As we look back from 2003 (when Monsoon was established as a program under the Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault) to the last few days in 2011, Monsoon as an organization has grown in fully serving the Asian Pacific Islander communities in Iowa. From one table at IowaCASA / one staff / no budget to a “real office” in Des Moines, office in Iowa City, and paid full-time staff epitomized the growth. In 2007, Monsoon separated from IowaCASA and became a non-profit organization and received its first two grants from the Iowa Attorney General’s Crime Victims Assistance Division (CVAD) and from the Iowa Public Health Sexual Violence Prevention (SVP). One staff was hired as the executive director and was officially opened on December 15, 2007 to provide services to survivors/victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. During the first six months of fiscal year 2008, Monsoon performed a community assessment, organized community events and created its youth violence prevention program. Monsoon also hired 3 summer youth interns to create its dating violence brochure. Monsoon also moved from one table to a small room at Geez Louise. Direct services in 2008 were very minimal but this changed at the end of 2008 because of Monsoon’s violence prevention program. Request for direct services increased in 2009. Monsoon received ARRA funding from CVAD and hired one full-time staff for direct services. Monsoon also applied for two federal funding from the Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women – Culturally & Linguistically Specific Services Program (CLSSP) and Sexual Assault Specific Program Cultural Specific Program (SASP – CSP) and was successful in receiving the funding. The two grants allowed Monsoon to move to its current office space, hire two additional full-time for the Des Moines office, increase the number of on-call multilingual advocates, open the Iowa City office, hire one full-time staff in Iowa City, hire 10 Youth Peer-to-Peer Advocacy and Outreach. Increased staff allowed us to handle the increased demand for our services. In 2010, the number of direct services increased because victims/survivors from the Asian Pacific Islander communities in Iowa know that services are available and that they are not alone. Direct services were also provided to women from the African refugee communities. In 2011, Monsoon was in its final stage of gathering stories for its Oral History Project, continued its advocates and community organizing trainings, improved its youth violence prevention program, and continued providing services to victims/survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
All of Monsoon’s work is not possible without its committed staff, youth advocates, volunteers, board members, and supporters. We thank you for all your support and we are hoping for continued good work, positive, and peaceful 2012.
