Sojourner Project Inc

SOJOURNER PROVIDES EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN; LEGAL ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT TO EMPOWER THOSE VICTIMIZED BY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE; AND INFORMATION AND EDUCATION TO RAISE COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND PROMOTE VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

SHELTER PROVIDES EMERGENCY HOUSING AND SUPPORT FOR UP TO 24 WOMEN AND CHILDREN UNSAFE IN THEIR HOMES. A 24/7 CRISIS/HELP LINE IS LOCATED IN THE SHELTER STAFFED BY TRAINED VOLUNTEERS AND ADVOCATES. IN 2022, OVER 3,100 CALLS WERE ANSWERED PROVIDING INFORMATION, REFERRALS AND SAFETY PLANNING TO CALLERS. GUIDELINES FROM THE MN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RELATED TO COVID CONTINUED TO BE FOLLOWED IN ORDER TO KEEP STAFF AND RESIDENTS SAFE AND HEALTHY THIS DID IMPACT THE AMOUNT CLIENTS SERVED. IN 2022, THE EMERGENCY SHELTER SERVED 81 WOMEN AND 99 CHILDREN. ALL SERVICES ARE DIRECTED TOWARDS SUPPORTING THE CHOICE OF RESIDENTS TO LIVE WITH GREATER SAFETY AND STABILITY. RESIDENTS ARE PROVIDED ALL BASIC NEEDS AND RECEIVE A VARIETY OF SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDING LIFE SKILLS AND THERAPEUTIC GROUPS, REFERRALS FOR SAFE HOUSING, MEDICAL CARE, FOOD STABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT. SHELTER ADVOCATES ALSO PROVIDED TRANSITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO 20 WOMEN IMPACTING 20 OF THEIR CHILDREN.

OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT COORDINATES PRESENTATIONS AND TRAININGS IN SCHOOLS AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDING AND RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE. INFORMATION IS ALSO PROVIDED ABOUT DATING VIOLENCE AND ELDER ABUSE. EACH PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND PRESENTATION IS TAILORED TO FIT THE AUDIENCES REQUEST AND NEEDS. TYPICAL YOUTH PRESENTATIONS, SAFEU, ARE FACILITATED IN SCHOOLS OVER 3 DAYS. ALTHOUGH COVID RESTRICTIONS WERE STILL IN PLACE IN 2022, COMMUNITY EDUCATORS PROVIDED A TOTAL OF 121 YOUTH PRESENTATIONS, 69 AWARENESS PRESENTATIONS AND WERE A PART OF 20 TABLING EVENTS REACHING A TOTAL OF 9500 INDIVIDUALS. EDUCATORS ALSO PROVIDED 16 TRAININGS REACHING OVER 230 ATTENDEES. DIGITAL OUTREACH INCLUDES PLATFORMS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER AND A BLOG TO INCREASE AWARENESS.

COMMUNITY LEGAL ADVOCACY DEPARTMENT PROVIDES ADVOCACY, ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO THOSE WHO RESIDE IN S.W. HENNEPIN COUNTY. SOJOURNER PARTNERS WITH 9 POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND SERVES 17 CITIES. PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROGRAM OFTEN DO NOT REQUEST OR REQUIRE SHELTER. ADVOCATES PROVIDE SAFETY PLANNING; INFORMATION ABOUT COURT PROCESSES AND VICTIM RIGHTS; ASSIST PARTICIPANTS IN THE PREPARATION OF PROTECTION ORDERS; AND FACILITATE SUPPORT GROUPS. AS REQUESTED, CLIENTS CAN ALSO RECEIVE TRAUMA INFORMED THERAPY. OVER 500 THERAPEUTIC SESSIONS WERE PROVIDED IN 2022. SOJOURNER ADVOCATES ALSO WORK WITH VICTIMS OF HARASSMENT, STALKING, ELDER ABUSE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. THEY PROVIDE ACCOMPANIMENT AND SUPPORT IN CRIMINAL, FAMILY AND VARIOUS CIVIL COURT MATTERS. IN 2022, COMMUNITY-BASED LEGAL ADVOCACY SERVICES PROVIDED SUPPORT TO 755 UNDUPLICATED ADULTS, IMPACTING THE SAFETY OF 286 CHILDREN. OVER 5,400 HOURS OF DIRECT ADVOCACY WAS PROVIDED TO CLIENTS.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PROMOTES ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE MISSION OF SOJOURNER AND FALLS UNDER THE OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT. INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP VOLUNTEERS HELP PROVIDE MORE DEPTH SERVICES TO ALL CLIENTS. VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE CHILD CARE, ANSWER THE CRISIS LINE AND SUPPORT THE INTERVENTION PROGRAM ON WEEKENDS. GROUPS HELP KEEP SPACES ORGANIZED AND CLEAN. IN 2022, OVER 3000 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME WAS LOGGED.