As a member of the CORA community, welcome to 2018! I am as excited as ever about what we accomplished this last year and to give you a glimpse of the year ahead.
First, I want to thank our funders. Without you, none of our work would be possible. You are the engine that keeps our plane aloft, the current for the river, the light for our stars. And this holiday season we saw an outpouring of generosity that just floored us. You really showed up … with year-end and multi-year donations and in-kind gifts. We’re proud to call you a partner.
This past year we celebrated our 40th year providing life-saving support to families in San Mateo County. And, in response to the need, we added some new services to make it easier for those living in the shadow of partner abuse to get the help they need. For example, at the invitation of the City of East Palo, we launched community advocacy services targeted to its residents, partnered with the DA’s office and Rape Trauma Services to offer dating violence counseling and education and enhanced our children’s program and legal services.
And, in light of our recent growth, we took time to examine how to best meet the needs moving forward. We’re taking a hard look at how best to provide the most residents with the best intervention and supportive services possible. In doing so, we have been exploring some new and exciting methods of addressing intimate partner abuse and some possible organizational changes to support them. Our research revealed some exciting opportunities and we are willing to take some risks in order to ensure we are addressing the needs and using our dollars wisely. Regardless of the scale of the changes, you can be sure we will continue to offer the same expert, cutting-edge services you and the county as a whole expect of us.
They say change is the only constant. I am excited about what the future holds as we build on 40 years of experience as the “go-to” agency for survivors of intimate partner abuse and their children. You can stay up to date on the changes by joining our mailing list.
Onward into 2018 – transforming lives, supporting new beginnings and creating futures worth embracing.
With gratitude,
Melissa Lukin
Executive Director
