Causes: Crime & Law, Domestic Violence, Family Violence Shelters, Homeless & Housing, Homeless Shelters, Spouse Abuse Prevention

Mission: ALL PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO SAFETY AND DIGNITY IN RELATIONSHIPS. WE ARE DEDICATED TO ADULT AND CHILD SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. RESPONDING TO EACH FAMILY'S STRENGTHS AND VALUES, WE PARTNER TO ENHANCE SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY AND IDENTIFY PATHWAYS TO PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALING, HOUSING AND FINANCIAL SECURITY. WE WORK AT THE INDIVIDUAL, COMMUNITY AND SOCIETAL LEVELS TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

Programs: Residential program - provides communal housing and supportive services for up to two years for domestic violence survivors and their children who are homeless after fleeing abuse. Staff-intensive case management services include personal and professional skills development, psycho-educational group meetings, family nurturing and stabilization, housing search assistance and advocacy, financial and health literacy education, referrals to medical and mental health practitioners, support in the transition to living in the community.

community program - serves survivors of domestic violence living in the community and at all points across the continuum of recovery, from those still living with abuse to those coping with the aftermath of intimate partner violence. Services include safety planning, mentoring and peer support, individual advocacy, links to community services, child and family services, emergency financial resources, life and parenting skills development, including financial and health literacy education and referrals for education and job training. In addition, services include a legal advocacy assistance program that provides survivors of domestic violence with consultation with in-house staff to identify and address legal issues such as immigration, custody, landlord-tenant, etc. ; court accompaniment and preparation for legal proceedings; assistance with legal and government documents; referral to attorneys and legal aid groups.

children services - for children who have experienced domestic violence include advocacy and referrals to day care, school, vacation and summer camps, and to medical, dental, mental health, or legal professionals; referrals and emergency financial assistance to meet basic needs, including food, clothing, and school supplies; parenting support; staffed play space for children while their parents are in on-site meetings. Children's services also include a therapeutic after-school program for elementary school-aged children in residence, providing emotional support and personal skills development along with math and language arts enrichment to bring children with academic delays up to grade level.

outreach and education - services and programs include educational workshops and presentations for the wider community (including teens and college students) about healthy relationships, warning signs, and how to help victims of domestic violence. The second step mobilizes hundreds of volunteers from the community to participate in our work throughout the year. This ranges from volunteers who help at our back-to-school and our holiday gift drives, in our therapeutic after-school program, at our front desk, mentoring and helping in our community programs, cooking meals for our clients, and countless other ways. In addition, we engage the community in dozens of school drives, bar and bat mitzvah projects, and other events throughout the year. In total, over $250,000 a year is donated to the second step in in-kind donations. In addition, we estimate conservatively that over 3,500 volunteer hours are donated to the second step, representing a value of at least $150,000 in donated volunteer time.