MISSION

Desert Sanctuary, Inc. has as its mission to provide for people in need, including, but not limited to, individuals and families affected by domestic abuse, provide a haven safe from violence and a place of temporary refuge.

VALUES

We Value SAFETY, both physical and emotional, because it is our organization’s reason for being. The safety of clients and our selves is the primary factor to be considered as part of every decision and action.

We Value HONESTY & INTEGRITY; therefore we are willing to examine issues truthfully and in their complexity.  Because of this work, we earn the respect of everyone essential to our organization.

We Value the COMMITMENT & DEDICATION of our staff, volunteers, clients and collaborative partners because everyone’s hard work is essential to the fulfillment of the mission of our organization.

We value WORKING TOGETHER because our experience has taught us that interdependence and collaboration among ourselves and within the greater community are essential to our success.

We RESPECT our clients, staff and volunteers and therefore provide them with the tools and knowledge that empowers them to make decisions regarding their lives and their work.

We are OPEN TO CHANGE and new information and therefore, we are responsive to community and organizational needs and appropriate approaches to address those needs.

We strive to develop a sense of COMMUNITY that values UNITY without uniformity and diversity without divisiveness.

VISION

COMMUNITY 

To significantly reduce the overall incidence of Domestic Violence through the leadership of Desert Sanctuary Shelter and Outreach Center, working with community leaders and service providers. Together, they shall increase public awareness of the complexities of the problems, formulate strategies to address Domestic Violence issues, and work to institute a comprehensive community prevention approach, including services to all family members affected by Domestic Violence.

ORGANIZATION 

Desert Sanctuary will be, and will be perceived to be, the professional and efficient organization that is needed to accomplish the community vision. Haley House Shelter and Domestic Violence Outreach Center will have strong administrative and information systems, have a diverse and representative Board of Directors and be fiscally sound.

OUR STORY

Desert Sanctuary is a debt-free 501(c)3 corporation formed in 1982 as a result of need, which was well established and defined through a community task force.  The task force began in response to crisis calls of any nature.  The vision of the agency was to become an umbrella agency, housing many services to meet the needs of the community.

From 1982 to 1999, Desert Sanctuary provided for the emergency housing and shelter needs of domestic violence victims and their children.  In 2000, we opened the Community Outreach Office, and the vision of the original Board and Founders has become a reality.

Our Shelter has grown from providing emergency housing and shelter, (30 days) to a six-month comprehensive program.  We provide counseling, groups and classes, all designed and tailored to empower our clients to provide for themselves and their children physically, emotionally and financially in an environment free from violence.  We continue to be available for support and assistance for as long as the client needs us.

Working in concert with the state and federal government, we have designed our program to provide all services with a “Trauma Informed” perspective, serving ALL victims, regardless of gender, age, income level, or ethnicity.  We provide services for more than 1,000 community members each year.

In the Outreach Office, we have established ourselves as “the” community resource center.  Through collaboration, resource development, communication and partnership, we are recognized as the link; the catalyst; the connection point between client’s needs and community resources and support.

Our sponsors/community partners include Mojave Valley United Way who assists with funds for rent, utilities, food, fuel, motel, travel, small auto repair, financial planning and case management;  San Bernardino County Sexual Assault Services provides weekly counseling at our office; Barstow Community Hospital Auxiliary;  Family Service Agency of San Bernardino (providing counseling services), Evans-Harvey Resource Center (Behavioral Modification), CalWorks, Cal OES, Community Action Partnership, St. Joseph Health, Mary Kay, Annenberg Foundation; Blue Shield, Weingart Foundation, Valenzuela Foundation, San Manuel, ICLS Inland Counties Legal Services, and many more.  All services are provided in the Barstow community.

We provide community groups with curriculum for Domestic Violence, financial planning, job preparation and readiness, education assistance, and parenting (7-week program using STEP curriculum), coping skills, self-esteem, art healing, and much more.

Services include legal advocates who assist with submitting Domestic Violence Restraining orders, as well as assistance through our partnership with ICLS Inland Counties Legal Services.

Cedar Chest Thrift shop and Baby Station provide low or no-cost clothing, household items, diapers, and other baby items.  Funds raised in these shops are utilized in agency programs.  This employment development program partners with Probation, Youth accountability and CalWORKs who place volunteers in the shop to learn retail skills.

Program development and Community education includes presentations to Police, Churches, Teen Mother Program, Welfare to Work orientation, all schools including charter and the Community College, Shelter Guests, local Service Clubs, Area Schools and other requests.

Our well-stocked and staffed child development center provides childcare and children’s programs while parents are involved in on-site or shelter activities.

As friends of the Court, we provide for court or CPS ordered supervised visitation when there is any perceived danger to the child if visits are not adequately supervised.

We have a community resource library filled with resource and referral information to assist in with social support services.  We are dedicated to strengthening our Community.

Our community partners are, The Barstow City Council, Children and Family Services, Mojave Valley United Way, the Department of Public Health, Barstow Pregnancy Center, Transitional Assistance Department, Barstow Unified School District, Department of Aging and Adult Services, Barstow Community Hospital, Barstow Community College, ICLS Inland Counties Legal Services, Golden State Water, Soroptomist International, and many and any others who share our vision of a strong and self-supporting community.

Our shelter/transitional housing homes host over 30 beds and are ADA compliant.  We have a 24-hour crisis hot line.  Our clients achieve a noteworthy success rate through shelter programs.  The shelter provides for 30-day emergency stay, with extensions up to 6 months while working on legal, financial and educational goals.  We have been providing Shelter and comprehensive services to victims and their children since 1982. We can safely house, protect and provide for up to 10 families.  We are proud of our program and even more proud of our clients.

Presentations are made to the community about domestic violence, self esteem, and effects of domestic violence on children, resource development and teen dating violence in order to raise awareness and develop a violent-free community .   Our outreach provides services, classes, groups, training and resources.  We are becoming the originally envisioned “Umbrella.” 

For many, our agency is known as “HOPE.”

 

Statistics

  • On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this equates to more than 10 million women and men.

  • 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have been victims of [some form of] physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime.

  • 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been victims of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

  • 1 in 7 women and 1 in 18 men have been stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetime to the point in which they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.

  • On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.

  • The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide by 500%.

  • Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crime.

  • Women between the ages of 18-24 are most commonly abused by an intimate partner.

  • 19% of domestic violence involves a weapon.

  • Domestic victimization is correlated with a higher rate of depression and suicidal behavior.

  • Only 34% of people who are injured by intimate partners receive medical care for their injuries.