CORA-SPONDENCE CORA-SPONDENCIA Staff Melissa Lukin, Executive Director Debbie Appel, Esq., Legal Program Director Claudia Argueta, Hotline Staff Ken Avilez, Hotline Staff Giannina Barajas, ERP Bilingual Counselor /Advocate Harvey Bresler, Finance Director Kate F. Busby, Bilingual Shelter Children’s Advocate Rosalinda Cervantes, Bilingual Case Manager Karen Clark, Receptionist / Data Entry Kristie Clemens, ERP Bilingual Counselor /Advocate Maria de Lourdes Zavala, Hotline Staff Patty Del Castillo, ERP Bilingual Counselor /Advocate Maggie Diaz, Office Administrator Martha Figueroa, ERP Bilingual Counselor /Advocate Stephanie Gentry-Fernández, Teen Outreach Coordinator Marlene Grant, Shelter Counselor /Advocate Natasha Guest, Director of Grants Management Erika C. Guzmán, Director of Client Services Susy Guzmán, Volunteer Coordinator Alicia Huff-Grady, Client Services Specialist Valerie Lin, Bookkeeper Gina Manzo, Hotline Staff Brandi Painter, Director of Housing Klealy Pineda-Mena, Bilingual Shelter Counselor/Advocate Karen N. Pisani, Director of Development Vandana Prasad, Hotline Staff Tagi Qolouvaki, Director of Community Education Cherie M. Querol Moreno, Community Outreach Coordinator Rhina Ramos, Esq.,M.Div, Latino Outreach Coordinator Shauna Reiff, M.F.T.I., Clinical Intern / ERP Counselor / Advocate

Yathmin Rodriguez, Hotline Staff Miguel Rojas, Hotline Staff Rich Russo, Teen Outreach Counselor Carlos Salinas, Esq., Staff Attorney Esperanza Sanchez Armijo, Esq., Staff Attorney Mirtha Soto, Hotline Staff Mike Sullivan, Client Services Specialist Janet R. Sussman, Development Associate Manikya V. Valluri, Hotline Staff Richard Vega, Emergency Response Program Director

Board of Directors Susan Ferren, Chair JoAnna Caywood, Vice-Chair Daniel C. Rave, Treasurer Deborah Lee Torres, Secretary Jim Granucci Rumana Jabeen Tom P. Marriscolo Kim Milligan, Esq. Gary Mogil, Esq. Jerry Nastari, Esq.

Dr. Jennifer Normoyle Robin K. Pang-Maganaris Carol Ramsay Monica Rands Preuss, Esq. Alejandro Vilchez

Editors: Karen N. Pisani Janet R. Sussman

Translation: Susy Guzmán Rhina Ramos

Contributing Writers Debbie Appel Erika C. Guzmán Brandi Painter Tagi Qolouvaki Rhina Ramos Janet R. Sussman Richard Vega

Artwork: Karen N. Pisani Photography: Rhina Ramos Layout: Waldo Graphics

A Latino Lifeline

REPORT ANNUADLITIO E N Spring 2005

Una Conexión Vital

By Rhina Ramos

Por Rhina Ramos

It is 5:00 PM: Julio is leaving work to catch a train to Redwood City. As he sips his coffee, he reviews his materials about domestic violence, which he is anxious to share with his classmates. In the U.S. he works as a database analyst. In Mexico he was a doctor and loved his patients.

Son las 5:00 PM: Julio se apresura a salir del trabajo para tomar un tren que le conducirá a Redwood City. Dando sorbos a su café, Julio revisa sus materiales sobre el tema de la violencia doméstica que con tanto deseo quiere compartir con su compañeros de clase. En los Estados Unidos, él trabaja como analista de estadísticas. En Mejico, Julio era doctor y le encantaba tratar con sus pacientes.

Lourdes is getting her two kids ready while tortillas warm in the oven for her husband. She grabs her notebook, the baby stroller and, with her kids in tow, dashes out the door to begin a two-hour commute to a CORA training. Lourdes was a social worker in her native country and dreams of practicing this profession again. It is 7:30 AM: Evelyn is scurrying to drop off her kids at school before giving a presentation to a group of college students about how she survived 14 years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her ex-partner.

Lourdes se encuentra alistando a sus dos nenas para salir y a la vez esta preparando unas tortillas para dejarle a su esposo algo que comer. Lourdes agarra su libreta, el cochecito de sus niñas, y sale cerrando la puerta para empezar un viaje que le tomará dos horas antes llegar a su clase en CORA. En su país, Lourdes era una trabajadora social, y ella sueña con el día en pueda practicar su profesión una vez mas.

