True North Of Columbia Inc

TO PROVIDE SAFETY, SHELTER, EDUCATION AND TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY DOMESTIC OR SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND TO EMPOWER ALL TO CREATE A SAFER COMMUNITY.

THE TRUE NORTH EMERGENCY SHELTER SERVED 181 RESIDENTS (106 WOMEN AND 75 CHILDREN) IN 2022, PROVIDING OVER 5,877 NIGHTS OF EMERGENCY SHELTER AND 3,578 HOURS OF SUPPORTIVE ADVOCACY SERVICES. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR FAMILIES IN 2022 WAS 32.47 DAYS. SERVICES INCLUDED COUNSELING, CASE MANAGEMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/SEXUAL ASSAULT EDUCATION, SAFETY PLANNING, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, COURT AND HOSPITAL ADVOCACY, PARENTING SESSIONS, INDIVIDUAL CHILD SESSIONS, ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETING EX PARTE ORDERS OF PROTECTION, SUPPORT GROUP SERVICES (INCLUDING LIFE SKILLS SESSIONS), AND VICTIM ADVOCACY. NUMBERS SHELTERED IN 2022 WERE SLIGHTLY LOWER THAN AVERAGE DUE TO A SHELTER FLOOD THAT OCCURRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2021 WHEN THE SHELTER'S SPRINKLER SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE FACILITY WAS CLOSED FOR THE 4TH QUARTER OF 2021 AND THE 1ST QUARTER OF 2022 FOR REPAIR. TRUE NORTH PROVIDED SHELTER SERVICES VIA HOTEL/MOTEL FOR THOSE IN THE MOST DANGER DURING THESE MONTHS BUT REFERRED OTHERS TO SHELTERS WITHIN A 30-MILE RADIUS WHEN THIS OPTION WAS FEASIBLE. TRUE NORTH SHELTER OUTCOMES: THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE TRUE NORTH EMERGENCY SHELTER IS TO KEEP VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT SAFE BY PROVIDING A SECURE AND CONFIDENTIAL RESIDENCE FOR VICTIMS FLEEING DANGEROUS (AND SOMETIMES LETHAL) SITUATIONS AND ENSURE THAT EVERY VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT LEAVES OUR PROGRAM SAFER THAN WHEN HE/SHE ARRIVED. RESIDENT DESTINATIONS OFTEN SERVE AS ONE INDICATOR OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS. IN 2022, 32.68% OF THOSE EXITING THE EMERGENCY SHELTER LEFT THE PROGRAM FOR SAFE, PERMANENT (OR EXTENDED TRANSITIONAL - 2+ YEARS) HOUSING. 49.74% MOVED TO SAFE, TEMPORARY LOCATIONS. 12.22% MOVED BACK INTO AN UNSAFE SITUATION. OF THOSE LEAVING THE PROGRAM AND COMPLETING EXIT INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS, THE FOLLOWING REPORTED THEY HAD MET OR MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON THE FOLLOWING GOALS: SAFETY - 90%; HOUSING - 66.67%; LEGAL - 38.46%; SUPPORT SYSTEM - 69.23%; AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES - 64.29%. 96.43% ALSO REPORTED THEY WERE MORE HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE AND 76.92% REPORTED THEIR CHILDREN NOW HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT HOME.

TRUE NORTH'S OUTREACH PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME INVOLVED IN CHANGING ATTITUDES AND PREVENTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. IN 2022, TRUE NORTH STAFF FACILITATED 14 PRESENTATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS TO CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, STUDENTS, MEDICAL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT STAFF, AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDER AGENCIES REACHING OVER 350 INDIVIDUALS.

THE AGENCY PROVIDED SCATTERED SITE TRANSITIONAL LIVING SERVICES IN 2022 FOR 17 FAMILIES (17 WOMEN AND 18 CHILDREN), PROVIDING 8,203 NIGHTS OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND 254 HOURS OF TRANSITIONAL SUPPORTIVE SERVICES INCLUDING INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT, CRISIS INTERVENTION, COUNSELING, INDIVIDUAL CHILD SESSIONS, COURT-RELATED ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT GROUPS AND LIFE SKILLS CLASSES. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR FAMILIES IN 2022 WAS 234.37 DAYS. TRANSITIONAL LIVING OUTCOMES: THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM (TLP) IS TO FOSTER SUCCESSFUL INDEPENDENT LIVING FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. IN 2022, 4 PARTICIPANTS (AND 3 CHILDRENT) EXITED THE PROGRAM (ALL BUT ONE FAMILY TRANSITIONING IN PLACE TO SAFE PERMANENT HOUSING). 3 SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AND 1 FAMILY WAS EXITED FROM THE PROGRAM. 9 NEW PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WERE WELCOMED TO THE PROGRAM IN 2022 AND WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN SAFE AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH RENT SUBSIDIZED THROUGH THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM. EACH RECEIVED ASSISTANCE WITH SECURITY DEPOSITS. PARTICIPANTS WERE ALSO OFFERED COUNSELING, CASE MANAGEMENT, SUPPORT GROUPS, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING, AND OTHER TRUE NORTH SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. ALL 17 ADULT PARTICIPANTS OPTED TO RECEIVE ON-GOING CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AND TRUE NORTH PROVIDED CRISIS INTERVENTION AND ADVOCACY SERVICES TO 16 ADULT PARTICIPANTS. WE CONTINUE TO BE BOTH AMAZED AND HUMBLED BY THOSE SURVIVORS WHO TRULY THRIVE IN OUR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM DESPITE HAVING EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT PAST TRAUMA AND STRUGGLING TO OVERCOME HUGE BARRIERS TO ACHIEVING SELF- SUFFICIENCY. WE CONTINUE TO SEE POSITIVE CHANGES IN SELF-ESTEEM AND RESILIENCY IN ALL OUR PARTICIPANTS. OF THOSE LEAVING THE PROGRAM, 75% OF THOSE EXITING REMAINED STABLY HOURSED FOR OVER 1 YEAR AFTER EXIT. 100% OF THOSE EXITING HAD MET 50% OF THEIR GOALS AT EXIT. 75% HAD MET 75% OR MORE OF THEIR GOALS AT EXIT.

TRUE NORTH'S NON-RESIDENTIAL SERVICES PROGRAM SERVED 505 VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT IN 2022, PROVIDING OVER 3,661 HOURS OF SUPPORTIVE ADVOCACY SERVICES. THESE INCLUDED INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING, CRISIS INTERVENTION, CASE MANAGEMENT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/SEXUAL ASSAULT EDUCATION, SAFETY PLANNING, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, COURT AND HOSPITAL ADVOCACY, PARENTING SESSIONS, CHILD EDUCATION SESSIONS, AND ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETING EX PARTE AND FULL ORDERS OF PROTECTION. NON-RESIDENTIAL SERVICES OUTCOMES: THE PRIMARY GOAL OF NON-RESIDENTIAL SERVICES IS TO EMPOWER VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT THROUGH EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. IN 2022, OF THOSE LEAVING THE PROGRAM AND COMPLETING EXIT INTERVIEWS AND SURVEYS, THE FOLLOWING REPORTED THEY HAD MET OR MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON THE FOLLOWING GOALS: SAFETY-100%; EMOTIONAL NEEDS-93.1%; LEGAL- 93.1%; SUPPORT SYSTEM-83.33%; AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES-100%. 93.02% OF RESPONDENTS ALSO REPORTED THEY WERE MORE HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FUTURE AND 93.90% REPORTED THEY HAD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT AS A RESULT OF SERVICE PROVISION.