2010-108 RES PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT - SHELTER AGENCIES FOR FAMILIES IN EAST TEXAS

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Detailed descriptions of project (iaclading description of need, scope of work, methodology, who benefits, number of beneficiaries, other project p$rtners, etc.): SAFE T was founded 'ua Titus Countv in 1995 to assist victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The first shelter, o ened in Au st 1996 with fundin from Texas Health and Human Services Commissio and later funds from the Office of the Attorne General for a SexuaI Assault Program Svnce that time SAFE T staff and bgdget has aovvn from 2 volwnteers to over 24 em~lovees with a startin~ budget of $21 000 to over $850 000/vear In the vast 15 vears manv thino have been accomplyshed mcludtng. renov ' a da care center into a shelter, o nin Thrift stores 3 and buildun a 7,200 sgggm foot Admuustration /Education Non-residential services center in 2005. The shelter aad Mt. Pleasant Thrift store are debt free and owned b SAFE-T. The Admin off'ice has a rema~n~n balance of 190 000 which is reduced from rofit made from the ML Pleasant Thrift Store Ememncv reserve funds remain at $100,000. A roximatel thrme ears a o a au of citizens from Lamar Coun visited the SAFE-T Board and Sta.ff in Mt. Pleasant in order to ask for assistance in rovidin services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Lamar Coun . The result of the two hour discussion resulted in the o enua of an office in Paris with volunteer assi ce. This u of service roviders and concerned citizens included: Child Protective Service CASA business members victims of abuse and the District Attorne 's office. At this time Famil Haven was ravin minimal services to victtms, but out of Mect for this agency SAFE T did not advertise and remained in the bac ound acce[r~wg referrals from the service aQencies fihat brou~ht it to Paris The uitention onganallv was to provxde limited. assistance to victims on a tem basis limitin the costs of services. As the referrals tncreased SAFE-T ree.iized the need for a more vermanent offce that could provide lon~er hours of service. The dilemma was funding as Federal and State funds had bean reduced for ail shelters maldn it more difficult to maintam cuneat ro ams. In s rte of the cut backs SAFE-T mauntauned ro and actuall increased outreach services. In November 2008 a ThriitStore vvas a ned in Paris which included two offi one which was used far rovidin elient services and the other as an office for the ore. Wh~ the store moved to another location the office ain moved and is currenfl located witivn the Pans Housing Authori.t~+ comlex at 615 Ninth SW Counseling is nrovided weeklv to anproximatelv 45 clients by t e enses but also assist gran Dr_ Cla.ire Haslam. SAFE-T Thrift Stores not anl mvide an income to assast wrth non- clients wha are in need of clothing and furnish~s for housiny, which are accessed bv voucher. Victims of domestic viotence are still not aware tbat there is an enc available for assistance. SAFE-T rovides shelter to victims fi'um Lamar Coun b trans ortation to Mt Pleasant. This ma not be the best scenario for each clien but i# is the best that we can offer at the resent time. We a the cost of a motel for thase clients that we canaot trans" that ni& We must educate the community regarding ihe services that are in place nght now. We are in need of funds to helppav for an Outreach Advocate tt►af would be hired from the Pans area ta develop a plan to adverhse these services throuuh media, PSA (Public Service Announcements) uresentations to civic and church P-roups. and oMan,]zing vrograms such as aireadv in place in Mt Pleasant For eMple: Anger Manas~ement Pro~rams for men wamen and teens houassistance nrograms and legal advocacv. SAFE T was awarded a larme housin$ ~rant last September for two vears of $538 000 which navs housing assistance costs of de osits ren and utilities for families. We have two staff hired under thas ant that rovides these servtces and we have been seein over 25 families each month who are iu the housin progmm an addilional 40 who are receiy' other services. We also were awarded a Crisis Re onse Team grant that allows us to o to a victim's hottse when taw enforcement have been called for a domestic violence eall. We pravide advocacy on site. These fands from the C~y of Paris would be used wiseiv for nart of a salarv for the Advocate proaxam supalies (onnted materials files etc and mileage (aD 40/mile to travel to Mt. Pleasant to transport chents to shelter, and bruz~z them back to Paris for court apuearances and other needed In 2009 SAFE-T urovided services to anuroximately 73 cfients from Lamar Coun . We estimate that in 2010 that number v►nll mcrease to over 600!. We currentl have two Paris residents in the shelter which can hold 30 le. There are suc bedrooms vvith bunk beds in each room. We can add cribs or allets for children when needed. Last ear we added one bedroom to accammodate the number of