Five Questions With: Karen A. Santilli

Karen A. Santilli is president & CEO of Crossroads Rhode Island. / COURTESY CONSTANCE BROWN
Karen A. Santilli is president & CEO of Crossroads Rhode Island. / COURTESY CONSTANCE BROWN

Karen A. Santilli is president & CEO of Crossroads Rhode Island, which aims to solve homelessness by practicing evidence-based methods to secure stable homes for individuals and families. She was PBN’s “2015 Business Women Industry Leader” in nonprofit services. Additionally, she was named the “2011 Fundraising Professional of the Year” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Rhode Island chapter, and she’s a ZETA II graduate of Leadership Rhode Island.

PBN: What does it mean to Crossroads Rhode Island to merge with the Women’s Center of Rhode Island?
SANTILLI:
As one organization, we will be able to more efficiently and effectively provide integrated services to meet the needs of individuals and families with domestic violence histories throughout our program areas. Through this merger, Crossroads has applied for affiliate membership with the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence and can benefit from their expertise in ending domestic violence. As of July 1, 2016, after a formal three-year affiliation with Crossroads, the Women’s Center of Rhode Island has dissolved as an organization, and all Women’s Center programs and services have moved into Crossroads’ continuum of care as the Domestic Violence Program of Crossroads Rhode Island.

PBN: What was the catalyst behind this merger?
SANTILLI:
Domestic violence is a major factor in causing homelessness for women and children. Both Crossroads Rhode Island and the Women’s Center of Rhode Island recognized this population has a continuum of need that is broader than either organization could meet on its own. This merger enables us to more effectively address the connection between domestic violence and homelessness.

PBN: How well does the mission and services provided by the Women’s Center mesh and what can be built off this collaboration?
SANTILLI:
Both organizations have worked to empower vulnerable individuals and families to overcome homelessness and live safe, self-sufficient lives free of violence. From a sample of women who had experienced domestic violence, 38 percent became homeless after they separated from their abusive partner. An additional 25 percent indicated that they had to leave their homes during the year following the separation for both safety and financial reasons. By bringing an innovative housing-first approach to our domestic violence program, we hope to break the cycle of violence by providing opportunities for supportive, safe housing options for women and children as they transition from shelters.

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PBN: How does this merger help the involved organizations reach out to those members of the community who were beyond their reach prior to the merger?
SANTILLI:
It’s really more about having the ability to combine resources of the two organizations to ensure the domestic violence survivors coming to us have access to the full range of services they need to be safe, break their cycle of violence and end their homelessness.

PBN: How does this merger improve Rhode Island residents’ access to services?
SANTILLI:
Because the two organizations are operating as one our overhead costs are lower. This is critical as funding is always a challenge and costs continue to rise. By merging, we are able to ensure the continuation of critical, safe emergency shelter for survivors of domestic violence, and combine that with the employment and housing support survivors want and need to become independent.

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