The mission of the Women’s and Children’s Crisis Shelter, Inc., is to serve victims of domestic violence by providing emergency and transitional shelter programs for victims who request protection and assistance, by providing culturally relevant and supportive intervention services, by coordinating with other agencies working to improve the wellness of families, and by providing information for the prevention of intimate partner violence.
During this fiscal year 2009-2010, the program and agency underwent many changes, such as reductions in governmental funding, budgetary cuts, and the closure of the Women In Transition Program. The board of Directors also conducted an extensive search for a new Executive Director, who was hired in March of 2010. In spite of all of these changes and challenges our core services continued uninterrupted. It was a very beneficial year for our participants.
Our 24-hour hotline links victims to available community resources, including shelter within the Greater Los Angeles County area. The hotline operators are bilingual English/Spanish. Most calls last approximately 45 minutes. There are basically four types of calls:
- Other agencies interested in getting help for domestic violence victims;
- People calling for referrals and resources;
- Victims of abuse in crisis and in need of shelter; and
- Non-domestic violence calls such as homeless.
Our weekday warm line is used primarily for obtaining information and referrals related to domestic violence.
During fiscal 2009-2010 there were 1317 hotline/warm line calls; more than half were crisis calls.
Shelter is one of our major programs and reasons for being. We provide both emergency shelter for up to 45 days per family and transitional shelter for up to one year per family. Both are in undisclosed locations and offer maximum security to the clients, who are trying to heal and rebuild their lives. Each person has all of their basic needs taken care of while they work with us to build a safety plan for the future and take the next steps in their new lives.
During fiscal 2009-2010, 280 people spent 3,667 nights at our shelters and were provided with 14,673 meals.
Outreach services are provided to clients who do not need or are not yet ready for emergency shelter. They receive all of the same services except for food and shelter.
During fiscal 2009-2010, the outreach/walk-in center assisted 320 people.
Client advocacies which are provided to all clients at the emergency shelter, the transitional shelter, and the walk-in site generally fall into four categories:
Case management is the process during which the client and staff work together to formulate both a safety plan, a strategy for the future, and what is needed to move forward.
Legal advocacies include assistance with filing for restraining orders, preparation for court appearances, accompaniment to all court hearings, and linkages for other family legal issues such as custody, marriage dissolution, and visitation.
Housing advocacies include assistance with transitional housing following emergency shelter, Section VIII vouchers, landlord issues, affordable permanent housing, and linkages to housing agencies. Above all else, our advocacies are concerned with making the housing safe and secure.
Medical advocacies include accompaniment on trips to the emergency room, clinics, or doctors’ offices, purchasing prescription medications, and linkages with doctors and hospitals.
During fiscal 2009-2010 there were 10,246 units of client advocacies.
Individual Counseling is available to clients at the emergency shelter, both for mothers and for children. It is offered on a weekly basis for the duration of the stay. Therapists help the clients work through domestic violence issues, determine any special needs, and meet with shelter staff to provide thorough and complete case management.
During fiscal 2009-2010, 201 counseling hours were devoted to children and 243 to mothers.
Domestic Violence Workshops and Parenting Classes are an integral part of our empowerment program. In the professionally facilitated domestic violence workshops clients, both at the shelter and at the walk-in center, meet weekly and follow a well-developed curriculum designed to help them understand the cycle of violence that has them trapped and empower them to rebuild their lives. In the professionally facilitated parenting classes clients follow a curriculum designed to teach them non-violent parenting skills.
During fiscal 2009-2010, 5,370 hours of workshops and classes were provided to clients.
Clothing, hygiene product, household items, and toy distribution is critical to our clients who often leave their batterers with no more than the clothes on their backs. Thanks to the generosity of our community we receive an overwhelming number of gifts throughout the year, but especially at the holidays. These gifts of clothing, toys, household goods, and hygiene products are distributed to the clients at both our shelter and walk-in center. They are augmented by the Shelter’s Right Hand Thrift Shop where our clients can “shop” for whatever they need or want at no charge.
During fiscal 2009-2010 22,815 items of clothing, household, and hygiene and 3,096 toys were distributed to clients.
Children’s program at the emergency shelter includes art therapy, individual counseling, group therapy, on-site school for children between 5 and 13, play therapy, and childcare when the mother has an advocacy appointment. This program is aimed at helping each child regain a strong sense of self so that (s) he can break the cycle of violence. We teach non-violent problem solving, creative thinking, and artistic expression in a warm, safe and caring environment. The childcare which is provided at both the emergency shelter and the outreach center is nurturing and child-centered. We also have an on-site school for children at the emergency shelter which provides not only for continued education, but a sense of normalcy in their lives.
During fiscal 2009-2010 we provided nearly 2,960 hours of programming and care for children and 721 hours of school.
Community Linkages
WCCS continues to cultivate our collaborative and cooperative relationships with agencies, organizations, and departments locally and County wide. Some of these activities include:
- Whittier City School District provides our on-site school for children of families residing at our emergency shelter with an accredited teacher.
- We are active members of both the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Council and the Shelter Directors Committee.
- We are developing a relationship with the local DCFS offices.
- Enhanced our outreach to corporations and to business employee giving programs.
Supporters
Even during this very difficult economy, we received an out-pouring of support from individuals, agencies, organizations, and foundations, in addition to the grants we have from local, county, state and federal agencies. This very generous community also showed their continued support of our programs by providing an amazing number of gifts for our clients. Some of our supporters include:
- BCM Foundation
- Blue Shield Foundation
- Francine R. Rippy and the Rippy Corporation
- Gogian Foundation
- PDSI Foundation/Linda & John Belsito
- Rose Hills Foundation
- Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
- S. Mark Taper Foundation
- Sacchi Foundation
- Supervisor Knabe – annual donor to the Shelter’s Right Hand walk
Volunteers
Our Board of Directors went beyond the call of duty this year with researching, interviewing, and hiring a new Executive Director. They did their due diligence with governance, creating, and attending fund raising events which helped support WCCS financially.
Also, there were over ten dedicated volunteers, who provided their time and energy via administrative support and direct services, which included grocery shopping for the shelter and donation cataloging.
This fiscal year, thanks to the efforts of two Board members, who oversaw the Volunteer Program, we were able to recruit new volunteers. WCCS volunteers logged 1089 volunteer hours in 2009-2010. |
