Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
FAMILY ADVOCACY -
ONGOING SUPPORT--243 WOMEN AND 383 CHILDREN. 46 WOMEN AND 45 CHILDREN
STAYED AT THE REFUGIO; THE AVERAGE STAY WAS 63 DAYS. 96% OF
PARTICIPANTS DEVELOPED A SAFETY PLAN AND 93% DEMONSTRATED
IMPLEMENTATION OF THEIR GOAL PLANS. APPROXIMATELY 300 INDIVIDUALS WERE
SERVED ON A WALK-IN BASIS AT THE HENNEPIN COUNTY DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICE
CENTER (DASC). WE HAVE ADDED A SECOND ADVOCATE AT DASC. WE ALSO
CONTINUED OUR WORK WITH THE HENNEPIN COUNTY CHILD PROTECTION SERVICES
(PSOP), THE MIDTOWN SAFETY CENTER, THE MINNEAPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT
AND BRIDGES TO SAFETY. THE FAMILY ADVOCACY STAFF WORKED CLOSELY WITH
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STAFF TO INTEGRATE MIND/BODY MINDFULNESS AND
THE NATIONAL LATIN@ NETWORK (NLN) FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
FOCUSES ON POLICY ADVOCACY, RESEARCH AND TRAINING AND TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE. CASA DE ESPERANZA/NLN IS DESIGNATED AS THE NATIONAL
RESOURCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND LATIN@ COMMUNITIES FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA): THE NLN PROVIDED 147 TRAINING
EVENTS, INCLUDING WORKSHOPS, NATIONAL CONFERENCES, WEBINARS, BLOG-TALK
RADIO SEGMENTS, ETC. A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 7,500 INDIVIDUALS WERE
TRAINED. THE NLN HOSTED 5 CONFERENCES THAT REACHED 250 INDIVIDUALS;
TRAINED 3,850 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH 87 IN-PERSON TRAININGS; BROADCAST 45
WEBINARS FOR 1,134 INDIVIDUALS, AND SUPPORTED 206 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH
THROUGH OUR AMIG@S INITIATIVE, 77 AMIG@S (YOUTH AND ADULTS)
PARTICIPATED DURING THE YEAR AND REACHED OVER 3,400 PEOPLE VIA THEIR
COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECTS. THE ONLINE RESOURCE CENTER PROVIDED HELPFUL
INFORMATION AND RESOURCES FOR LATIN@S IN THE TWIN CITIES AREA, WITH
MORE THAN 5,700 VISITS FROM MOBILE DEVICES. KEY AMIG@S PROJECTS
INCLUDED: A TWO-DAY, TWO-NIGHT CAMP FOR 30 LATINA GIRLS; 4TH ANNUAL
LATIN@ YOUTH CONFERENCE HOSTED BY THE YOUTH AMIG@S; PRESENTING
INFORMATION/RESOURCES AT 8 COMMUNITY FAIRS; AND PARTICIPATION IN THE
MINNESOTA WOMEN'S FOUNDATION'S YOUNG WOMEN'S LISTENING PANEL (THE GIRLS
STORIES' WERE USED COLLECTIVELY WITH OTHER GIRLS' STORIES TO SUPPORT
THE CREATION OF ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS FOR GIRLS). OTHER KEY SUCCESSES INCLUDE: LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR A NEW COHORT OF YOUTH
AMIG@S, TRAINING ON HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND DATING/DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
TO YOUTH AT 5 SCHOOLS IN DAKOTA COUNTY, AND WORKING WITH EL COLEGIO
CHARTER SCHOOL TO HOST A SERIES OF EVENTS, INCLUDING A DAY OF THE DEAD
ACTIVITY AND TRAINING. PROGRAM STAFF ALSO ASSISTED WITH ORGANIZING THE MUJERES
LATINAS EXPO, A COLLABORATION OF CASA DE ESPERANZA, CLUES, UCARE, BRAIN
INJURY ALLIANCE, MINNEAPOLIS PARKS AND RECREATION, AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS. IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, OUR PROYECTO NAVIDAD
PROJECT PROVIDED HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR 45 FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY AND AT
THE REFUGIO.
THE NLN REACHED 244 ORGANIZATIONS FROM 26 STATES, PLUS
WASHINGTON DC AND PUERTO RICO. WE ALSO PROVIDED SERVICES IN PERU,
CHINA, CUBA AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. CONFERENCES INCLUDED THE
NATIONAL LATIN@ INSTITUTE, TWO REGIONAL TRAININGS AIMED AT SUPPORTING
COMMUNITY-BASED AND CULTURALLY-SPECIFIC NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS BUILD
THEIR CAPACITY; AND, A NEW GRANTEE ORIENTATION FOR 20 ORGANIZATIONS OF
THE OVW CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES PROGRAM (CSSP). THE DECIMOS NO MS
CAMPAIGN, LAUNCHED WITH A TOOLKIT AND CAMPAIGN MATERIALS; COVERAGE ON
17 MEDIA OUTLETS ABLE TO REACH A POTENTIAL AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 19
MILLION PEOPLE NATIONALLY. THE NLN HAS 1675 ONGOING MEMBERS, WHO ENGAGE
THROUGH WEEKLY E-NEWS, MONTHLY WEBINARS, AND OTHER TRAINING AND
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THE NLN WEBSITE HAD 67,093 UNIQUE PAGE VIEWS, AN
INCREASE OF 50% FROM PREVIOUS YEAR.
