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Domestic Abuse Women's Network 

Description

Since 1980, more than 370,000 survivors of domestic violence have found safety and new violence-free beginnings with the help of Domestic Abuse Women's Network (DAWN). We are the only agency with a dedicated mission of serving survivors of domestic violence and their children in south King County – the largest, poorest and youngest (most children), and most diverse region of King County.  Because south King County exhibits the highest rates of domestic violence and the greatest levels of poverty compared to other portions of King County there is a serious need for confidential domestic violence housing and support services.

DAWN is committed to providing comprehensive, culturally-fluent, empowerment-based programs and services for survivors and their children. DAWN's primary areas of focus for the coming four years are: 1) prioritize DAWN’s efforts to prevent domestic violence; 2) advance excellent advocacy and programs that address the needs of survivors; 3) maintain a cohesive well-integrated organization; 4) widen community engagement and involvement in initiatives to end domestic violence; 5) create a strong foundation for the health and sustainability of the organization on all levels; and 6) advance cultural fluency in all organizational efforts.

Mission Statement
DAWN’s mission is to lead and support efforts in south King County communities to end domestic violence by providing the critical services and education for survivors to make informed choices about their future and engaging communities to raise awareness and take action. 
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Domestic Abuse Women's Network
PO Box 88007 
Tukwila 
WA
98138 
(425) 656-4305 

Cheryl Bozarth 
Executive Director 

Programs

Domestic Abuse Women's Network Programs

Housing
Our housing program provides a comprehensive continuum of emergency and transitional housing that takes survivors of domestic violence and their children from crisis homelessness to permanent housing. We continue to support them as they transition to permanent housing to ensure safety and stability for the long-term. Our housing continuum has three components: Emergency Confidential Shelter, Hotel/Motel Program, and Extended Stay Program.

Community Advocacy Program
Advocates provide advocacy-based counseling Monday through Friday, by appointment, at DAWN’s Community Advocacy Program, which includes: Legal Advocacy; In-House Legal Assistance; Youth Violence Prevention Program; Children's Domestic Violence Response Team; Reproductive Coercion Advocacy; Latina Advocacy; Mental Health Services; four DV Advocacy trainings to over 100 community volunteers and professionals each year; and the only 24-Hour Advocacy & Crisis Line in south King County.

Education
In 2007 DAWN launched a Healthy Teen Relationship Education program with the purpose of trying to prevent and reduce instances of interpersonal violence between teens. More than 600 middle and high school youth have completed the ten-week program. Many students completing the program indicate this is the first time they have examined their relationships or the relationships of their peers. Additionally this program can be expanded to help youth from violent homes find safety, articulate their concerns, deal with various emotional issues and access resources in their community.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Despite the continued harsh economic climate, intense client needs, DAWN continues to improve services, streamline operations, enhance agency profile and remain fiscally sound, thanks in part to support from our community. The staff has become very skilled in identifying the most effective ways to approach our program and fundraising needs. We have kept our strategic plan in full focus and as a daily guide for our decision making. As a result we are achieving some goals seen as lofty and unlikely by many of our peer organizations such as an in-house attorney, national presence and leadership and a growing base of community support.

DAWN is well positioned to take even larger steps forward in strategic directions toward ending domestic violence in the coming year. In addition to maintaining excellent services for survivors, we have the opportunity to:
  • focus attention on engaging and supporting community initiatives;
  • establishing new collaborations with other providers; grow our connections and private donor base; and continue our leadership role in public policy on issues impacting survivors of domestic violence.
Your support and generosity has helped make all of these achievements possible, all benefitting survivors of domestic violence in south King County. Here is a brief story from one of our clients:

Kelly had been calling for shelter space for a few days. On the day her husband assaulted her in a park near their home and left her there, taking her purse and cell phone with him, she called DAWN’s 24-Hour Advocacy & Crisis Line from a neighbor’s house and we were able to bring her and her small children into shelter that evening.

Kelly was quickly connected to DAWN’s Advocate for Immigrant Survivors who began addressing Kelly’s concerns about her immigration status and fears that her US citizen husband would follow through on threats to have her deported while keeping their US-born children with him. Within a few weeks, Kelly and her advocate were able to get all the documentation together to begin the process for a U-Visa and Kelly’s fears of being separated from her children lessened.

Kelly also participated in support groups at shelter, sought domestic violence education and support from the shelter advocates and began filling notebook after notebook with her story of surviving 5 years of mental and physical abuse. Advocates began to comment to Kelly how much more energetic and calm she seemed. In her time at shelter she was able to secure a permanent protection order, set up preschool for her children and start taking some free computer and ESL conversation classes at the library to prepare for the day her work visa came through.

DAWN’s Transitional Housing program had an opening just in time for Kelly to be able to move in and continue her journey to self-sufficiency. She is expecting to be able to legally work in early 2013 and is working hard on getting work-ready and saving what little money she can. Kelly hopes to be working soon, using her degree again and able to afford rent for herself and her children within the year.

Please know that you are a big part of survivors like Kelly succeeding. Again, thank you for your continued essential support.

Evaluation


Domestic Abuse Women's Network (DAWN) provides domestic violence services in south and southeast King County.

Proven Success
April 2011 they completed expansion of DAWN’s House, their emergency confidential shelter. Capacity was increased by 50%; adding 4 new bed rooms for families. They also remodeled the kitchen and laundry room

Accessibility and Cultural Competency
The growing demand for Spanish speaking services led to the creation of their Latina Program in July 2006, which offers all advocacy services, community education and professional trainings in Spanish. Each year since the program begun they have seen the number of clients seeking their Spanish language services double. DAWN has also integrated cultural competency strategies into their strategic plan. DAWN employs bi-lingual staff and focuses services, training and outreach efforts on building skills to better serve Latinas.

Sustainability
DAWN is working hard to mitigate funding cuts. They are expanding and strengthening their volunteer corps and engaging the community in their work as well as looking for ways to share resources with other programs whenever possible. Last year they had 15 active volunteers and this year they have 45 volunteers. They achieved this success through their Domestic Violence Institute. They made their training more accessible and in the first 6 months the number of volunteers and their average weekly time commitment greatly increased.

They are exploring more partnerships in efforts to enhance the services they provide survivors. They have also been very conservative in their budgeting.

They are working on diversity funding and becoming less reliant on government grants and contracts. In 2010 many of their private supporters were unable to sustain their level of support and their fund raising Gala was down 30% and contributions from individuals were down 17%. They ended 2010 with their first deficit.

DAWN has operated in a fiscally responsible manner and the agency had reserves to cover losses and continue services. DAWN completed a strategic plan in June 2011.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
12/10/2011 $10,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/10/2010 $15,000.00support general operating expenses.
10/1/2008 $25,000.00support general operating expenses.
6/21/2006 $30,000.00support general operating expenses.
9/18/2003 $30,000.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

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