Jeff Davis CADA
Executive Director’s
Year End Report 2011

 

Shelter

This year we assisted 541 individuals from January through November 2011. This is an increase of almost 43% over last year (377) and 2009 (375) and provided shelter for 103 persons for a total shelter nights stay of 1468 (number of residents x days stayed per month). We performed 65 Temporary Restraining Orders from January through November 2011. Twenty-four families and all in-house residents have been adopted for our Adopt a Family for Christmas Program. This is an increase of over 50% compared to 13 families in 2010.

Staff

In June, Althea Taylor was replaced as Women’s Advocate by Oliverette Paddio who has been a Residential Aid with CADA for approximately 3 years. At the end of the VAWA Stimulus grant (May 2011) Kathy Scoggin (now Brown) replaced Faline Daniels as Children’s Advocate. Faline went to work for Buller and Assoc. our CPA. Dawn Bergeaux was hired in October to facilitate the newly acquired sexual assault grant. Residential Aide, Crystal Fontenot, was replaced by Andrea Woodward, and Cynthia Myers was hired as the R.A. floater.

Facility

The majority of the downstairs bathroom floor and a portion of the upstairs bathroom floor have both been replaced due to leaks under the floor surrounding the commodes.
The air conditioning unit needed dismantling to allow for an acid cleaning. Additionally, the thermostat needed to be replaced. The faucet on the kitchen sink was just recently replaced.

In Addition

• The 2010 Financial Report and Audit were completed and submitted (on time) in June 2011. CADA was given an unqualified statement by the auditor and there were no audit comments or suggestions.
• Over $35,000 was raised by Taste n Tell. Over 300 persons attended.
• The Jeff Davis Domestic Violence Task Force continues to meet and is now in its second year.
• Sharon McMillin, joined our board…Polly Henry resigned as the Thomas family board representative and Marilyn Watkins was appointed to replace her.
• CADA was awarded $355,523 (an increase of $116,706 over last year) in grants for 2011-12. Of that amount $164,768 are new grants…this includes the Rural Sexual Assault Grant awarded in Sept for 142,257 to be used from 10/1/11 through 9/30/14. Not included in that amount is the $125,000 Capital Outlay grant from the Louisiana Bar Foundation toward the purchase of a new facility. This grant is paid out over the course of 5 years at $25,000 per year. Thus far we have drawn a total of $25,000 against it.
• CADA was selected as a United Way Community Partner again for funding year 2013. Designated gifts from U.W. are $4,600 for the 2012 campaign.
• Schematic renderings for our new building have been developed by architect, Jeff Kudla and the first investors meeting was held in November.
• Outreach efforts continue to develop and enhance our program as evidenced by the increase of 43% in persons served in 2011.
• We held our second annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Day on Oct. 19th to recognize and appreciate law enforcement personnel in Jeff Davis Parish. There were approximately 167 law officers, court personnel, and representatives from the D.A.’s office. This is up from 120 persons in 2010.
• A new fund raiser was added in 2011: the first annual Spring Arts and Crafts Show was held April 16th. It was well attended and we raised approximately $3500.
• Several pieces of furniture were donated, including a lovely dining set from the Jennings United Methodist Church. A dinette set with 6 chairs and an oversized easy chair for the living room, 2 dressers one with a mirror and an almost new Broyhill sofa were also donated.
• The Adopt a Family for Christmas Program provided gifts for 24 families and 29 children received new bikes! This is a 50% increase over last year.

Wish List

 

• A NEW BUILDING!

 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

This month is meant to encourage support and participation in awareness campaigns and educational efforts. Just the statistics are devastating enough for one to see we are in need for people to be involved:

• One in four women (25%) has experienced some sort of household violence in her lifetime
• 85% of the victims are women.
• Three out of four women (75%) know someone who has been a victim of abuse.
• One in five high school teens will be involved in an abusive relationship before graduation.

