2020
ANNUAL REPORT
Leading & Serving Through It All
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LETTER FROM THE CEO Dear Friends,
“A JOURNEY OF A THOUSAND MILES BEGINS WITH A SINGLE STEP.” – LAO TZU
For so many of us, 2020 was a year full of challenges. In addition to dealing with a global pandemic and serious social justice issues, the Women’s Center for Advancement faced a particularly difficult year as an organization. What happens when so many challenges arise? The opportunity to shift, be innovative, and celebrate the small successes along the way presents itself. The options were to run or to lean in. We decided to lean in and, in doing so, we created a clear pathway forward. Internally, we made drastic shifts – both within our teams and in the way we served our clients. As COVID-19 quickly became a part of our lives, our team pivoted our critical services from in-person to remote. It was imperative that we stay connected to clients and reach others in need. With mandatory quarantines and social isolation amplifying abusive situations, accessibility was our priority. We pivoted and began providing a hybrid of inperson and remote services to clients. Our team became more thoughtful in how we served our clients and community. Navigating these hard times was only possible with the dedication of our team and the support of our board. While organizational learning needed to happen, we were able to step forward together. It was not easy, but we had to take steps to ensure our clients could access resources, stay safe, and grow strong. We are committed to doing the work necessary to move forward with our board, staff, volunteers, and supporters. We are not only completely engaged and ready to serve, but we are also excited to say that our doors are now open for in-person services. After all that 2020 presented us, we have persevered, we have stretched ourselves to grow in ways we never imagined. We were intentional in adjusting our methods of serving clients, supporting staff, and expanding our footprint in the community. I thank everyone who has supported our work and our mission, especially in 2020. It is said that there is strength in numbers, and we would not have been able to move forward without your support. Together, we are taking care of our friends, neighbors, and family members who have been impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking. Jannette Taylor MOL, MSNDR Chief Executive Officer
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OUR MISSION
Assisting victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking, and their children to achieve safety and empowering them to lead self-determined lives.
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ABOUT WCA The WCA is the designated direct service provider for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Douglas County. We are dedicated to helping clients stay safe and grow strong by addressing both their immediate safety needs and their longterm self-sufficiency. For more than a century, the WCA has served the critical
SERVICES 24/7 Hotline Medical Advocacy Legal Advocacy Immigration Assistance Protection Order Assistance Safety Planning Human Trafficking Services
needs of domestic violence and sexual assault victims
Career Services
in Omaha. The WCA’s multi-faceted approach provides
Financial Classes
vital services, including, but not limited to, the domestic
Case Management
violence and sexual assault crisis hotline, advocacy,
Support Groups
individualized case management, pro-bono legal
Wellness Classes
services, therapy, peer-led support groups, self-sufficiency,
Clothing Boutique
and career programs. In 2020, the WCA served more than
Counseling
35,000 clients. The WCA 24/7 hotline totaled more than
Medical Clinic
8,000 phone calls.
Training and Education Programs
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2020 PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS 2020 was a year like no other. While challenging at times, our team has worked hard to overcome adversity while serving clients during uncertain times for our community. ADVOCACY The Advocacy team had much to celebrate in 2020. In a year with so many challenges and new demands, our passionate and committed advocates have continued to put the needs of the clients we serve front and center. We acknowledge the immense efforts that allowed for a quick transition to remote services for all staff during the height of the pandemic. While Advocacy has traditionally been an in-person service, we have learned we can serve our survivors using other, non-traditional methods. Despite transitioning most of our services online, we did not see a change in the number of unique clients served. Our data shows that staff averaged similar numbers of calls in 2020 as they served inperson in previous years.
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Our Advocacy team saw an increase in the amount of client assistance dollars utilized to help with rental assistance, utilities, and groceries. As our clients were forced to quarantine with their abusers, we saw a significant increase in Emergency Housing needs which almost doubled from $25,732 in 2019 to $54,574 in 2020. Through additional relief funds, we were able to purchase prepaid smartphones that included data plans and internet connections to ensure easier access to remote services for our clients. As we continue to navigate through this pandemic, the WCA strives to meet the changing needs of our clients and our community.
