Effectiveness & Results

The Shelter’s Goals
The Shelter identifies its goals through its mission and its strategic plan.

The mission of The Shelter is:
Leading the community to prevent, protect and prevail over
domestic violence through advocacy, empowerment and social change.

Our strategic plan is based on research and factual information that substantiates community need with regard to domestic violence service provision. The plan focuses on investing in programs and collaborations that inspire human transformation. The over-arching 3-year objective is to proactively create, track and analyze innovative, cutting edge prevention, education and intervention programs that fulfill the Shelter’s mission and vision.

The strategic plans program objective is to create new progressive programs and partnerships that address community need, stress continuum of services and reflect successful national trends in prevention, education and intervention.

Our Strategy for Achieving Our Goals
The strategy implemented to address our goals involves the creation and enhancement of dynamic, innovative, cutting edge partnerships, programs and services for the community that reflect national trends. Programs are divided into three categories – To Prevent, To Protect, To Prevail.

To Prevent
The Shelter offers a mix of programs and services designed to prevent domestic violence before it manifests in relationships. Programs and services included focus on primary prevention. 

Primary prevention programs and activities promote healthy, non-violent relationships, helping reduce the overall likelihood that someone will become a victim or a perpetrator of abuse.

Primary prevention programs and services offered by The Shelter include our Hands are for Helping, Healthy Relationships, Gentle’men Against Domestic Violence and Expect Respect programs, as well as services such as a Youth Advisory Council, Domestic Violence Taskforce, Community Education and Professional Training.

To Protect
Children, teens, adults, elders and pets find safety at The Shelter through an array of life-saving programs and services designed to protect victims of domestic violence. Programs and services include a 60-bed emergency shelter, 24 hour crisis hotline (239.775.1101), an Elder Abuse Response program, on-site- legal services and direct assistance.

To Prevail
Ending domestic violence, dating violence and elder abuse requires us to reject violence in our homes, at work and in our community. It calls on us to work together to create homes and communities free from violence and abuse.

Ending domestic violence requires us to change stereotypes, attitudes and behaviors. Some of the programs and services we offer to prevail over this social ill include our Transitional Housing Program, counseling through our Healing Arts program, as well as Options Thrift Shoppe where program participants can shop free of charge for clothing accessories, furniture and household items needed as they rebuild their lives.

Our Capacity for Achieving Our Goals

The Shelter operates a 60-bed emergency shelter; four transitional living cottages with the capacity to house 24 participants; provides outreach services, training and education throughout Collier County Florida with offices in Naples and Immokalee.

We employ 48 full-time staff, five part-time staff and 18 on-call staff. Program staff are trained and certified in the area of domestic violence. All staff members have additional specific credentials based on their particular job function. Programs are provided at shelter locations (Naples, Immokalee and Bonita Springs), schools, the courthouse, community centers and at partner agency locations.

Measuring Our Progress
The Shelter created 17 logic models with outcome measurements for existing programs. Outcomes are documented and compared to the plan on a quarterly basis.

The Shelter also tracks outcomes and accomplishments based on funder requirements. On a quarterly basis program and annual performance is captured and documented based on numbers served.

Program participants are provided with the opportunity to complete an evaluation of their services. The results of the completed evaluations are captured and documented on a quarterly basis. All of these measures provide a framework to access accomplishments versus goals, identify gaps in services and develop improvement plans.

Document Our Progress
The Shelter reports its progress through grant reports, quarterly and annual survey results, quarterly and annual performance results, and strategic plan performance updates.

Additionally, copies of our Transforming Lives Program Update/quarterly program reports and our Annual Reports are posted regularly on this website.

For more information on the programs and services we offer, please view our Programs & Services page, or call 239.775.3862.