Become a friend on CADA’s face book and be empowered. Have your awareness raised, along with what can be done to prevent household violence and help keep women safe in the workplace. During the month of October, CADA will host three major events to promote awareness and education:

• October 6th, 2011 — Our Candlelight Vigil to honor the ones who have lost their lives because of domestic violence.
• October 13th, 2011 – Taste N Tell: our Annual Fund Raising effort for CADA.
• October 19th, 2011 — Law Enforcement Appreciation Luncheon for the people who risk their lives going into unknown situations to help victims of domestic violence.

CADA is an organization working toward improving the lives of women and children in our community. We are in the final stages of plans to offer hospital complement to victims of sexual assault. This will give the victims an advocate to help educate her/him as to what is available to her/him during this very emotional time. No one wants to go through abuse alone: with your help they won’t have to. Our goal is to break the cycle of violence. So, please come and support CADA as we help support victims of abuse.

Kathy Scoggin, Outreach Coordinator

News From The Well

June 2010

 

From the Executive Director:
We are so excited! This is our very first newsletter on our brand new website. We will use this newsletter to keep you up to date on a quarterly basis. Please watch for announcements for our new cookbook and Taste n Tell info.

CADA wrapped up a busy year in 2009. We served 375 women and children, wrote 74 temporary restraining orders, and provided shelter to 72 women and their dependant children. Thus far in 2010 we have served 187 women and children and provided shelter to 59 of them. Our legal advocate has written 24 Temporary Restraining orders since January 2010.

According to a Violence Policy Center report, Louisiana ranks first in the nation in one-on-one homicides involving females. The Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence has been conducting a Fatality Review for the past few years to determine how many women have died in Louisiana as a result of domestic violence. The study concluded 892 women have died as a direct result of domestic violence from 1997-2009. Statistics show that in Louisiana 2.53 women per 100,000 were slain by males. . .nearly double the national average. Also, 90 percent of those homicides are committed by someone the victim knows, and another 55 percent are committed by the victims’ current or former partner.

The Coalition’s recommendation to lower the domestic homicide rate is to include wider use of protection orders and batter intervention programs and stronger coordinated community response to the issue of domestic violence.

In February of this year CADA participated in the first ever Domestic Violence Task Force meeting held in Jeff Davis Parish. District Attorney, Michael Cassidy facilitated the meeting and law enforcement officials, and court officials from Jeff Davis Parish and Calcasieu Parrish attended.

Social change must take place if domestic violence is ever going to be stopped. It is up to all of us to stand up and say enough is enough! I personally send a challenge to every man in our state to hold men accountable for domestic abuse. There is a movement going on across our country to do just that. Some of these men will be marching in the July 4th parade in Lake Charles this year. Join theml!

Copies of the full DVFR (domestic violence fatality review) report will be made available to elected officials throughout the state. The public can get a copy after June 30th by submitting a request to lcadvcoalition@yahoo.com.

Children’s Advocate

The past couple of months here at CADA have been rather busy. The children have been learning all types of new ways to handle stress at home, how to overcome outbursts and behavior issues. We have also worked on different ways for them to become more interested in school work and having better hygiene as growing adults. We have group meetings and discuss the various topics the children purpose. CADA has been home to children of all ages ranging from newborns to pre—teens. As Children’s Advocate, this allows me to help the children through circumstances that may not be handled otherwise. Thanks to everyone who has helped CADA in any way.

Faline Daniels

Women’s Advocate

As Women’s Advocate for Jeff Davis CADA, I assist with helping victims of domestic abuse search for employment and suitable housing. This at times can be a major challenge for the women that come to CADA. Most of these women have children and have never lived on their own without their partner. Also some of these women don’t have any job skills, which at times can make it harder to find employment.

This year CADA financially assisted 57 residents (women and children) with housing, re-location utilities expenses, medication and transportation. We also made it possible for some of these women to attend parenting classes by providing transportation and assisting with child care.

We are excited about enabling one of our residents to attend Aviation School in Dallas, Texas. Helping battered women create and achieve goals to better their lives is one thing our program focuses on. Assisting battered women in becoming more independent is one of our major achievements here at Jeff Davis CADA.

Althea Taylor