SELF-SUFFICIENCY (SS) The Self-Sufficiency (SS) team walked into 2020 equipped and ready to assist clients with every aspect of self-sufficiency from short-term safety to long-term security. Our team of eight worked together to ensure more than 1,000 clients were able to attain self-sufficiency this year. They helped clients develop action plans to achieve successful outcomes, economic independence, and individualized goals. COVID-19 dramatically affected our client families. The Self-Sufficiency team impressively maintained its focus on addressing client vulnerabilities related to income, employment, housing, food, childcare, adult education, legal, healthcare, life skills, mental health, substance abuse, community involvement, and peer support. Since March 2020, the SS team has seen: •
A drastic increase in clients served
•
An upsurge in male participation in the SS program
•
A collaboration with Chariots 4Hope who awarded vehicles to four hard-working WCA clients who had no transportation
•
A partnership with Metro Area Continuum Care for the Homeless (MACCH) which placed more than 10 WCA homeless families into their own homes
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INDIGO Our Indigo team responds to the specialized needs of sex and labor trafficking survivors in the Omaha area. They recognize the impact of addressing both physical and emotional safety prior to focusing on long-term trauma. Our model promotes the foundational belief that trauma can be transformed through relationships that offer safety, hope, and resolution. This model requires frequent, intentional contact, which has been challenged by recent social distancing requirements. The Indigo team developed strategies to stay socially distanced through online meetings, therapy session, and phone calls, but also by being available in-person when clients were struggling.
PEER SUPPORT The Peer Support groups and classes faced some big challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, but our team found innovative ways for people to connect, share, learn, and grow without meeting in person. After moving online in March 2020, facilitators adapted and learned new ways to engage participants from a distance. Through technology, the team was able to offer the same quality in the remote WCA classes as one might experience in a live class. Our team adopted new ways to communicate information to clients, which led to the creation of a client newsletter sent twice each month featuring information about groups, classes, community resources, and WCA programs. We also incorporated outreach through community partners, social media, and online forms to enable clients to sign up for classes which ensured survivors were up-to-date with important WCA changes and activities.
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LEGAL SUPPORT For the Legal Program of the WCA, 2020 will be remembered for finding new ways to reach survivors with legal needs. Our 10-person legal team is dedicated to providing clients with pro bono civil and immigration assistance with a variety of legal matters. In 2020, their work included protection orders, divorce, custody, and humanitarian-based forms of immigration relief through full or limited scope representation, consultations, or legal workshops. The WCA legal team expanded existing partnerships and moved their services online or outdoors to provide free, high quality contactless services in order to reach their clients amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The team worked with the Douglas County District Court’s Protection Order Office to post WCA literature and signage, in English and Spanish, offering our assistance with the process. The team also advocated for new ways for survivors to submit their protection order applications electronically as opposed to navigating the risks at the courthouse. By the end of 2020, our newly created “Legal Representative on Duty (LROD)” service assisted with more than 700 calls. Additionally, the Legal Program opened over 600 new legal cases and served an average of 187 clients per month in 2020. By finding new ways to reach survivors with legal needs, the WCA Legal Program maintained the same level of service as previous years.
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2020 SUCCESS STORIES COUNSELING It takes a lot of courage to ask for help. When clients walk through our doors, they are met wherever they are in their journey. Whether they are seeking services for the first time or for the 21st time, the WCA welcomes all clients. It is not unusual in times of crisis or when dealing with trauma for an individual’s normal coping capacities to be taxed. Individuals can become overwhelmed emotionally, and may have difficulty with problem-solving and other coping skills. Counseling provides clients an opportunity to express themselves without judgment. Our crisis counselors offered the helping hand many of our clients needed in 2020. Several clients who we worked with struggled with anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. The pandemic only amplified these conditions. On average, our team provided approximately six to eight counseling sessions per client with a goal to ensure safety, develop skills to decrease stress, and promote overall stability for all clients. One client who was sexually assaulted came to our therapist for help when she was having severe suicidal thoughts and had scored high on a PTSD assessment. During their sessions, they discussed coping skills, support systems, and reasons for the client to continue living.
