(Woodland, CA) – October 2, 2017 – District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced that on September 29, 2017, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) approved the awarding of $575,000 in state grant funds to open a new emergency shelter for victims of crime. Funding will begin on October 1, 2017 and continue through December 31, 2018. The project is a collaborative partnership between the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, Empower Yolo, and Shores of Hope.
Founded in 1977, Empower Yolo is Yolo County’s leading provider of services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. Empower Yolo also maintains resource centers designed to improve the health, social, educational, and economic outcomes in Yolo County. Shores of Hope provides transitional housing services for individuals experiencing homelessness. The depth of experience shared between these two organizations makes them both extremely qualified to successfully implement this new program.
Using this funding, Empower Yolo will rent a property owned by Shores of Hope to use as an emergency shelter exclusively for crime victims. The grant will fund several new staff positions at Empower Yolo to provide comprehensive case management services for inhabitants of the shelter, including client navigation, rapid re-housing, therapy, crisis counseling, career coaching, and child advocacy. This grant award will also allow the District Attorney’s Office to hire an extra help Victim Advocate to focus exclusively on serving victims who face homelessness or unstable living conditions. Shores of Hope will provide property management services at the emergency shelter.
The shelter is a 4 bedroom, 2 bath house with a total of 8 beds. Empower Yolo will also use grant funding to provide clients with hotel vouchers if the house is full or if an individual/family prefers the hotel to a group setting. An emergency fund will be used to pay for food vouchers/gift cards, transportation, hygiene products, prescription medication, and other essential items.
This project will strengthen each organization’s commitment and ability to serve some of the most vulnerable members of society. Studies have shown that victims of crime face a dramatically increased risk of re-victimization without stable shelter, underscoring the need for additional resources to assist this underserved population.
Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig expressed his gratitude for the state funding. “Serving victims of crime is our office’s number one priority. This new emergency shelter will improve our ability to meet the needs of these victims. I am very grateful that the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services funded this proposal.”
Empower Yolo’s Executive Director Lynnette Irlmeier also expressed excitement about the news. “Empower Yolo is excited to embark on this new project, and we appreciate the strong partnership between our organization and the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office. This new emergency shelter will fulfill a vital need for victims experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.”
Dowling Center Empower Yolo
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