PUBLIC POLICY: CASA DE ESPERANZA CONTINUES TO BE AN ACTIVE STEERING
COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL TASK FORCE TO END SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE (NTF); STAFF CO-CHAIRS THE IMMIGRATION COMMITTEE. THE
ORGANIZATION IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL HISPANIC LEADERSHIP
AGENDA (NHLA), CO-CHAIRS THE LATINA TASK FORCE, AND PLAYED A CRITICAL
ROLE IN ENSURING A STRONG GENDER LENS IN THE 2016 NHLA PUBLIC POLICY
AGENDA. THE CEO AND PUBLIC POLICY STAFF ATTENDED THE 21ST ANNIVERSARY
OF VAWA AT THE VICE PRESIDENT'S HOME IN WASHINGTON DC, WITH THE VICE
PRESIDENT, AND OTHER KEY INDIVIDUALS WORKING ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
RESEARCH: THE RESEARCH TEAM HOSTED A RESEARCH /EVALUATION ROUNDTABLE
IN AUSTIN, TX, WITH 35 PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING, RESEARCH ADVISORY BOARD
MEMBERS, PRACTITIONERS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THE PURPOSE WAS
TO SHAPE THE AGENDA OF OUR FUTURE RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ENDEAVORS
WITH THE GOAL TO BRING THE EXPERIENCE OF PRACTITIONERS AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS IN THE DV FIELD TO THE FOREFRONT. THE "HOUSING NEEDS OF
LATIN@S" RESEARCH STUDY WAS LAUNCHED AND A NUMBER OF MANUSCRIPTS WERE
SUBMITTED AND PUBLISHED. THE RESEARCH TEAM FORMED A
PRACTITIONER/RESEARCHER COUNCIL TO GUIDE THE RESEARCH CENTER'S WORK.
Current Goals
Outcome #1: Increased Safety and Well-being.
Benchmarks:
• 90% of 750 (675) Latinas and their children develop a safety plan.
• 50% of 250 (125) Latinas gain a better understanding of self-care and the positive impact on themselves and their families
Outcome #2: Increased Access to Resources and Community Connections.
Benchmarks:
• 85% of 250 (212) Latinas identify and demonstrate implementation of their goal plans.
• 80% of 250 (200) Latinas access social supports and/or community resources to achieve their goals.
Outcome #3: Increased Capacity.
Benchmarks:
• 75% of 250 (187) Latinas enhance their financial situation through accessing new income benefits, financial literacy, employment, micro-enterprise, and/or housing supports and services.
• Five participants increase their leadership capacity and skills in project planning and implementation by becoming Fuerza Unida Amig@s.
Outcome #4: Enhanced Program Capacity and Staff Leadership.
Benchmarks:
• Strengthen working partnerships with 4-5 culturally relevant organizations in order to increase our knowledge of resources available for Latinas and immigrant participants.
• Develop a comprehensive organizational self-care plan and provide staff training and support to apply self-care philosophy and practices.
Outcome #1: Community Leaders Take Action.
Benchmarks:
• 85% of 72 (61) Amig@s will report an increased level of leadership ability.
• 75% of 72 (54) Amig@s will develop and implement their action projects.
Outcome #2: Build Community Investment in Ending Domestic Violence and Addressing Community Issues.
Benchmarks:
• 85% of 72 (61) Amig@s report that they have taken some action that addresses issues of interpersonal violence and/or other forms of violence in the community.
• 85% of 72 (61) Amig@s report that they actively shared resources and information on other community issues.
• Up to 500 individuals participate in action projects of Amig@s.
Outcome #3: Build and support Community Networks to Address Issues.
Benchmarks:
• 85% of 72 (61)Amig@s increase their knowledge and understanding about the issues impacting their lives and the lives of other Latin@s.
• 75% of 72 (54) Amig@s report that their social support networks are strengthened.
• 50% of 72 (36) Amig@s engage with other diverse leaders or leadership network.
Outcome #4: Contribute to Building the Field of Community engagement.
Benchmarks:
• Actively participate as a partner in Nexus Community Partners’ Building the Field project.
• Develop two products (articles or other tools) that will benefit the project and others working in the field of community engagement..
Outcome #1: Mainstream Organizations, Coalitions, and Systems, More Effectively Serve Latin@s and Their Families Experiencing Domestic Violence.
Benchmarks:
• 70% of 25 (18) mainstream organizations/systems increase their knowledge about Latin@ communities.
• 70% of 25 (18) mainstream organizations develop strategies to increase accessibility and resources for Latin@ communities.
Outcome #2: Practice Improvements, Increased Quantity and Quality of Information, Resources, and Tools Developed for and Disseminated to the field.
Benchmarks:
• Develop and disseminate three toolkits for the field.
• Develop and disseminate two curricula for the field.
Outcome #3: Increased Strength and Relevance of Administrative and Programmatic Policy Initiatives that Support Latin@-specific Issues.
Benchmarks:
• Build or enhance relationships with at least four Latin@ organization.
• Participate in a leadership role in at least one policy initiative that is important to Latin@ families and communities.
• Participate on the National Task Force to ensure that Latin@ issues are taken into account in domestic violence policy decisions.
Outcome #4: Increased Scholarship on Latin@ Families and Domestic Violence.
Benchmarks:
• Conduct a survey with the National Domestic Violence Hotline to capture the lived realities of Latinas experiencing domestic violence, and the barriers they encounter.
• Write and submit for publication at least three academic articles.
• Write and publish at least three community articles which document research results.
Community or Constituency Served
Casa de Esperanza works to support families, engage communities to end domestic violence, and improve services for Latin@s across the country.
Geographic Area Served
Casa de Esperanza is a national organization. Community advocacy, shelter, and community engagement is in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. Training, TA, Research and Public Policy has a national reach.