Tag Archive for: Transitional Housing

Empowering Independence: CAPSA’s Commitment to Survivors

Empowering Independence

In the month of July, many celebrate Independence. For survivors of domestic and sexual violence, independence and freedom have often been taken or compromised. At CAPSA, our focus is on empowering individuals toward independence. This begins with the belief that survivors understand their situations and circumstances better than anyone else. We start by believing a survivor’s experience and presenting them with resources and options. We recognize the many reasons why people may choose to stay in a relationship—finances, love, dependence, or worry for children, to name a few. Understanding the complexity of abuse, and that it takes an average of seven attempts to leave, we prioritize action planning and safety planning.

Emergency Shelter

For their safety, individuals sometimes choose to access our emergency shelter. At CAPSA, our shelter is designed to promote independence. Survivors prepare their own meals, help keep the spaces tidy, and work with a caseworker to take the next steps. We acknowledge that shelter living is not a long-term solution. Therefore, CAPSA has developed a transitional housing program that offers individuals and families a longer-term option. In CAPSA’s housing program, individuals receive financial support for a time while they establish employment, childcare, a budget, and other essential tools. As individuals gain access to resources, we encourage independence so that when they move on from this program, they can live independently.

Transitional Housing

A key part of the transitional housing program is the twenty-one homes that CAPSA owns, situated in two neighborhoods named Independence Place and Independence Way. Independence Place represents a safe environment where survivors can find stability and support as they transition from crisis to confidence. Each resident is provided with the tools and resources needed to heal and grow, including counseling, education, and advocacy for themselves and their children. Our goal is to empower individuals to make their own choices and build lives that reflect their aspirations and dreams.

The name “Independence Place” is a deliberate and powerful choice, reflecting the essence of what we strive to achieve at CAPSA.

Here to Help

At CAPSA, we are committed to providing survivor-centered services that meet the unique needs of those who seek our support. When you call CAPSA at 435-753-2500, you can expect a warm response, information and support, advocacy, and confidentiality. We want survivors to know that they are not alone and that they have the power to make informed decisions about their safety and well-being. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual assault, please don’t hesitate to call CAPSA.

Housing Program Success Story

Madeline’s Story

Madeline’s story is one that is common among survivors fleeing abusive situations.  

*Name changed to protect identity  

After experiencing years of physical, emotional, and sometimes sexual abuse at the hands of her partner, Madeline woke in the early hours of a Winter morning and knew this was her chance to get her and her two-year-old son out of this horrific situation. She grabbed her wallet, keys, slipped on a coat, and made sure her son was dressed for the Cache Valley Winter weather. After calling our hotline, Madeline made it safely to our shelter and was immediately assisted by our staff and caseworkers. To this day she still remembers the terrifying feeling that accompanied her. The feeling of not knowing how she was going to be able to support her and her young son. After meeting with caseworkers, she said she was able to establish an action plan and apply for CAPSA’s traditional housing program that would allow her to have a place to stay while she rebuilt her credit and worked towards a stable financial situation. The relief that came when she was able to move into one of our units, secure a job, and put food on the table is something she will never forget. She was able to rebuild her life using our housing services and is now living on her own, and able to care for her and her son with full confidence in herself and her abilities.  

 

 

CAPSA Services are Free and Confidential

 If you or anyone you know is experiencing abuse, CAPSA can provide free and confidential services. Call 435-753-2500 to speak with a trained advocate. 

, ,

Housing CELEBRATION and ANNOUNCEMENT

Today CAPSA, The Dell Loy Hansen Family Foundation and Altabank planned on hosting a CELEBRATION and ANNOUNCEMENT media event.  Although we had to cancel this event due to COVID-19, we still wanted to share the news and celebrate at a distance.

SAFE HOMES – CAPSA’S HOUSING PROGRAM

For individuals and families escaping abuse, a safe home is important to the healing process; this is why CAPSA offers multiple housing programs for our clients. The primary program combines rent subsidies with educational workgroups and case management. Families find housing in our community and are able to remain in this program for up to two years as they work towards independence.