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After only four sessions, the client’s symptoms began to decrease and her PTSD re-screen indicated significant improvement. “She amazed me with how quickly her symptoms decreased. This is due to her hard work and dedication; I was just there to help provide guidance,” our therapist said. “She was able to feel more in control and hopeful.” Our team worked with a client who was sexually assaulted and had visible injuries, but was also having a hard time remembering daily routines and was afraid to go outside or be in crowded spaces.
“She amazed me with how quickly her
Her therapist was able to inform this client about the specific
symptoms decreased.
effects resulting from the assault which helped her understand
This is due to her hard
the emotions and feelings she was experiencing. Our therapist introduced this client to groups at the WCA to continue her
work and dedication;
exposure to people experiencing similar situations and helped
I was just there to help
her to find a community of peers. Her therapist said, “using my
provide guidance,” our
expertise and knowledge, I work to build clients up to help them move forward.”
therapist said. “She was able to feel more in
WCA’s classes and support groups provide peer support and educational opportunities that help clients grow. Our counseling staff also ensures clients have knowledge of resources available to them within the community. “Clients deserve all of this, while being protected from harm and treated with respect and dignity,” she said. This client engaged in yoga, meditation, and positive self-talk to help her cope. After working with our counseling team, she has taken steps to engage more publicly that helped her to adapt and adjust to her situation without feeling guilt or shame. Our therapist explained, “each client is on their own healing journey; they are in the driver’s seat and we are here to offer support.”
control and hopeful.”
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LEGAL SERVICES For many, the journey towards a life free of violence starts with legal remedies. Our experienced team assists with a wide range of support including protection orders, divorce, child custody, and immigration support. Clients each have a multi-disciplinary team working alongside them. “Victims come from all walks of life and we understand the importance of being well-versed in the unique needs of all survivors, in order to better serve them,” said one of our legal experts. Anytime we work with survivors, WCA recognizes the importance to give them a voice and protection. Our team works diligently with an often-invisible client population, immigrant survivors, because abusers use undocumented status as a weapon to further the cycle of violence. Our legal team represented a single mother of two U.S. citizen children who was the victim of a horrific sexual assault. With the support of her WCA advocate, this client reported her assault to police and worked to achieve stability through regularizing her immigration status. Another client worked with our WCA Healing Warriors program before being referred to our immigration specialist for assistance because three of her five children were undocumented at the time. Brought to the United States 16 years earlier by her abusive husband, the client tried to get help while living on a military base, only to be told she should be “thankful” for the lifestyle her abusive spouse provided her. During the course of her case, there were often times she just wanted to give up, but with the help of our legal team she persisted.
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Immigrant survivors, as well as their children, live in constant fear not only of the paralyzing terror of their abusers, but also in fear of speaking out because of concern of being deported and separated from everything they know. Even when immigrant survivors come forward, it is not uncommon for their case for immigration relief to continue for several years. Our team builds relationships with clients during their legal journey regardless of their needs. Our goal is to provide culturally appropriate service because we understand how important it is to be seen and valued.
HOUSING In 2020, our services deepened in a new direction - providing Rapid Rehousing assistance for anyone in the Omaha area who is experiencing homelessness and is a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking. Rapid Rehousing is an intervention designed to help individuals and families quickly exit homelessness, return to housing in the community, and not become homeless again in the near term. The core components of Rapid Rehousing are identifying available housing, move-in and rent assistance, and Rapid Rehousing case management and services. This much needed support was game changing for victims finding themselves without housing due to domestic violence or sexual assault. Having a place to call “home” allowed victims the stability to stay on track leading to greater self-sufficiency, safety, and empowerment. One individual in the newly created program reported living on the street for five years while also trying to recover from their abuse. “I appreciate the WCA, you guys have literally saved my life. I am so glad you guys are there for me,” said the client. The WCA’s Rapid Rehousing program allowed them to regain footing and begin moving forward. Our housing program will provide housing for seven participants within the first program year. Our team has already started the work and have three participants housed, and are projected to provide housing for the other four participants by May 31, 2021.
