For the last four years, our work as an organization has been guided by a strategic plan: Elevating Equity and Community. As we start to reach the end of this five-year plan, the vision we set forth to achieve is no longer just words on a page; we can see glimmers of change. 

Within each area of service at Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center – Survivor Services, Youth Empowerment Services, Intimate Partner Abuse Education Program, and Geiger Institute – we strive to center survivor voices, foster community engagement, and champion diversity, equity, belonging and inclusion in every aspect of our work.

This year, with your support, we’ve made strides toward a future where survivors, particularly those from marginalized communities, not only feel safe, supported and respected, but also have a seat at the table in shaping and improving our services. We are finding ways to shift from being not only a survivor-centered organization, but survivor-led. We are energized by our clients advising on new program initiatives such as Creative Expression Group (more on this below in the 10 Amazing Things) and participating in workshops, panels, and community events. This survivor leadership is a testament to the strength of lived experience in guiding our mission.

By developing new partnerships and building upon existing relationships, we are deepening our impact and better understanding the needs of people we serve. We are learning from organizations that primarily serve LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and people with disabilities. We have expanded our reach and strengthened support systems by collaborating with people that serve survivors in the margins of the margins.

We have taken steps forward in our continuing work to be an anti-racist organization and to create an environment where people from all backgrounds and lived experiences thrive and feel they belong. We’ve made strides in recruiting diverse staff who reflect our community’s diversity. Our team’s representation allows us to connect with the people we serve in more meaningful, impactful ways.

This work does not always look the way I thought it would. It’s planting seeds without an expectation of seeing the growth myself. It’s bringing an intentionality to new and existing partnerships. It’s stepping forward when it would be easier to step back. The biggest lesson for me of this strategic plan, Elevating Equity and Community, is that there is no finish line, we can’t do this work alone, and that above all, we cannot end one form of violence without working to end it all.

I’m honored to share this annual report with you where you can see the impact we’ve achieved together. We couldn’t do it without you, and I want to express my immense gratitude. Thank you for standing with us. Your support makes this work possible and inspires our continued dedication to building a world free from domestic violence.

Suzanne C. Dubus
Chief Executive Officer