Independance Place

Many clients may not qualify for community based housing because of lack of job history, credit damage by abuse or other reasons; therefore, in 2015, CAPSA built Independence Place, a nine home neighborhood. This is the only neighborhood owned by a nonprofit domestic violence service center in Utah. This neighborhood provides a safety net for families who struggle to secure housing. Families in Independence Place participate in the same transitional housing program and can also stay in these homes for up to two years.

CELEBRATION – HOME AND FAMILY SPONSORS

CAPSA’s transitional housing program averages over 30 families –  the average annual rent subsidies are $6,000 per family per year. Working with Altabank, CAPSA created a home and family sponsorship program in which organizations and donors sponsor a home and family by covering this annual housing cost.

Altabank was our first sponsor and their vision has led to the following sponsors:

We want to thank all of our sponsors for their support of CAPSA and Safe Homes.

When we started this program, our goal was to obtain nine sponsors; we reached that goal earlier this year. This program now generates more than $50,000 per year supporting CAPSA’s housing program and other core services.

You can learn more about home sponsorship at: https://www.capsa.org/home-sponsor

ANNOUNCEMENT – FOURPLEX

Although you may have already seen the media’s coverage on the opening of the fourplex, we had planned to announce it at this event. This fourplex is CAPSA’s newest extension to our transitional housing program.

The Dell Loy Hansen Family Foundation purchased a fourplex earlier this year for CAPSA’s exclusive use for our transitional housing program. The property was in need of major repairs, so the Real Salt Lake (RSL) Foundation donated $60,000 to completely renovate these homes. They were scheduled to be completed in late April.

However, due to the COVID-19 public crisis, CAPSA needed more emergency shelter space to accommodate the social distancing precautions and increased demand for shelter. In response to the crisis concerns, the RSL Foundation worked with the contractors on this project to finalize and open these units  almost a month early.

During this crisis, CAPSA will utilize these units for a combination of emergency shelter and transitional housing.

You can read more from:

Cache Valley Daily | HJ NEWS | KSL | ABC 4 | SL Tribune

Video of the progress

ANNOUNCEMENT – INDEPENDENCE WAY

Lastly, CAPSA is excited to announce that we are in the process of building a second neighborhood called Independence Way. We plan to finish this project later this year.

The need for affordable housing is essential in helping our clients. CAPSA had the opportunity to purchase a planned neighborhood development which includes an existing triplex and five building lots. The total cost for this project is $1.8 million. We are excited to report that this project is 100 percent funded.

We want to highlight the major contributors to this project:

We also had several individual donors that contributed to Independence Way.

Thank you to everyone who supported this project to ensure safe homes for our clients.

These homes will also be available for sponsorship. Learn more at: https://www.capsa.org/home-sponsor

We wish we could have shared and celebrated the announcements of these amazing projects with you in person. It is only because of your support that we’re able to accomplish this work – thank you!

,

Malouf, MW Construction & ICON join Lewiston State Bank in each sponsoring a home within CAPSA’s transitional housing neighborhood

On January 30, 2018, Lewiston State Bank announced its continual support of Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse by sponsoring a house within CAPSA’s nine-home transitional housing neighborhood, Independence Place. Lewiston State Bank’s gift has become the seed for additional sponsorships.  

CAPSA offers a transitional housing program for clients leaving shelter. The program combines rent subsidies (CAPSA pays the full rent for 3 months and then gradually transitions the rent over two years) with educational workgroups and case management for an average of 20 families between CAPSA’s Independence Place neighborhood and apartments in the community.  

The program focuses on developing independence by reducing housing expenses and assisting clients as they work toward a life asset such as a down payment on a home, starting a business or pursuing an education.  

CAPSA began seeking sponsors in response to a growing concern that the Transitional Housing – Violence Against Women Act funding will not be renewed. This would represent a significant loss in funds for CAPSA’s clients and transitional housing program. 