The Promoter Board Left to right: Julio Cesar Flores, Sylvia Cardona, Gladys de la Peña, Lourdes Zavala, Evelyn Quinteros and Miguel Rojas

What motivates these Latino men and women to extend themselves like this? They are Promoters for CORA and are passionate about getting the word out about domestic violence! Twenty-two percent of San Mateo County’s population is Latino — the second largest demographic in the area. Still much of the Latino community is not aware of CORA and the services we provide. Knowing this information gap could Continues next page.

Son las 7:30 AM: Evelyn corre para llevar a sus hijas y su hijo al colegio antes de conducirce a una presentación que dará a un grupo de estudiantes universitarios. Evelyn compartirá con estos estudiantes su testimonio de cómo sobrevivió 14 años de abuso físico y emocional por su ex-pareja.

¿Qué es lo que motiva a estos hombres y mujeres latinos(as) a dar mas y mas de sí? Ellas y ellos son Promotores(as) de CORA. ¡Tienen un compromiso muy profundo de llevar el mensaje de esperanza contra la violencia doméstica! Continua en p. 2

CORA’s mission is to end domestic violence and abuse in San Mateo County through intervention and prevention. We provide comprehensive services to end the inter-generational cycle of domestic abuse.

(A Latino Lifeline Cont.)

(Una Conexión Vital Cont.)

be dangerous and even deadly, CORA’s Promoters Program sprung into action in 2003. Their avocation is to build a healthy community by sharing information and resources about domestic violence. The Promoters Program is CORA’s first “Train the Trainer” course taught and executed exclusively in Spanish, thereby multiplying our capacity to reach monolingual Spanish speakers. A group of forty-one highly-skilled men and women from a variety of Latin American countries; the Promoters are psychologists, teachers, doctors, lawyers, business owners, domestic abuse survivors, and homemakers by trade, but they have been equally successful at helping to spread the word about domestic violence. Since its inception, the Promoters Program has reached over 1,000 Latinos by visiting churches, schools, community centers and parents’ groups, educating them about domestic violence and its prevention. As a result we have seen a large increase in our hotline calls! And word has spread beyond San Mateo County. The Promoters were presented as a model for effective community education at two national conferences, Stanford School of Medicine’s Fall Forum on Community Health and Public Service, and the National Conference on Health Care and Domestic Violence organized by the Family Violence Prevention Fund. Julio spoke eloquently conveying the spirit of our program—domestic violence is a problem affecting all communities, and community members are eager and willing to help. This far-reaching recognition has further motivated our Promoters. Many of them have deepened their commitment to CORA and their peers by volunteering to help us in other ways. In fact, Lourdes is fulfilling her dream of utilizing her skills as a social worker by facilitating CORA counseling sessions. Julio is training to become one of CORA’s hotline staff. Evelyn is planning to leverage her personal experience by becoming a facilitator of our support groups. The Promoters understand that true leadership rests within the community itself and that the community is an extremely vital resource. Thank you, Julio, Lourdes, Evelyn, and every Promoter, for exemplifying community-based leadership and for your vital work. ¡Muchas Gracias!

A Site for Sore Eyes! Log onto CORA’s brand new Website:

www.corasupport.org and give your eyes a real treat! Our new site features a secure online donation form—now you can donate to CORA at your convenience. You can also find current details about our services and accomplishments, information on domestic violence and its effects on children, how to volunteer or donate to CORA, and information in Spanish. CORA thanks Michael Patrick Partners for their design work.