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EVENT HIGHLIGHTS In 2020, while we were unable to host our events in-person as our donors are accustomed to, our team was able to quickly pivot and readjust priorities to ensure client needs and fundraising stayed on course. TRIBUTE TO WOMEN WCA celebrated 33 years of Tribute to Women with the help of Honorary Chair, Karen Goracke, President and CEO of Borsheims. The event honoring women in the Omaha community, took place in October as the WCA’s first ever virtual event, and we were able to retain the support of our donors, sponsors, and stakeholders. Caprice Hollis, WCA Client Care Specialist, shared her family’s story of the loss of a loved one from a tragic domestic violence relationship. Caprice’s older sister, Camisha, was in an 18-year, long-term relationship, which included years of emotional and physical abuse. Camisha did not survive her attempt to leave, which puts an emphasis on the work that WCA does for their clients and in the community. Many people come through the doors of the WCA with similar stories to Camisha’s. Our team is there, ready, and willing to step into action to be a voice, to be a force against the statistics of women and others, like Camisha, facing domestic violence. Caprice’s impactful testimony reinforced the importance of the work the WCA does every single day to end the cycle of domestic violence, hold perpetrators accountable, and to remember the loved ones who stories have ended in tragedy.
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TRIBUTE TO WOMEN HONOREES KMTV anchor, Serese Cole, emceed the event and acknowledged the accomplishments of our 2020 honorees who represented women in the philanthropy, education, community building, construction, and health industries:
Sara Boyd
Chief Executive Officer, VidaNyx
Victoria Mejias
Program Director, Heartland United for Puerto Rico Community Volunteer
Ashlei Spivey
Principal, Ay Spivey Founder, I Be Black Girl
Dr. Barb Jackson
Director of Education and Child Development, Munroe-Meyer Institute
Carolina Padilla
Executive Director, Intercultural Senior Center
Carmen Tapio
President and Chief Executive Officer, North End Teleservices
Samantha Koehler-Overton Teacher, Omaha South High School
Jenni Shukert
Senior Business Consultant, Olsson
Carolyn “C.T.” Williamson
Director of Independent Living, Girls, Inc. of Omaha
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TRIBUTE TO WOMEN SPONSORS Tribute to Women brought together hundreds of members of our community to raise $95,000 for WCA programs and operations. A special “thank you” to all our 2020 sponsors:
Platinum Sponsors
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Susan and Mike Lebens
Bronze Sponsors Parker Family Foundation
Copper Sponsors Cox Communications
Heritage Communities
OPPD
Crocker Huck Law Firm
Lund Ross Constructors
Denise & Hobson Powell
FBG
Mutual of Omaha
Scoular
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AMAZON DELIVERING SMILES WCA was selected by Amazon and actress and Omaha native, Gabrielle Union, to participate in Amazon’s Delivering Smiles holiday campaign. This campaign fulfills hundreds of AmazonSmile Charity Wish Lists by donating millions of essential items to more than a thousand nonprofit organizations worldwide. In November, WCA CEO, Jannette Taylor, was interviewed by Union on Amazon Live to discuss the importance of donations during the holidays, especially during challenging times. Union and her husband, Dwayne Wade, supported nonprofits in their hometowns. Union donated $25,000 to the WCA along with items from her new haircare line, “Flawless by Gabrielle Union,” and healthy snacks for children from her children’s food company, “Bitsy’s.”
WCA COMMUNITY DRIVE-THRU The pandemic required our teams to support our clients’ increased needs, which included meeting their simple, basic needs. In September, WCA employees collected donations from the community, including fresh food, canned food, nonperishable/shelf stable food, toiletries, household products, cleaning supplies, masks, diapers, clothing, cellphones, and more to create go-bags for clients. In all, 120 individual clients were able to pick up supplies at our drive-thru hosted in October.
