Mission: To work with our community to end domestic and sexual abuse and to support survivors in achieving safety and empowerment.
Goal:
Response will continue to be the primary resource for education, crisis intervention and advocacy as we work towards long-term solutions, creating an atmosphere of zero tolerance for domestic and sexual abuse in our community.
Vision: Response envisions a community where gender-based violence is not tolerated and all survivors are believed and assisted.
Values: At Response, we value:
● Safety and Confidentiality – above all else
● Dependability – to all our constituents
● Accessibility – of our services for everyone
● Collaboration – with our community and partners for the greatest impact
● Respect and Empathy– for everyone we work with
● Resiliency – as people and as an organization
● Equity – at all levels of our work
Goal I: Response will practice superior governance, fiscal responsibility and organizational sustainability.
● Response will invest its funds wisely and will maintain a four-month operating reserve.
● On an annual basis, Response will conduct a full financial audit and will ensure its fiscal processes and policies meet current industry standards.
● The board of Response will be of a sufficient size and diverse composition to maximize the effectiveness of the organization. The Governance Committee will conduct an annual assessment of board composition to ensure this diversity and size.
● Board members will receive at least two trainings per year so that they can effectively guide the organization.
● Staff will receive salary and benefits appropriate to their skills and experience and will receive appropriate opportunities for professional development.
● Staff satisfaction will be evaluated annually and necessary actions will be taken to promote staff retention and continuity of service.
Goal II: Response will offer high-quality programs to support survivors of domestic and sexual abuse in achieving their safety and empowerment that are inclusive and accessible to all.
● Response will provide trauma-informed, victim-centered, non-judgmental advocacy for all of its clients and will survey clients to assess their satisfaction on an ongoing basis.
● Response’s 24-hour crisis helpline will be maintained and staffed in a manner to best serve the needs of the community. Staff will evaluate the success of the hotline model annually.
● Response will assess client satisfaction with their experience working with the organization and adjust practices as necessary in response.
Goal III: Response will work towards ending domestic and sexual abuse in our community by building community awareness and educating youth and adults about these issues.
● Response will provide educational programming to local middle and high school students from Basalt to Aspen aimed at changing the culture around domestic and sexual abuse, stalking and human trafficking.
● Provide community-wide education to help people recognize and combat domestic and sexual abuse and ensure the public knows about the resources available for survivors.
● Conduct outreach and awareness raising activities to increase the chance that everyone in need of Response services are aware of what they are and how to access them.
● Raise awareness about inequities in our community in order to create systems and attitudes that are free of oppression and work towards overcoming disparities in opportunities in our community.
Goal IV: Response will provide housing, legal and emergency financial assistance for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse in our community.
● Provide emergency shelter to victims in imminent danger.
● Manage transitional housing for eligible Response clients in rental units leased and owned by Response.
● As funding allows, provide eligible clients with housing assistance specific to their needs with a goal of ensuring their access to longer-term safe and affordable housing.
● Response will work with partners and provide funding as necessary to ensure that survivors receive the civil legal assistance they require.
● Response will provide clients in need with emergency financial assistance as funding permits.
Goal V: Response will continue to strengthen and rely on strong community partnerships to implement our mission and goals.
● Response will maintain close partnerships with our educational partners.
● Response will engage with state and local domestic abuse and sexual abuse coalitions and partners to ensure effective collaborations and state of the art policies and practices.
Response will maintain strong positive relationships with all local law enforcement agencies to increase positive outcomes for survivors.
● Strengthen and develop positive mutual relationships with agencies and organizations throughout the region.
Goal VI: Response will foster an organizational culture that values people of all backgrounds and demographics and an environment of respect, openness, learning, integrity, honesty, and safety. Response’s commitment to equity and inclusiveness will be evident in our organizational structure, policies, procedures, and within our organizational goals and future vision.
● Response will attract and retain diversity at all levels including board, staff, volunteers and community partners,
● Response will consciously cultivate an inclusive organizational culture that embraces differences and offers respect in words and actions for all people.
● Incorporate diverse perspectives in program planning to ensure that we are providing relevant and effective services that are free from discrimination to our clients.
● Response is committed to ongoing self-examination of inherent biases in policies and practices, assumptions and judgments with a goal of improvement.