Hays County, Room2Hope Celebrate Victim Waiting Room Renovation Completion

Terra Rivers | Managing Editor

Over the course of 18 months, one woman sat in a white room with institutional furniture that had seen better days while she navigated the waters of the justice system.

After her time in the victim’s waiting room at the Hays County Government Center, Denise Fonseca of Dripping Springs embarked on a mission to help change the spaces where victims experience anxiety, hopelessness and fear into places of comfort, nurturing and hope.

In 2018 and 2019, Denise Fonseca of Dripping Springs, like many victims of violent crimes, spent hours on end in the Hays County District Attorney’s Office’s waiting room as a material witness in a felony case.

Fonseca was the victim of 7 years of physical abuse by her intimate partner; with the help and support of local law enforcement, she was waiting to face her abuser and relive the worst experiences of her life.

In February, Fonseca proposed an effort from her non-profit initiative Room2Hope, which is committed to converting worn, shabby Victim Waiting Rooms in courthouses across America into comforting, hope-filled spaces.

According to the District Attorney’s office, victims can spend days in the waiting rooms eating and sleeping there while waiting to face their abusers and testify in court.

“Waiting to testify in court in front of a violent felon is nerve-wracking,” Fonseca said. “As you attempt to stay calm and collect your thoughts while your heart is racing, you’re painfully aware of the uncomfortable chairs with the upholstery coming off, shabby carpets and drab-colored walls.”

On Monday, Room2Hope and Hays County held an honorary ribbon cutting to celebrate the renovation of the Victims Waiting Rooms in the Hays County District Attorney’s Office.

Commissioner Lon Shell, District Attorney Wes Mau, and several of his staff and Sheriff Gary Cutler and many of his deputies were in attendance to mark the occasion.

The renovation was made possible through the donations of members of the community in addition to Fonseca’s restitution money.

Shell and Mau spoke briefly at the “ceremonial ribbon cutting” about how important the rooms will be.

“When I first heard about Room2Hope, it was a few months ago; I met with Denise Fonseca,” Kim Hilsenbeck, Hays County Communications Director, said. “I was blown away by her dedication to this project and her unbelievable determination. While there are many people here at the county who have helped in getting this project launch, I watched Denise make things happen in very short order, and her story is a very personal story.”  

Hilsenbeck said the rooms were functional, but Fonseca’s efforts have brought heart to them.

The renovation was possible with the help of volunteers such as the District Attorney’s Office staff, the Austin Rugby Team, the Huns, Homegrown Development and many individual volunteers, who helped move furniture and paint.

As part of the ribbon cutting, Fonseca took the opportunity to present thank you gifts to those involved in her case, who she said without whom she would not be here today.

The newly renovated waiting rooms have been renamed in honor of one of the project’s major donors and her parents.

“One of the things that is a constant issue for people in my line of work is the fact that we are dealing with people who have been victims of crimes,” Mau said. “They’ve suffered a trauma that they didn’t ask for. It’s already happened before they come to my office, and we have to ask them to go through it again and again and again.”

Mau said these waiting rooms are usually where these conversations take place, and the warmth and comfort that has been put into these rooms by Fonseca and her team are going to make those conversations a little bit easier.

“We believe once you see the rooms and what simple but effective changes can do,” Fonseca said, “It will be hard not to want to share the story and encourage other counties to embrace Room2Hope to bring a similar level of hope, calm and reassurance to victims waiting to testify in violent crime trials.”

Fonseca hopes Hays County’s Room2Hope will be the first of many renovations as she aims to roll the initiative out county by county across Texas and ultimately the rest of the U.S.