ST PAUL, Minn. — Women's Advocates is considered the first shelter in the nation for survivors of domestic assault. It opened in St. Paul in 1974 and on Thursday, it's hosting its 50th anniversary gala at the Landmark Center.
The tickets are sold out.
The organization is in the midst of a campaign to raise $14.25 million to acquire and renovate two new facilities in St. Paul to better serve the public. It includes 19 new individual apartment-style units totaling 58 beds for adults and children.
The space would also allow survivors to live with their pets 24/7, increase mental health support, and be ADA-compliant for all genders, sexualities, and abilities.
"It's hard because we want to work ourselves out of a job, we want to be in a scenario where there's not violence present in our community, but until we get there, we're here as a support system for folks needing that," said Executive Director Holly Henning.
Women's Advocates currently serves about 50 adults and children, sometimes for three months at a time. It offers services ranging from mental and chemical health to legal advice and financial support.
The organization originally started as a hotline to guide people going through divorce.
"What they were finding when those calls were coming in was much different than, I just need a divorce," said Henning. "It was folks who were in immediate danger and really needed help beyond that."
Nowadays, the organization often has to turn people away. Other organizations actively work to find empty beds across the city for survivors in need. But Henning says, that sometimes, the violence people are experiencing is also more severe.
Violence Free Minnesota says that the 40 people killed in domestic violence situations last year is the most in more than three decades of record-keeping.
"It's about compassion and empathy and I think it's OK to have emotion, it's OK to see people human to human and they're continuously reminding you of why the work is so important," said Henning.
Henning is also hoping to raise $125,000 during October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. If you'd like to donate, you can find more information about the capital campaign here.
There's also more information about services and ways to connect with someone through the Women's Advocates 24/7 crisis resource hotline here.