“Keep Our Lights On” Campaign to Restore Funding for Domestic Violence Programs (This campaign is being organized by the GRIP Caucus in the St. Cloud region)

Funds protecting women and children seeking a refuge from domestic violence have been critically cut:

2001 – First Major Cut:
Annual state funding for battered women’s shelters and safe homes was reduce by $2.6 million (from $17.9 million in 2001 to $15.4 million per year). Annual cuts to Minnesota’s 27 shelters ranged from $20,000 to $400,000. On a given night in Minnesota, it is common for shelters to be filled to capacity.

Impact:  Because of the lack of funds and reserves, one-third of Minnesota’s 27 battered women’s shelters risked closing their doors completely in 2005. Staff positions were cut or left unfilled. Yet shelters had to respond to an increasing number of women and children seeking emergency shelter.

2003 – Second Major Cut:
In 2003, $1.2 million was cut from the annual state budget from Crime Victim Services. Crime Victim Services funds many of the community domestic violence response initiative including: advocacy, collaboration with law enforcement, medical and school programs and groups for children who witness domestic violence.

Impact:  Because of inadequate funding across the state, our community response to domestic violence is diminishing. Staff positions have been cut and many of the programs, services, and initiatives developed to respond to the victims, offenders, children, and communities who experience domestic violence have been scaled back or eliminated completely.

2005 – Restored Funding:
Through grassroots efforts, advocates were able to persuade legislators to restore partial funding. A total of $400,000 was restored out of the total $2.6 million first cut in 2001.

Impact:  Restored funding has helped keep the doors open and lights on in Minnesota’s twenty-seven shelters. However, a lack of funding still persists and has hurt domestic violence programs across the state. Many staff positions continue to be cut, and follow-up services to families and services for children who have witnessed violence in their homes have been significantly reduced.

On any given night, Minnesota’s 27 shelters are filled to capacity. Restoring the remaining funding is critical to keep victims and children safe from violence and terror. The future of our children and our communities depends on it.

"Keep Our Lights On" Campaign... An invitation to take action

Dear Friends,

We are writing to ask for your help during the 2007 legislative session. Our goal is to obtain adequate funding for battered women’s shelters and programs for children who witness violence in the home by restoring the 2001 and 2003 state funding cuts as well as providing additional revenues.

Last year advocates organized a grassroots effort to persuade legislators to restore these cuts. They were successful in getting both legislative houses to begin steps to restore partial funding in 2005. However, only $400,000 of the $2.6 million in total funding cuts was restored in 2005. These cuts have hurt domestic violence programs across the state. At the Anna Marie’s Shelter in St. Cloud, this meant:

• Staff positions were cut
• Essential services for children who have witnessed violence in their homes were significantly decreased
• Follow-up services for families leaving the shelter were eliminated
• Training money for staff was reduced

We believe that by working together on a legislative campaign and through community support, we can restore this funding in 2007!

The goal of the “Keep Our Lights On” Campaign is to restore the entire funding for services to battered women and their children. We are looking for faith communities, organizations, and individuals that would be willing to make calls, letters, emails, and/or personal visits to their legislators.

A toolkit to help guide individuals in the St. Cloud region in spreading the word and contacting key decision makers to help make a change is available.  Included are further details and facts regarding domestic violence, recent budget cuts, services offered at Anna Marie’s, and sample letters that can be utilized when contacting community members. (The link to the toolkit can be found at the top of this column.)

For more information you can contact the GRIP (Great River Interfaith Partnership) office at 320-656-9215.

On behalf of the women and children escaping violence, we thank you.

Sincerely,
[Rachel DesMarais, Siri Spanier, Jeanne Sopcinski, Laura Wiberg]
College of St. Benedict Nursing Students