CAPSA has been a beneficiary of the transitional housing grant for the last nine years and utilizes the money to fund scatter site rent subsidies, workgroups, and a full-time caseworker.  

Jill Anderson, CAPSA’s executive director, thanked Lewiston State Bank for being the first business to fund a home, and thereby create momentum for this project. 

“Though CAPSA owns nine homes, if the federal funding fails to renew, it will be devastating because CAPSA will no longer have funds to assist the current twelve families or future families with scatter-site housing support and the salary of a full-time caseworker,” Anderson said. “This is why Lewiston State Bank’s initial annual commitment and example was so important.”  

Dale Buxton, Lewiston State Bank president, said he wanted the donation to spur other businesses forward. The gift was given with the hope to encourage future donations, not to bring any praise or credit to the bank.   

Buxton’s goal has been realized, as the Malouf Foundation, MW Construction and the ICON Foundation have all agreed to sponsor a home. These combined sponsorships will bring in $30,000 for CAPSA and aid four families.  

“It’s amazing to have so much community support,” Anderson said. “To have four businesses provide this kind of assistance to us within the last two months, it’s overwhelming.” 

The Malouf Foundation has supported CAPSA for more than 8 years with donated sheets, pillows, and blankets for more than 300 shelter clients each year. Starting in 2016, Malouf began hosting an annual art auction fundraiser on CAPSA’s behalf which has raised over $65,000 for CAPSA. Malouf employees also participate in a payroll deduction system, where employees donate a little from each paycheck to support CAPSA’s zero turn-a-way initiative.  

Kacie Malouf, co-founder of Malouf and member of CAPSA’s board of directors, said she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to assist in this way.  

“One of the things employees find especially engaging and fulfilling about working at Malouf is the opportunity to serve within the community,” Malouf said. “As a company, we feel strongly that our success in business motivates and allows us to give back to the community. We believe in CAPSA’s mission and we’re committed to helping them.”

MW Construction has been supporting CAPSA for years including building CAPSA’s shelter and recent Gail Bird Wienshenker Therapy and Mary Palley Children Center Addition which opened one year ago. So, when Mike Funk, owner of MW Construction, heard about the Independence Place sponsorships, he concisely and quickly said, “I’m in.” 

“I love the work CAPSA does because it truly helps people” Funk states. “I am grateful to be a small part of this organization and to show my support. I encourage other businesses to find ways to support CAPSA and see how your support will benefit our community.”   

The ICON Foundation’s committee is full of amazing people who are committed to helping CAPSA in whatever way possible. 

Part of the mission of ICON’s foundation is to help provide year-round relief for members of the community in critical need. 

“In February, we asked Jill and James to come and present on CAPSA’s needs,” ICON Foundation Chairman, Jamie Jorgensen said. “They listed security needs, technology needs and the need for families to have a safe place to stay. When they presented, I knew we needed to be a part of as many initiatives as we could to help. CAPSA has an amazing staff whose dedication to their mission is incredible. I am a native of Cache Valley and one of the main reasons I love living here so much is the generous support of the community and how everyone takes care of each other to make it a wonderful, safe and happy place for everyone to live.”  

Jorgensen continued saying she feels very fortunate to be a part of this initiative, and she looks forward to providing ICON employees with opportunities to serve.  

As part of sponsoring a home, CAPSA’s goal is to have each organization take pride in their home and help maintain its beauty. 

“We want organizations to come out and plant flowers together, rake leaves together and be involved in the upkeep and maintenance of the house,” James Boyd, CAPSA’s development director said. “For us, it’s about more than the money. It’s about getting the wonderful people from each organization involved in supporting survivors of abuse.”  

With these three new sponsorships, CAPSA now has only five homes without sponsors. Boyd said CAPSA’s goal is to have every house sponsored by the end of the fiscal year, in June. A house sponsorship costs $6,000 a year. To learn more about the details, please contact James Boyd at james@capsa.org or (435) 760-5277.  

#  #  # 

Contact: James Boyd, Development Director for CAPSA, james@capsa.org, (435) 760-5277