Advocate Safehouse Project

Background Statement

HISTORY:

2022 marks Advocate Safehouse Project 35th year of providing assistance for survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence. We have so much to be thankful for as we look back over the past 35years ….

• Trained over 522 volunteer advocates who cover ASP’s Help Line;

• Facilitated women's support groups since 1987;

• Purchased a Safehouse;

• Provided over 45,046 nights of safe shelter for over 1,182 adult survivors and their 1,184 children;

• Outreached to the Latina community since 1996;

• Provided 2,417 educational presentations; &

• Started 2 new programs in 2019, Housing First Program & Youth Program.

We look forward to what the next decade has in store for us at Advocate Safehouse Project as we continue our mission to promote healthy relationships free from violence through education, advocacy, empowerment and safehousing; supporting survivors of domestic and/or sexual violence.

It all started for ASP in 1986 when a group of concerned citizens in Garfield County joined together to respond to both a growing awareness of domestic violence and the need for comprehensive services for domestic violence survivors and their children. In the spring of 1987, ASP was incorporated, volunteer advocates were recruited, a 24-Hour Help Line and volunteer safehomes were established, and two weekly women's support groups with child care were made available in the county. In 1991, the agency expanded services to include survivors of sexual assault.

In 1993, ASP acquired and rehabilitated a facility to be used for a Safehouse Program. In 1999 & 2000, ASP completed a capital expansion project which doubled the space for the organization. In 2008, after 14 years of use (598 families with 618 children for 17,821 nights of shelter) the Safehouse was in dire need of a "Facelift". This work was necessary in order to correct major structural problems in the building, providing easier maintenance of the facility and to "freshen up" the interior.

Advocate Safehouse Project provides the following comprehensive and confidential services:

• 24-hour Help Line - crisis intervention, survivor education, emotional support, advocacy, and information/referrals offered in both English and Spanish staffed by an incredible group of Help Line Volunteer Advocates.

• Safehouse Program - emergency shelter for survivors in danger with crisis intervention, survivor education, safety planning, emotional support, advocacy, case management, and information/referrals.

• Community Outreach Program – crisis intervention, survivor education, safety planning, emotional support, advocacy, case management, and information/referrals for non-residential survivors.

• Housing First Program - connect individual and/or family survivors experiencing homelessness via domestic and/or sexual violence to permanent housing without preconditions and barriers to housing.

• Youth Program –supportive and advocacy services in the schools, community and the Safehouse Program targeting youth/children survivors of family and/or dating violence, and/or sexual violence.

• Latinx Outreach Program - all of the above services to Latinx survivors.

• Community Engagement Program - opportunities to inform and educate members of the community on the development of healthy relationships to prevent domestic and sexual violence.

• Help Line Volunteer Advocate Program – community members are recruited and trained (30+ hours of training) to become Help Line Volunteer Advocates for ASP's 24-hour Help Line.

Recently during 2021 and 2022

• During 2021, ASP handled over 3,300 contacts with survivors, worked with 655 survivors and provided 36 adult survivors with 34 children (70 survivors) with 1,994 nights of shelter.

• Already in January thru September 2022, ASP has handled over 2,800 contacts with survivors, worked with 516 survivors and provided 24 adult survivors with 13 children (37 survivors) with 1,381 nights of emergency shelter.