HIF Champion Spotlight
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence (NDS) Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence (NDS), based in Santa Clara County, is the largest and oldest provider of services addressing the impacts of domestic violence at the individual and community level. Their goal is to decrease the number of people in Santa Clara County who will experience an abusive relationship in their lifetime, ultimately ending domestic violence in our communities by creating paths for survivors through crisis to safety, stability, and self-sufficiency. To this end, NDS has a long history of creating and implementing innovative programs and services that address the needs of survivors both on their own and in partnership with organizations like HIF.
Their Survivor-Defined services include shelter, housing, legal advocacy, risk assessment and safety planning, crisis intervention and group counseling, self-sufficiency case management, housing assistance, therapy, and children’s aligned services that support survivors and their families through all stages of their recovery.
Since 1971, NDS has remained the only stand-alone, domestic violence agency in Santa Clara County, answering approximately 15,000 crisis calls and serving an average of 3,000 survivors of domestic violence annually. Their comprehensive, compassionate, bilingual services are available free of charge to all women, men, LGBTQ and individuals across the gender spectrum and of varying abilities.
As one of HIF’s core partner agencies, our Housing Programs team works in close collaboration with the NDS Self-Sufficiency case managers to provide their clients with emergency support services. They refer clients to us and we’re able to quickly provide survivors and their families a lifeline to stability in times of crisis via grants for rents, security deposits, and utility bills. Our strong partnership ensures we can meet each family’s crisis head on by working with NDS to understand how to best respond with the biggest impact.
In 2013, our HIF completed an extensive Renovation project with $50,300 total market value including $34,127 of in-kind donations from HIF’s large network of construction companies, suppliers, and vendors. At no cost to NDS, we provided landscaping, interior painting, new flooring and dishwashers, updated lighting and plumbing as well as children’s murals, linens, and curtains. Funds that NDS would have spent remodeling were deployed to their programs serving clients.
Domestic violence is the most prevalent form of gender-based violence. It is often the most frequently reported crime to law enforcement and arguably has the most damaging effect on children and youth. It is also one of the leading drivers of homelessness in California. NDS not only provides a refuge for families experiencing domestic violence, they offer the services and support so critically important for beginning a new, safe and healthy life. We are inspired by the NDS staff and programs and are honored to call Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence an HIF agency partner.
