Crisis calls were down while “Second Stage” housing occupancy was up last year, the directors of the Atikokan Crisis Centre learned at their annual general meeting here Monday night.
The ACC runs a 24-hour crisis line for women seeking help due to domestic violence. The number of calls placed in 2003-04 was down slightly from 2002-03 (from 1,612 calls to 1,476).
The occupancy rate at the women’s emergency shelter also was down to 77 percent—six percent lower than the previous year.
The emergency shelter provided safety and security to 126 women and 114 children last year—down from 164 women and 135 children in 2002-03.
The ACC also manages New Horizons/Second Stage housing, “with the assistance, guidance, and direction from the Rainy River District Social Services Administration Board,” executive director Donna Kroocmo wrote in her report.
The occupancy rate at Second Stage housing for 2003-04 was 83 percent—up eight percent from the previous year.
“This sets a new record for occupancy of the Second Stage apartment building,” noted Kroocmo. “We are extremely pleased that this program is providing assistance to many families and is being utilized almost to capacity.”
Besides providing shelter, the ACC organizes a number of special events for the women, including a Christmas tea and Valentine’s Day baking party.
It also provides a child care program for tenants in Second Stage housing, where children can go swimming, to the movies or the park, and do arts and crafts.
Kroocmo said the centre also provides public education workshops throughout the district. “We have been requested to present more domestic violence training workshops to the First Nations communities in our catchment area,” she wrote.
As well, the ACC offers advocacy and outreach services to women in need of help.
“Over this past year, court advocates have been made available to assist women involved in sexual assault cases, domestic violence cases, child protection cases, and in dealing with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, Ontario Works, and O.S.A.P.,” Kroocmo noted.
“We have been successful in many of these endeavours, and have witnessed several clients move from situations of despair to hope,” she added.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, the ACC board and staff went over the centre’s audited financial reports for the year ended March 31, 2004.
While the statements showed a deficit for the emergency shelter for the end of the fiscal year, the board learned the account was back in the black by early June.
Meanwhile, the New Horizons/Second Stage housing program showed a surplus.
In the past, the DSSAB has allowed the centre to keep its surplus funding—provided it was transferred to its capital reserve fund, Kroocmo said.
Also Monday night, the ACC board heard a presentation from two Robert Moore School students who participated in the annual Young Women’s Conference at Quetico Centre back in April.
The conference is a joint project between the ACC and Rainy River District School Board.
The board also heard from OPP Det. Cst. Caren Ashmore about developing a protocol between the various police forces and women’s shelters across Northwestern Ontario.
In closing, Kroocmo offered a thank you message.
“The work that is being done at the Atikokan Crisis Centre is vital for the safety and well-being of abused women and their children of the Rainy River District,” she said.
“And many thanks is offered for the dedication and wisdom of the directors of the board, the ongoing support from staff, the guidance provided from personnel at our two governing agencies, the Ministry of Community and Social Services and the Rainy River DSSAB, and the very generous donations from the communities we serve.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
