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ea u to o er o esti vio en e servi es It s been quite a year to say the least for both ewish Family Children s Service FCS and Sojourner Center. In uly 0 , it was announced that FCS, one of Ari ona s largest providers of behavioral health and social services, had named Sojourner Center its affiliated subsidiary. FCS and Sojourner Center share a combined 0-year history of providing services to Ari onans in need. Their main connection Addressing the needs of individuals who have been affected in some way by domestic violence. Sojourner Center had been a long-time partner of ewish Family Children s Service. The two organi ations share significant synergies in both our missions and our programs. This alignment of our two organi ations is a natural fit, says Dr. orrie enderson, president and C O of FCS. Together, the two nonprofits will assist nearly ,000 people in the Greater Phoenix area in the coming year. Sojourner Center, established in , provides shelter and support to nearly 0,000 individuals in the community each year with more than ,000 individuals in residence in one of its two shelters a crisis shelter and a transitional emergency complex. Sojourner Center s crisis shelter provides immediate emergency shelter services to individuals for up to 0 days. From there, or once they have achieved a certain amount of stability, residents are welcome to stay in one of 3 transitional living apartments for up to two years. We are so excited to be relaunching our transitional shelter program this year, say Carrie orgen, executive director for
Sojourner Center and chief operating officer at FCS. The incredible thing about this program is that it allows individuals and families the time necessary to get back on their feet. We help with this by also providing them with job readiness services, education assistance, life skills support and classes all aimed towards helping them secure independence outside of Sojourner Center. In addition to their housing support, Sojourner Center is also home to a Pet Companion Shelter that allows for victims of domestic violence to bring their family pet with them. Targeting individuals affected by domestic violence who are identified as falling through the cracks is the focus of FCS Shelter Without Walls program. FCS has addressed these unmet needs of victims residing outside of a shelter and struggling to attain or maintain safety and independence since . When we first began Shelter Without Walls 0 years ago, our goal then as it is now is to assess the needs of those individuals who are still living with their abusive partner, may not be in need of shelter or are unable to go into a shelter, or who have exited a shelter after the time allotted, which is typically 30 to 0 days, explains inda Scott, vice president of Child Family Solutions at FCS. We will work with someone for as long as it takes for them to attain and maintain safe self-sufficiency.
ay 2018
azhealthandliving.com
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