PLATINUM2023

SafeHouse Denver, Inc.

Denver, CO   |  http://www.safehouse-denver.org

Mission

The mission of SafeHouse Denver is to assist adults, youth and children in reclaiming their right to a life free from domestic violence.

Notes from the nonprofit

SafeHouse Denver relies on the generosity of individual and corporate donors to support our mission. Donations of $100 or more qualify for the Colorado Homeless Contribution Tax Credit. SafeHouse works hard to provide effective stewardship of our funds, with 79 cents of every dollar directly supporting our programs and services.

Ruling year info

1977

CEO

Ms. Jennifer Caruso

Main address

1649 Downing Street

Denver, CO 80218 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

84-0745911

NTEE code info

Family Violence Shelters and Services (P43)

Spouse Abuse, Prevention of (I71)

Temporary Shelter For the Homeless (L41)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior used to control, coerce, intimidate, threaten, manipulate, and/or exert power over a current or past partner. Domestic violence may be physical, emotional, sexual, and economic. Domestic violence crosses all races, cultures, religions, ages, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic groups. The effects of domestic violence are far reaching. From schools and neighborhoods to businesses and communities, its impact and costs are felt by all of us. One in four women and one in seven men will experience will experience physical violence by their intimate partner in their lifetime. Established in 1977, SafeHouse Denver is the only agency in the City and County of Denver that provides a full continuum of services to adults, children and youth experiencing intimate partner violence.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Emergency Shelter Program & 24 Hour Crisis Line

Our Emergency Shelter provides secure housing, basic necessities, individual and family counseling, group support and advocacy for adults and children fleeing domestic violence. Although the Shelter was a safe refuge for 192 adults and 99 children in 2019, more than 6,000 requests - the highest number in our history - had to be referred to other resources due to a lack of available beds. The reasons that a survivor of domestic violence stays with an abuser are varied and extremely complex. However, when they do make the difficult decision to leave the abuser, their safety risk increases substantially. Therefore, the need for emergency shelter and services specific to domestic violence survivors cannot be overstated.

The 24-Hour Crisis and Information Line is staffed by advocates and trained volunteers. Often the first point of contact for our services, the Crisis Line provides safety planning, crisis intervention and referrals to community resources for victims and those helping them.

People who call the crisis line have many different types of needs, questions, or concerns related to domestic violence. Survivors and victims call seeking counseling or shelter services, referrals to legal or housing resources in the community, or for immediate emotional support. Some callers are not domestic violence victims themselves, but are calling about a family member, a friend, or an employee. These callers are helped with suggestions about basic safety and how to support the person they are concerned about.


Thanks to the support of caring community members and trained volunteers, survivors and their network have access to the help they need, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Population(s) Served
Victims and oppressed people
Families

While many survivors of domestic violence seek emergency housing or safe shelter, there are many others who have a safe place to stay, haven't made the complicated choice to leave their abuser yet, or are still suffering from the emotional trauma of their abusive experience. For those survivors, SafeHouse Denver's Counseling and Advocacy Center (CAC) is an invaluable resource, providing comprehensive and compassionate individual counseling, access to community resources, and group support.

In 2019, the non-residential Counseling and Advocacy Center (CAC) provided in-person advocacy-based counseling and support groups to 474 adults and children. Of those survivors, 37 were children or teens, 55 were monolingual Spanish speakers, nine survivors identified as male, and five individuals did not specify a gender. CAC Advocates also responded to 430 outreach requests providing critical resources and trauma-informed support to survivors who may not otherwise be able to access our services, and provided offsite group sessions to 93 adults.

In 2019, 99% of survivors receiving services at the CAC who voluntarily completed an exit survey reported that they had enhanced their safety strategies, and that they knew more about community resources.
Realizing that domestic violence is an issue that effects the entire community, SafeHouse Denver is committed to providing specialized education with the purpose of increasing community awareness, encouraging prevention, and developing effective community responses. Our Community Education program offers training and education to schools, businesses, service groups, faith-based and other organizations, as well as groups such as law enforcement and health professionals.

Additionally, SafeHouse Denver offers on-site domestic violence services at partnering agencies, especially those serving low and middle income individuals and other populations identified as high-risk for domestic violence.

