Helping Hands Against Violence Inc

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES

CRISIS INTERVENTION INCLUDING DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND STALKING IN THE FORM OF ADVOCACY, SHELTER, HOUSING SUPPORT, FOOD, CLOTHING, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE SERVED 73 HISPANIC/LATINOS; AND 93 WHITE/CAUCASIANS. 15 OF THEM WERE MEN AND 175 OF THEM WERE WOMEN. TWO WERE IMMIGRANT/REFUGEE/ASYLUM SEEKERS, AND 5 WERE IN THE LGBTQ+ CATEGORY. WE PROVIDED EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES FOR 142 INDIVIDUALS, CRISIS INTERVENTION FOR 170 INDIVIDUALS, EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR 7836 NIGHTS, CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR 84 INDIVIDUALS, AND SUPPORTED 129 FAMILIES THAT WERE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. THE YEAR OF COVID2020-2021 IN MARCH 2020, WE WERE DEEMED AN ESSENTIAL BUSINESS AND WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR FULL STAFF ALTHOUGH WITH SOME WORKING FROM HOME, ALTERNATING SCHEDULES IN OFFICE, AND A MASSIVE INCREASE IN OUR CLEANING AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS, BASICALLY FOR THE NEXT YEAR. ALL STAFF WERE VACCINATED IN FEBRUARY 2021, WHEN WE BEGAN TO RETURN TO NORMAL-ISH OFFICE HOURS. WE ARE CONTINUING TO USE THE JVC/AMERICORPS PROGRAM TO SERVE AS OUR PREVENTION EDUCATION TEAM WHICH WORKS WITH THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF ABUSE AND PROMOTE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. ALL OF 2020- 2021 SCHOOL YEAR WAS ONLINE, SO THIS POSED A PROBLEM FOR OUR PREVENTION EDUCATOR BUT SHE WAS STILL ABLE TO MAKE SOME INROADS AND BUILD CURRICULUM THAT CAN BE USED STAND-ALONE BY THE TEACHERS OR WITH A PREVENTION EDUCATOR'S SUPPORT. THANKS TO THE ADDITION OF SURVIVOR HOUSING FUNDS WE WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT NUMEROUS SURVIVORS WHO WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN HOMELESS WITH FUNDS TO HELP SECURE PERMANENT HOUSING AND/OR KEEP THEM IN THEIR HOUSING WHEN THEY OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STAY WHERE THEY WERE. IN ADDITION, WE MOVED FORWARD WITH RESEARCHING THE FEASIBILITY OF STARTING A COMMUNITY CHILD CARE PROGRAM WITH A HANDFUL OF SLOTS RESERVED FOR CHILDREN OF SURVIVORS. IN THE SPRING OF 2021 WE HIRED ON OUR MILLIE'S PLACE DIRECTOR, AND BEGAN THE LICENSING AND PERMITTING AND POLICY MAKING ETC OF ONE OF HOOD RIVER'S BEST CHILD CARE PROGRAMS. A STAFF OF FOUR WAS HIRED BY JUNE AND STARTED JULY 1, 2020 WITH A SOFT OPENINGTHE REST OF THE STORY WILL CONTINUE NEXT YEAR WE CANCELLED ALL FUNDRAISER AND OUTREACH EVENTS FOR 2020 AND 2021. THANKS TO GENEROSITY OF BOTH OUR DONORS AND THE GOVERNMENT FUNDED PPP AMONG OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION