NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)- Dozens of agencies and nonprofit groups are slated to receive millions of dollars in grant funding to continue their work helping crime victims in the Lowcountry. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced Thursday that 41 grants totaling nearly $8.5 million will be distributed across the area. It is a portion of the total $26 million in funding awarded to the state for agencies that serve victims of crime. "When someone has been victimized in a crime, they feel very alone and then they go through the criminal justice system which sometimes has the effect of revictimizing the person who just had a crime committed against them," Wilson said. "Just know this: You are not alone. These people are here to help you, these organizations exist...and we're doing everything we can to get dollars to them." The money comes from four separate grants administered through the attorney general office's  Department of Crime Victim Assistance Grants. About two-thirds of the funding was awarded through the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The remainder comes from two state-funded programs. "The funds that we just talked about go to a number of things," Wilson said. "They go to serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and more." Officers inducted into the S.C. Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame However, Wilson noted that VOCA funding has been "drastically cut" at the federal level since 2018, and he applauded bipartisan efforts within the state legislature to help fill the gap. Louise Carson, the executive director of the Children's Recovery Center in Myrtle Beach, said the grant will allow the organization to continue providing services free of charge. "This year, my VOCA funds are being used to provide 55% of the salaries for two children's advocates and two forensic interviewers," Carson said. "Without this money, we would be in a real bind to keep those positions." The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office is also receiving funds, which officials said will be used to support the agency's crime victim advocates. "It's a big deal," Sheriff Duane Lewis said. "We've been involved in this for several years, and we're thankful for all the support we get."