violence, and teaches tools that work to build healthy and thriving individuals, families and communities. Frankie is a role model and hero to all for her excellent, dedicated and longtime service, mentorship and commitment to our community. She has been honored numerous times by other agencies, local and state government, media and businesses as an exceptional volunteer and leader in the community. She was honored for her amazing service to SafePlace at a reception held in the home of longtime domestic violence advocate and SafePlace Foundation Board trustee Luci Baines Johnson in May 2011.  During this time SafePlace staff and board honored her with a ceremony in her honor and a brick with her name placed at the entrance of the SafePlace Resource Center.

To recognize Frankie’s extraordinary legacy of service, in 2006, SafePlace created the Frankie Fowler Volunteer of the Year Award to recognize SafePlace volunteers who reflect Frankie’s outstanding service and motivation to help address and prevent abuse. Over the past decade the nonprofit has honored 10 outstanding volunteers by recognizing them with the “Frankie Award.” This year SafePlace was able to honor Frankie’s 35 years of service with a Longevity of Service Award. As she was presented with the award, Frankie explained that sometimes you have to take a step back from this hard work and take care of yourself – after all, that’s how she’s made it for this long. The work, however, is incredibly rewarding. “I don’t know if I have 35 more years, but what I do have, I pledge I will give.” She also serves with her church, Texas Mass Choir and the local chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America.