Perla Flores, the program director for Community Solutions in
Hollister and south Santa Clara County, was honored Oct. 19 in
Hollywood with a $25,000 California Peace Prize from The California
Wellness Foundation for her work with victims of domestic violence,
sexual assault and human trafficking.
Perla Flores, the program director for Community Solutions in Hollister and south Santa Clara County, was honored Oct. 19 in Hollywood with a $25,000 California Peace Prize from The California Wellness Foundation for her work with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.
“I was shocked and I thought it was a joke,” said Flores, when she heard of her selection in August. “I was very surprised and very pleased. I think, particularly in San Benito County, we have limited resources and our services are very limited. We only receive funds from two sources and the office is the size of a broom closet.”
Flores is one of three people honored this year, including Sammy Nuñez, the executive director of Fathers and Families of San Joaquin, and Aquil Basheer, the CEO of the BUILD Youth Empowerment Academy.
In the 2009-10 fiscal year Community Solutions provided services in 716 domestic violence cases, 150 sexual assaults and five human trafficking cases in San Benito and south Santa Clara counties. Services include emergency confidential shelter, legal advocacy, court accompaniment, peer counseling, case management, safety planning and resource and referral.
Flores planned to take the trip to the Southern California ceremony with staff members from her office, including Debbie Ruiz, the Solutions to Violence case manager in the Hollister office.
“I just feel that because of the leadership I have with her – since she has been the director with our team – the program has been able to get strong on prevention,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz said the San Benito community has become more aware of the services offered since they’ve had a stronger presence at events such as health fairs.
“People know about Community Solutions,” Ruiz said.
She added that Flores is supportive, especially when Community Solutions staff and volunteers are supporting victims involved in high-profile cases.
“If I get two crisis calls, I can call somebody and someone will come,” Ruiz said, of getting support from the Santa Clara offices. “If it’s not one of the other girls, Perla will come…Because of the leadership, if we know this is a crisis, we stop what we are doing and we go.”
Ruiz said she felt honored about the prize, though it is her boss who has been recognized.
“The prize is for her, but also her work as a leader empowers her staff,” Ruiz said. “How many people can say they love their boss, honestly? I can.”
Flores came from the private sector eight years ago when the company she worked for went under. She started consulting and did some work with public health, which connected her with Community Solutions.
“It is very rewarding work,” Flores said. “Our team really sees across the entire agency. It’s from the leadership down the line to the staff that works directly (with clients). All these people make up an agency that is very much committed to the mission of creating opportunities for positive change.”
The press release from The California Wellness Foundation announcing the prize highlighted some of the reasons for Flores’ nomination.
“Because of her efforts, a rural community that once lacked adequate services and resources can now assist people in need,” according to the statement in the press release. “As a program director at Community Solutions … Flores oversees the development, implementation and evaluation of the organization’s domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking prevention and intervention services.”
The release touted the creation of key partnerships with medical and faith communities to widen the support of victims.
“The financial climate is impairing our ability to help abused women,” Flores said. “There’s a lot more need and a lot fewer resources.”
Ruiz mentioned the partnerships she has been able to form in the San Benito area with other organizations as well as law enforcement agencies. Just recently she organized training for the sheriff’s department on human trafficking. It is an issue that has gained increasing awareness and Community Solutions staff members have been trained to help clients who have been victims of the crime. Staff members have worked with two clients from San Benito County.
Flores said in 2003, a coalition on human trafficking was created in San Benito, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, which before had been part of a greater San Francisco Bay Area coalition.
“We realized we needed a task force or a coalition that served the population,” Flores said. “We couldn’t continue to go all the way to San Francisco. There was too much of a gap politically and geographically.”
Flores said human trafficking is “a significant issue across the board.”
California is one of four states identified as an entry point for human trafficking, with San Jose and San Francisco being main gateways. Of the victims identified, 50 percent are victims of sexual exploitation and 40 percent are victims of labor exploitation.
Though she was happy with the news of the award, she used the opportunity to promote Community Solutions.
“For me, again, really the most important thing is anyone being victimized knows that there is support out there,” Flores said, “That it is not their fault, and to encourage the community to reinforce that for these individuals and never blame or judge them. That takes away accountability for the aggressor.”
Community Solutions 4th annual play
Community Solutions will present a play to increase awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault.
“Historias de Mi Madre IV (Histories of My Mother); A Feminist Anthology” explores the role of women during important historical events. The bilingual play will be performed Nov. 6, at 6 p.m., at the Gavilan College Theatre, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd., in Gilroy. There is a suggested $10 donation, but no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. The play, due to mature content, may not be appropriate for children.
“This year, our goal is to highlight the strength, courage and determination inherent in all women,” said Rosa Revuelta, a Sexual Assault and Prevention Services Manager for Community Solutions, in a press release. “We want to honor and celebrate not just famous women in history, but the female heroes all around us.”
Lupe Maldonado will again bring the character of Grandma Lupita to life.
“I volunteer in this play because we need to eradicate violence from our world,” she said in a press release.
For more information, call 408-776-6294.
For domestic violence or sexual assault services, call 1-877-END-SADV (1-877-363-7238) or visit www.communitysolutions.org.
