Community counseling center entrance
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the annual national campaign dedicated to raising awareness about domestic violence. Locally, the nonprofit organization Shelter From the Storm continues to venture forth with vigor, offering a bounty of services that can make a life-saving difference.
That’s significant, considering domestic violence statistics remain sobering.
According to the Shelter From The Storm, nearly 3 million women nationwide are physically abused by their husbands or boyfriends annually. Further, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime.
About one-third of American women, some 31 percent, report being physically or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives.
Angelina Coe, Executive Director
A much-needed resource in the Coachella Valley
Front entry and hallway
“We established in 1988, and we are still the only comprehensive service provider in the Coachella Valley for survivors of domestic violence,” explains Angelina Coe, Executive Director of Shelter From The Storm. “A lot of people say, ‘Oh, we didn’t even know you existed.’ But we’re here. We’re here to help. We’re here for the survivors. We’re here for their children.”
To that end, the organization provides counseling, case management support groups, and essentials for its clients.
That includes food distributions, holiday giveaways, school backpacks, and an annual Christmas in July event that assists families during July and August with basic essentials such as clothing, hygiene items, food, school supplies, and gas cards.
“It’s all those things that just help get their children ready for school since school,” Coe shares. “We make sure that they have a solid foundation so that the children don’t miss out on the normal scenes of life.”
Grant funds help expand reach
Recently, Shelter From The Storm received a grant from IECF through the Riverside County ARPA Fund, which expanded the nonprofit’s reach.
“The grant impacted our bottom line,” Coe says. “We now know we have the funding available to provide the needed services for our clients. That’s been a true blessing.”
Playroom and art therapy station
One key thing the funding has allowed the organization to do is make sure clients who require services, such as shelter support, case management, and counseling, are able to receive those services, “free of cost for the full duration of their program stay or participation here.”
That is a shift from previous methods, which resulted in the organization having to reduce the number of sessions and activities it offered due to funding uncertainty.
The nonprofit’s services become a lifeline of sorts. A 24-hour crisis hotline for victims (800-775-6055/760-328-7233) allows direct connection with assistance. Weekly case management services aid clients in creating specific, measurable, and “do-able” goals.
Advocates are available
Additionally, domestic violence outreach provides key advocates who assist clients with various provisions and referrals.
Elsewhere, the nonprofit offers various consultation services, from clinical, medical, and legal services to vital access to law enforcement professionals. Its Community Counseling Center also stands out for offering clinical therapy with licensed therapists, and individual and group sessions for women and children who have completed their stay in the nonprofit’s emergency shelter program.
Coe has been with the organization for 12 years, coming from an extensive background in the field that reaches back to 1996. After working diligently as a children’s services worker, she advanced into leadership roles and immediately realized the importance of making a greater impact on how funding is utilized, how programs are implemented, and how clients are served.
Coe became the executive director for Shelter From The Storm in 2009.
“This is my purpose in life—to be a voice for the voiceless,” Coe says of the work. “I want to help those that are in the most critical needs in our community find a way to safety and toward healthy lives.”
Learn more about Shelter From The Storm, Inc. at shelterfromthestorm.com.
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