NONPROFIT OF THE MONTH
BRENDA SYKES Executive Director Bay Area Turning Point , Inc .
www . bayareaturningpoint . org
BAY AREA TURNING POINT
Bay Area Turning Point , Inc . was founded in 1991 to assist women and children in overcoming domestic violence and sexual abuse and has been serving the Greater Bay and surrounding areas for 30 years this year . Today , BATP provides shelter services , hotel stays , 24-hour crisis
response services , individual & family counseling , support groups , victim advocacy , case management , on-site childcare assistance at the shelter , housing placement and assistance , employment assistance , life skills , and victim rights assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault . This is a very roundabout way of saying ; BATP provides lifesaving services to those who have become victimized by those who are supposed to love them and by perpetrators in society who exercise power and control .
In March 2020 , in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic , BATP switched gears . Non-shelter staff was able to assist survivors virtually as domestic violence escalated due to people being at Home . Staff answered hotlines from their homes and connected their clients to financial resources .
Unfortunately , violence did not stop , and BATP could not stop providing services . BATP created a Hotel
Program to meet the needs of those who could no longer remain in their Home because shelter capacity was reduced due to social distancing requirements . The staff working at the shelter could not stay home and work remotely and showed up every day to ensure the needs of the clients were met .
Client
S . B . describes BATP in this way , “ Home was no longer safe ; I know COVID is taking lives , but if I stayed with him , my life would have ended anyway . I am thankful to
BATP for taking my children and me in because I don ’ t know what I would have done .”
In 2020 , BATP retained staff , worked non-stop , took on additional financial resources that went directly to clients experiencing hardships due to job loss or reduced income , set up a hotel program within 14 days and provided lifesaving services to women , men and child survivors of domestic violence . The staff , community , and board members worked collectively to elevate the voices of this vulnerable population .
If you or anyone you may know are in need of services , please call 281-286-2525 to speak with a staff person . You can also visit www . bayareaturningpoint . org for more information on ways to donate and support BATP .
40 MOMENTUM