In 2019, Community Education and Awareness program reached 2,224 individuals through 51 educational presentations on domestic violence.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Adolescents

Launched in 2018, SafeHouse Denver's Extended Stay Program provides safe, temporary housing in furnished, two-bedroom apartments to survivors who are out of acute crisis but in need of short-term housing while they work to pursue affordable housing, employment, child care and other resources essential to establishing stability. The Extended Stay Program offers families stability and independence as they work on their self-identified goals and continue to heal from the trauma of abuse.

In 2019, the ESP provided safe housing, access to community resources, increased stability, and a renewed sense of empowerment to seven heads of household and 13 children under the age of 18.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Children and youth

Where we work

Awards

R.J. Montgomery Award for Excellence in Human Services 2004

El Pomar

Community Partner of the Year 2013

Center for Work Education & Employment

Collaboration Denver Triage Project 2013

Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Videos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of participants counseled

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Age groups, Gender and sexual identity, Victims of crime and abuse

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of public events held to further mission

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Work status and occupations

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of clients served

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Age groups, Gender and sexual identity, Victims of crime and abuse

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of direct care staff who received training in trauma informed care

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Context - describing the issue we work on

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Number of nights of safe housing provided to families of domestic violence

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Emergency Shelter Program & 24 Hour Crisis Line

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Decreasing

Number of crisis hotline calls answered

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Related Program

Emergency Shelter Program & 24 Hour Crisis Line

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Total number of volunteer hours contributed to the organization

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Input - describing resources we use

Direction of Success

Increasing

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

SafeHouse Denver's mission is to assist adults, children and youth in reclaiming their right to a life free from domestic violence.

SafeHouse Denver strives to:
• intervene in domestic violence with services that empower adults, children and youth to live free from domestic abuse.
• prevent domestic violence through education efforts that foster and support a broad movement for violence-free communities.
• facilitate an interactive, collaborative community response to relationship violence that identifies victims earlier, makes victim services more accessible, and builds community awareness and accountability.

We maintain a 24 hour emergency crisis line, an emergency shelter for women and children, a Counseling & Advocacy Center for non-residential counseling and we go out into the community and provide education about domestic violence. We have added the Extended Stay Program which will provide clients with free, private, short-term housing and continued support form our staff.

SafeHouse Denver recognizes that each survivor has individual needs, experiences, and responses to trauma as a result of domestic violence, and often a lifetime of victimization. To address trauma, SafeHouse Denver provides support using a best-practice, trauma-informed approach. We provide all services through a trauma-lens that focuses on each individual's safety needs, prevents re-traumatization and promotes healing and recovery. Trauma-informed services meet survivors where they are and encourage them to become confident in their own decision-making so they can lead healthy, self-sufficient lives. With a focus on safety, the approach has been incorporated into all aspects of our programs, including the implementation of empowerment-based polices and procedures; language use on forms and how we request information; the physical environment of our spaces; survivor-informed services; and on-going training and secondary-trauma support for Advocates.

Our Emergency Shelter continues to be in high demand. In 2019, we referred 6,234 requests for safe housing to other resources because our shelter was full. With decreases in the number of domestic violence-specific beds in Colorado, SafeHouse Denver's Emergency Shelter now comprises 35% of the 87 domestic violence-specific beds in the five-county metro area.
In 2019, the 24-Hour Crisis and Information Line answered 11,307 calls from community members in need of shelter or other information.
In 2019, the non-residential Counseling and Advocacy Center served 437 adults and 37 children.
In 2019, our Community Education program reached 2,224 individuals through 51 educational presentations.Our
In 2019, the ESP program provided temporary housing to 7 adults and 13 children

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    We do not require feedback because it goes against trauma-informed care best practices.

Financials

SafeHouse Denver, Inc.
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

SafeHouse Denver, Inc.

Board of directors
as of 08/31/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Mrs. Geralyn Gorshing

CRL Associates

Term: 2021 - 2023

Jennifer Caruso

SafeHouse Denver

Sharla Carlson

Krayden, Inc.

Nate Barker

Spencer Fane LLP

Dylan Metzner

Jones & Keller

J.J. Simon

CIBC Bank

Danielle Vaughan

FirstBank

Geralyn Gorshing

CPS HR Consulting

Trevor Bartel

Lewis Roca

Ramona Gomoll

Rock Solid HR Consulting, LLC

Barry Overton

eXp Realty, LLC

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 8/31/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 11/02/2020

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.