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DEMOGRAPHICS The WCA faces the trauma caused by domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking head-on because it impacts people from every gender, race, age, and socio-economic status. We will walk beside anyone impacted to help them and their children heal. 1% 3% 1%
GENDER
14%
5%
81% 5% 14% <1% <1%
81%
1% 1% 1% 1%
45% 23%
3% 4% 2%
16%
31%
39%
45% 23% 14% 14% 1% 1%
NOT REPORTED WHITE BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN HISPANIC OR LATINO TWO OR MORE RACES AMERICAN INDIAN OR ALASKA NATIVE 1% SOME OTHER RACE 1% ASIAN <1% NATIVE HAWAIIAN AND OTHER PACIFIC ISLANDER
MARITAL STATUS 44%
44% 31% 16% 4% 3% 2% <1%
NOT REPORTED SINGLE MARRIED DIVORCED SEPARATED DOMESTIC PARTNER WIDOWED
15%
30%
2% 4% 1%
RACE
14% 14%
FEMALE MALE NOT REPORTED PREFER NOT TO IDENTIFY TRANSGENDER
11%
AGE 1% 1% 15% 30% 39% 11% 3%
0-12 13-18 19-24 25-34 35-59 NOT REPORTED OVER 60
INCOME
7%
11% 75%
1% 2% 4% 1%
75% 11% 7% 4% 2% 1% <1% <1%
NOT REPORTED NO INCOME UNDER $15,000 $15,000-$24,999 $25,000-$34,999 $35,000-$49,999 $50,000-$74,999 $75,000 AND ABOVE
EDUCATION LEVEL
5%
7% 9% 71%
71% 9% 7% 5% 4% 2% 1% 1%
NOT REPORTED SOME COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE SOME HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE GRADUATE OR MORE K-8TH GRADE ASSOCIATE DEGREE VOCATIONAL OR TRADE
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FINANCIALS REVENUE AND SUPPORT Program Fees United Way of the Midlands Contributions Special Events Government Grants Non Government Grants
YTD Actual 42,362 216,200 1,386,709 58,282 2,223,687 727,990
Contracted Services Revenue
1,257
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Assets
7,997
Rental Income
11,961
Investment Income TOTAL REVENUE AND SUPPORT
EXPENSES
370,425 5,046,870
YTD Actual
Advocacy
1,132,956
Counseling
865,504
Legal
743,581
Education, Prevention & Outreach
377,543
Non Violence Program Self-Sufficiency Supporting Services Management and General Fundraising Supporting Services TOTAL EXPENSES 2020 financials were unaudited at the time of publication.
64,179 486,252 1,640,344 363,863 5,674,222
2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS * indicates current board members
Annette Devine
Linda Cunningham
Shireen Rajaram, Ph. D.
Wayne Hudson*
Michael Rogers*
Shaun Ilahi*
Tanya Shapiro
John Jeanetta*
Dulce Sherman
Treasurer
Susan Joslin, Ph.D.*
Karine Sokpoh*
Shannon Hite
Ashley Kuhn*
Yvonne Sosa
Secretary
Katie McDonnell
Lisa Strasheim*
Esther Mejia
Mary Jane Tritsch
Denise Powell*
Gretchen Twohig*
Board Chair
Anne Morgan Vice Chair
Ellen Houston
Rick Anderson Linda Bandl* Celeste Butler*
WCA GUILD
Katie McDonnell
Ashley Sutera
Jeanna Kiser
President
VP of Fundraising
Secretary
Morgan Thomsen
Katie Bruno
Jeanne Lutz
President Elect
Jill McClure
VP Guild Development and Education
Kate Nahas
President Advisor
VP Membership
Melanie Krings
Gina Smoyer
VP of Fundraising
VP Programs
Veronica Ploetz VP of Fundraising
Secretary Elect
Lauren McDonnell Treasurer
Lauren Baker Treasurer Elect
Fatima Kponton Membership Elect
CONTACT THE WCA Wherever you are on your journey, we’re here to walk with you. 24/7 Bilingual Crisis Hotline: 402-345-7273 Office Hours: M-F, 8 am-5 pm 3801 Harney Street Omaha, NE 68131 O: 402-345-6555 E: info@wcaomaha.org wcaomaha.org omahawca wca3801
@wcaomaha