Shelter Wish List • Bath Towels • Hand & Body Lotion • Deodorant • Toilet Paper

• • • •

Dishwashing Soap Paper Towels Diapers – Sizes 3, 4, 5 Safeway Gift Cards

Los(as) Latinos(as) representan 22% de la población en el Condado de San Mateo. Demógraficamente son el segundo grupo mayoritario. A pesar de este dato, hay muchos en la comunidad Latina que desconocen los servicios de CORA. No tener este conocimiento puede representar la diferencia entre la vida y la muerta en ciertas circumstancias. En 2003, el programa de promotores(as) fué puesto en marcha. Su misión es poder construir unidos una comunidad sana a través de compartir información de los recursos y servicios disponibles para combatir la violencia doméstica. El programa de Promotores(as) es el primer entrenamiento de Educadores Comunitarios en CORA. Se imparte en Español, y nos ayuda a multiplicar nuestra capacidad alcanzar a personas de habla hispana. Nuestro programa de promotores(as) consta de 41 personas graduadas hasta el momento. Nuestros(as) Promotores(as) traen consigo muchas habilidades y capacidades que nos enriquecen, y vienen de diferentes partes de Latinoamérica. Son psicologos(as), profesores(as), doctores(as), dueños de negocio, sobrevientes de abuso doméstico, amas de casa, que han sido también exitosos en llevar el mensaje contra ia violencia doméstica al resto de su comunidad. Desde que comenzo el programa, hemos logrado alcanzar mas de 1,000 personas en la comunidad Latina. A través de los(as) Promotores(as) hemos visitado iglesias, escuelas, centros comunitarios, grupos de padres y madres, dando presentaciones acerca de como prevenir y combatir la violencia doméstica. Como resultado de un alcance mayor a la comunidad Latina, las llamadas en Español a nuestra línea de apoyo han aumentado considerablemente! Y la fama de nuestros(as) promotores(as) se ha extendido más alla de San Mateo County. Nuestro Programa fué seleccionado como un módelo de efectiva eduación comunitaria en dos conferencias importantes: El Foro de Salud Comunitaria en la Escuela de Medicina de Stanford y La Conferencia Nacional de la Salud y Prevención de la Violencia Doméstica, esta última organizada por el Fondo de Prevención de Violencia Familiar. En una de las conferencias, Julio habló elocuentemente dando a conocer el espíritu de nuestro programa – La violencia doméstica es un problema afectando a todas las comunidades, y los miembros de la comunidad estan ansiosos y dispuestos a ser parte de la solución. Este reconocimiento ha motivado a nuestros promotores. Un buen número de ellos(as) han profundizado su compromiso con CORA y con sus compañeros(as), y ya son voluntarios en otros departamentos de nuestra agencia. Por ejemplo, Lourdes esta realizando su sueño de emplear sus habilidades como trabajadora social ayudandonos a dar secciones de consejeria a sobrevivientes de abuso doméstico. Julio esta recibiendo entrenamiento para ayudarnos en nuestra línea de apoyo. Evelyn planea usar su historia personal para convertirce en una facilitadora de nuestros grupos de apoyo. Los Promotores(as) saben que el verdadero liderazgo se encuentra en medio de su misma comunidad, y que sus miembros son un recurso vital. Muchas Gracias: Julio, Lourdes, Evelyn y gracias a cada promotor(a) por ser un ejemplo de liderazgo comunitario y por su gran ayuda.

2003-2004 ANNUAL REPORT CORA Has A Breathtaking Year!

It’s been said that “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” We at CORA had many of these very moments during fiscal year 2003-2004. In some cases our achievements left us out of breath, in other cases they allowed us to catch our breath, but to sum it all up, the year was simply breathtaking! From our success in securing a $1.5 million bequest that allowed us to start an endowment, to our collaboration with Shelter Network that tripled our transitional housing, to the remarkable outreach carried out by our Promoters who educated 1,000 members of the Latino community, I think you’ll find this year’s annual report a breath of fresh air. Housing Program: The 2003-2004 fiscal year was a period of marked growth and change in the Housing Program. We provided life-saving emergency shelter to 80 residents, sheltered another twelve people through our transitional housing, and provided emergency motel lodging to 33 women and 26 children. In total, CORA’s housing program served 50 women and 40 children, totaling 5,391 shelter bed nights. Even more exciting are the significant expansions and enhancements that took place – we have nearly tripled the supply of transitional housing units in the county! With a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and in collaboration with Shelter Network, we opened an additional transitional home, “Casa de Sor Juan Inés.” Adding eight units and 30 new beds of transitional housing, Casa de Sor Juana Inés serves the significant subpopulation of homeless who are displaced due to domestic violence. By collaborating with Shelter Network we are able to provide these residents with high quality, specialized supportive services, including case management, peer counseling, children’s services, and free licensed childcare. In addition, “New Beginnings,” two new transitional living apartments were funded by the County of San Mateo, providing women and children with the extended assistance they need to rebuild their lives. The County of San Mateo was also instrumental in ensuring that our original transitional home, “Lisa’s House,” received much-needed repairs and maintenance. To help us serve the additional clients we expect from this remarkable growth, we have hired a full-time case manager. FY)