BATON ROUGE — Baton Rouge Community College's Safe Wheels Alliance pilot program is expanding to include clients of Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response in the Baton Rouge area.

The program launched in October 2025 through Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges, Baton Rouge Community College, the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Governor's Office of Women's Policy.

BRCC automotive technology students provide routine vehicle maintenance to clients of the IRIS Domestic Violence Center so survivors can access employment, medical appointments, counseling and other essential services.

Laurie Marien, executive director of Women's Policy for the Office of Gov. Landry, said having reliable transportation is essential for survivors to rebuild their lives, and automotive students gain hands-on experience.. 

The expansion adds STAR clients and broadens the program to survivors of sexual assault regardless of their relationship to the person who harmed them. 

"This program enables survivors to be independent by having transportation to get to work, pick up their children and get where they need to go," BRCC Chancellor Willie E. Smith Sr. said. "Simultaneously, the program helps our automotive students by providing them with hands-on experience in the skills they are learning at BRCC. The Safe Wheels Alliance is a win-win for Baton Rouge."