Crisis Connection announces rebranding and focused mission and vision statements
Crisis Connection of Southwestern Indiana debuted a new logo and a refined brand recently
The grassroots agency that grew from a simple volunteer hotline into a multi-service organization has a new, more refined brand. In June, Crisis Connection, Inc. shed its outdated, corded handset image for a sleek sketched dove carrying an olive branch representing peace.
The organization’s mission is to end domestic violence and sexual assault through confidential crisis intervention, victim advocacy, primary prevention education, and collaboration with community partners. It began in 1984 and has grown to nine staff members.
Executive Director Beth Stein says that the new branding brings the image of the organization into current times. “We decided that it really didn’t capture all of what we do,” she explained.
She brought in the resources to do a complete agency evaluation by way of a strategic planning process and created both mission and vision statements.
Mission: We promote individual accountability and respect to end domestic violence and sexual assault through confidential crisis intervention, victim advocacy, primary prevention education, and collaboration with community partners.
Vision: We envision a community free of behavior that causes physical, psychological, or sexual harm to others.
Along with their new logo, they created a high-quality brochure that explains who they are and what they do.
She said, “We’re about ending domestic violence and sexual assault…but more importantly, we’re about providing crisis intervention, through the 24-hour hotline and advocacy. But, we also do primary prevention education. We’re in at least 9 school corporations in our service area, plus a lot of other activities that the education department does.”
All of their activities in the eight counties that they serve are designed to change the culture of acceptance of domestic and sexual violence. “It should not happen,” she stated emphatically. “It should be gone.”
They also work with other organizations in referring clients to community services that can provide the assistance they need to escape the cycle of domestic and sexual violence.
The small all-volunteer team began to accept calls on their first crisis hotline from victims on October 1st, 1984. They took 50 calls the first month. It was then that they realized that the problem was greater than they had anticipated.
Stein was named Executive Director in 1994.
Crisis Connection is dependent upon funding from state and federal budgets with 70 percent of their approximately $500,000.00 budget from the state.
She reports that they have received additional money beginning July 1st from the state, and that will allow them to expand their services.
They also rely heavily on donations from the local communities that they serve. The sources include grants and donations from organizations and churches. Donations can be allocated to a specific outreach in the organization. And, she says that all money received outside of state and federal funding can be used at their discretion while the other funding has strings attached.
Stein says that the majority of their budget goes to the crisis intervention and advocacy side of their organization, which is a 24 x 7 x 365 endeavor.
Stein says they are looking to add two more victim advocates to their ranks in the coming months with plans to add a male engagement staff person this year as well.
The organization operates in Dubois, Crawford, Daviess, Martin, Orange, Pike, Perry and Spencer counties, but Stein reports they are hoping to open two new satellite offices, one in Petersburg and another in Washington in the coming months. They already run offices in Tell City and Rockport.
As far as qualifications for their openings are concerned, Stein says they prefer candidates with college degrees, but it isn’t a requirement.
She also would prefer experience in social work or case management.
If you have questions about the openings or are in need of services, you can contact Crisis Connection and Beth Stein at 812-482-1555.
