Metro Centers for Community Advocacy, Inc.

Metro Center for Community Advocacy's vision is as follows. "Metro Centers for Community Advocacy (Metropolitan Center for Women and Children) is dedicated to assisting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking to live their lives without fear of violence and to be financially and emotionally independent." To meet its vision, Metro Centers for Community Advocacy's plan is to assist survivors in achieving autonomy with emotional and financial independence through supportive services and education. To accomplish the plan, Metro's Strategic Plan addresses the following strategic goals.
Goal 1: Enhance services for survivors
Goal 2: Cultivate community relationships
Goal 3: Increase awareness of Metro's services
Goal 4: Maintain facilities
Goal 5: Develop funding streams
Goal 6: Maintain technology

The following goals and objectives comprise the strategies for Metro Centers for Community Advocacy (Metropolitan Center for Women and Children).
Goal 1: Enhance services for survivors
Objective 1: Hire diversified staff.
Objective 2: Provide continuing training for staff.
Objective 3: Ensure services for survivors meet standards.
Goal 2: Cultivate community relationships
Objective 1: Develop community partnerships.
Objective 2: Increase resource partnerships.
Objective 3: Ensure that Board is diverse and representative.
Goal 3: Increase awareness of Metro's services
Objective 1: Explore new ways to advertise Metro's services.
Objective 2: Increase media awareness of Metro and services.
Objective 3: Utilize social media to communicate about Metro and
services available.
Goal 4: Maintain facilities
Objective 1: Follow regular maintenance schedule.
Objective 2: Ensure Metro's facilities meet safety standards.
Goal 5: Develop funding streams
Objective 1: Explore diversified funding opportunities.
Objective 2: Improve and enhance the fund development plan.
Goal 6: Maintain technology
Objective 1: Ensure technology is current to meet needs.
Objective 2: Improve record keeping and reporting using technology.

Metro Centers for Community Advocacy (Metro), established in 1986, is a community-based, independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) social service agency serving victims of domestic violence, family violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Metro's mission is to break the cycle of violence and aid survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking through advocacy, intervention, empowerment and transformation. Metro currently provides wrap-around services, including individual advocacy, information and referrals, group support, medical advocacy, legal assistance in obtaining restraining orders, sheltering, counseling, safety planning, financial literacy, and caregiver support to survivors in eight (8) southeast Louisiana parishes – the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan area. These parishes include a spectrum of communities from urban to suburbs to exurbs to rural areas. Metro has a main office complex, two shelters, four safe-housing apartments and four satellite offices. Metro also provides a 24/7 Crisis Line for counseling and/or referrals for victims. Services are available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese. All services to survivors offered by Metro are free and confidential.
Metro, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, hired Metro's Executive Director, Darlene Santana, who has extensive experience in non-profit management. All grant and donations financial records, maintained by Metro's Accountant, are reviewed monthly by the Board of Directors at their meetings. Metro's Executive Director ensures that all grant activities and funds are in compliance with grant applications. Metro's financial statements are audited annually by external auditors. Programmatic audits, performed by grantors, occur during the grant cycles.
Metro's direct service staff are credentialed and highly trained to provide services to survivors. Metro's three programs – domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking services - are based on the empowerment model. This model is a process providing survivors with the tools and resources necessary for them to become self-sufficient. By undergirding the survivor with the tools for independence, Metro works to empower him/her to make decisions which lead to his/her becoming active, contributing members of society. Survivors leave Metro's services better equipped to care for their families and themselves. Through Metro's prevention education to the community as a whole, Metro works to prevent trauma and help citizens lead fulfilling lives.

The vision statement for Metro Centers for Community Advocacy is as follows: "Metro is dedicated to assisting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking to live their lives without fear of violence and to be financially and emotionally independent." To meet this vision for survivors, the goals for Metro's Strategic Plan are tracked monthly to determine the progress made. The goals directly address client services, Board responsibility, and administrative functions. The progress reports are provided by the Executive Director through her staff meetings and monthly Board meetings. Because meeting this vision for all survivors who receive services through Metro continues to be an ongoing task, the progress made, as measured by progress of accomplishing the Strategic Plan goals, remains a work in progress.