Sojourner Family Peace Center Inc

TRANSFORMING LIVES IMPACTED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

FAMILY PEACE CENTER - THIS 72,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY, WHICH OPENED IN NOVEMBER 2015, PROVIDES CO-LOCATED SERVICES WITH 13 CO-LOCATED PARTNERS. ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED INCLUDE THE AFRICAN AMERICAN BREASTFEEDING NETWORK, AURORA HEALTHCARE, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF WISCONSIN (MILWAUKEE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER, COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION, PROJECT UJIMA, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH), GOODWILL INDUSTRIES, JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES, LEGAL ACTION OF WISCONSIN, MILWAUKEE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, MILWAUKEE POLICE DEPARTMENT, MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND SOJOURNER FAMILY PEACE CENTER.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES:HOPE AND HEALING (SUPPORT GROUPS) - SUPPORT GROUPS ARE FACILITATED BY PROGRAM STAFF AND BASED ON AN EDUCATIONAL, PEER SUPPORT MODEL. THEY HELP VICTIMS UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF ABUSE, HOW THEIR ABUSER'S USE POWER AND CONTROL TACTICS TO MANIPULATE THEM, AND HELP THEM TO REGAIN THEIR DIGNITY, HOPE AND EMPOWERMENT AS SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SUPPORT GROUPS ASSIST SURVIVORS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND EMPOWERMENT. PROGRAM STATISTICS: 290 INDIVIDUALS SERVED; 732 CONTACTS.RUSSIAN-SPEAKING FAMILY STRENGTHENING PROGRAM - IN A CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE MANNER, PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SERVICES TO VICTIMS IN RUSSIAN, SIMILAR TO FPC ADVOCACY AND HOPE AND HEALING DESCRIBED ABOVE. PROGRAM STATISTICS: 47 INDIVIDUALS SERVED; 848 CONTACTS.COMMUNITY DOMESTIC ABUSE ADVOCACY PROGRAM - ADVOCATES ARE CO-LOCATED IN MILWAUKEE POLICE DEPARTMENT DISTRICT STATIONS AND SUBURBAN DEPARTMENTS WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH OFFICERS WHO ARE RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS FOR SERVICE. THEY CONDUCT SAFETY PLANNING WITH VICTIMS, ASSIST THEM IN OBTAINING RESTRAINING ORDERS, CONNECT THEM TO RESOURCES FOR HOUSING, FOOD, CLOTHING AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS, ACCOMPANY THEM TO COURT HEARINGS, AND LINK THEM TO SOJOURNER AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES THAT HELP THEM ACHIEVE SAFETY AND FREEDOM FROM ABUSE. PROGRAM STATISTICS: 3,335 CLIENTS SERVED; 5,296 CONTACTS.COURTHOUSE - ADVOCATES PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH FILING RESTRAINING ORDERS, DEVELOPING PERSONAL SAFETY PLANS, AND LINKING THEM TO LEGAL ADVOCACY AND OTHER SERVICES THAT WILL SUPPORT THEIR SAFETY AND WELL-BEING. PROGRAM STATISTICS: 4,441 CLIENTS SERVED; 15,622 CONTACTS.CHILDREN'S PROGRAM - INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP SUPPORT TO HELP CHILDREN, TEENS AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE WITNESSED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TO UNDERSTAND THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS NEVER THEIR FAULT, DEVELOP AGE-APPROPRIATE SAFETY PLANS, AND LEARN HEALTHY CONFLICT RESOLUTION SKILLS THEY CAN USE IN THEIR OWN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. PROGRAM STATISTICS: 293 CLIENTS SERVED; 1,149 CONTACTS.COMMUNITY EDUCATION - THE FOCUS IS ON INCREASING AWARENESS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY, EDUCATING YOUTH ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, AND EDUCATING BYSTANDERS TO TAKE ACTION TO SUPPORT VICTIMS. THE SPEAKERS BUREAU CONDUCTS PRESENTATIONS FOR WORKPLACES, THE INTERFAITH COMMUNITY AND FOR COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF FAMILY VIOLENCE ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY. PROGRAM STATISTICS: 124 PRESENTATIONS; 2,087 TOTAL ATTENDEES.EDUCATION CENTER - THE FAMILY PEACE CENTER BUILDING CONTAINS FIVE MEETING ROOMS WHICH ARE AVAILABLE TO NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO PROMOTE CONNECTIVITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

FAMILY PEACE CENTER ADVOCACY (FPC) - SOJOURNER FOCUSES ON HELPING VICTIMS REGAIN THEIR SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT AND OBTAIN THE RESOURCES AND SKILLS THEY NEED TO ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND INDEPENDENCE. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH INDIVIDUAL CASE MANAGEMENT. THESE SERVICES ASSIST SURVIVORS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. SERVICES ASSIST SURVIVORS WITH PERSONAL GOAL SETTING AND EMPOWERMENT. SERVICE DATA INCLUDES SERVICES TO VICTIMS REFERRED BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AS A SEPARATE PROGRAM AREA (DOMESTIC ABUSE VICTIM ADVOCATES). PROGRAM STATISTICS: 2,614 INDIVIDUALS SERVED; 6,163 CONTACTS.

SHELTER - PROGRAMS INCLUDE A DOMESTIC ABUSE HOTLINE, CRISIS HOUSING AND BASIC NEEDS ASSISTANCE. THE SOJOURNER DOMESTIC ABUSE HOTLINE OFFERS 24/7 ACCESS TO TRAINED VOLUNTEERS AND ADVOCATES WHO PROVIDE CRISIS INTERVENTION TO VICTIMS, INFORMATION AND REFERRAL TO THE PUBLIC, ASSIST LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO ARE RESPONDING TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CALLS FOR SERVICE, AND NOTIFY VICTIMS WHEN THEIR ABUSERS HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM JAIL. THROUGH THE 53-BED SOJOURNER TRUTH HOUSE EMERGENCY SHELTER, ADULTS AND THEIR CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE SHELTER, NUTRITIOUS MEALS, CHILD CARE, CLOTHING AND PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS. WHILE RESIDING IN THE SHELTER, PARENTS WORK WITH ONSITE MPS SOCIAL WORKER TO ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION TO SCHOOL TO ENSURE THAT THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION IS NOT DISRUPTED. (CONTINUED SCHEDULE O).PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: VICTIMS WHO ARE TAKING THEIR FIRST STEPS TOWARD INDEPENDENCE WHEN LEAVING THE SHELTER RECEIVE BASIC NEEDS ASSISTANCE WITH SECURING SAFE HOUSING, FOOD, CLOTHING, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSEHOLD ITEMS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES. PROGRAM STATISTICS: 13,331 CALL TO THE DOMESTIC ABUSE HOTLINE; 16,782 NIGHTS OF CRISIS HOUSING PROVIDED TO 365 HOMELESS ADULTS AND THEIR CHILDREN WHO WERE FLEEING ABUSE.