WHO WE ARE
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Family Safety Network Equity Commitment
WHAT WE DO
OUR TEAM
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Family Safety Network (FSN) is a non-profit organization providing advocacy, support, and referral services to domestic violence victims and their families since 1993. Family Safety Network was founded by a group of concerned citizens who saw a need for this service in the community. We have been actively working with victim and survivors of domestic violence since then.
Family Safety Network provides services for victims of domestic violence and their families in Hubbard, Cass and Clearwater Counties. Our services are person centered and client driven. We use trauma informed practices to provide services which include: one on one advocacy, violence and crisis intervention, safety planning, support groups, financial empowerment education, legal clinics and legal advocacy, court accompaniment, and assistance for housing stability. In addition, we offer one on one and group training by a certified Trauma Informed Practitioner. Family Safety Network can be reached through our crisis line 24 hours a day at 800-324-8151.
In the last four years our numbers have increased, and our program has responded by adding programs and education opportunities for those we serve. Currently Family Safety Network offers:
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Financial Empowerment Education
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Peer Support Group
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Legal Clinics and Legal Kiosks
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Mental Health Services through Wellness Matters
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Certified Trauma Informed Practitioners and Care
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Certified Trauma Informed Training
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Hotel/Motel Shelter Voucher System
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Rapid Re-housing through our partnership with BiCAP
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Person Centered Advocacy Plan with Case Management
On any given day in the state of Minnesota, 1,975 adults and children are victims of domestic violence and 47.7% of those happen in rural Minnesota. Over the past 12 months we have provided 13,133 services to clients throughout our area townships. We have assisted 703 families: including 60 homeless clients and 151 clients needing emergency shelter. We provided emergency financial assistance to 516 victims and their children.
Last year we shared that our most pressing emerging need would be shelter. Today, we are happy to share that we were able to create a program using the Hotel/Motel Voucher Shelter System. There are no Domestic Violence Shelters in our service area; this program allows us to provide emergency shelter at the time of crisis and our programs allow us to create a person-centered advocacy plan to move families to housing stability and break the cycle of abuse.
Staff:
Geri Sargent – Director of Operations (She/Her/Hers)
Abigail Peterson - Finance and Office Manager (She/Her/Hers)
Misty Bjerklie - Lead Victim/Family Advocate (She/Her/Hers)
Jenni Wellman - Victim/Family Advocate (She/Her/Hers)
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Board of Directors:
Lori Duchesneau - Board Chair
Ronda Hopen
Jeannie Bloome - Secretary
Roxy Moon - Treasurer
Cory Aukes
Kathy Henry
Char Christenson
Annette White - Ex-officio
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We believe it is our duty to lead the fight against domestic violence in making the changes we want to see in society so that all members of our communities can feel safe, secure, and valued. In doing so, our charge is to:
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Lead, with compassion, for social justice
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Stand in the gap to support all those who are affected by inequity.
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Create space at the table for all victims/survivors to contribute.
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Support economic growth in diversity.
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Build a society that is committed to engaging the voices and respecting the humanity of all people.
We celebrate diversity and its power to improve any endeavor and the values that guide our work are:
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Compassion
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Inclusion
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Trust
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Love
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Engaging all voices
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Respect for human dignity
Our work to advance equity is guided by the following principles:
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Equity is a basic human right; everyone benefits from equity.
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Action is a proactive strategy and response to hate; we are willing to challenge injustice and untruths at play in society today.
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The system we operate in contributes to inequity; we strive to understand the role our system plays in perpetuating oppression and to address the dynamics that support it.
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We value and engage all voices in this conversation. We are especially committed to incorporating and elevating the voice of lived experience with domestic violence.
We will work in multiple ways to make progress towards our vision of an equitable system and society. Our core strategies include:
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Applying relevant theories of development to our work, pulling from all fields of practice within our network.
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Acting as a leader and a voice for courageous action, taking stance on issues and events of the day within the framework of our core values and vision for the future.
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Educating individuals and organizations that are working to expand and accelerate practices around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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Actively investing in the success and sustainability of our commitment including working with funders and partner who share our values and vision for the future.
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Creating spaces for brave conversations by:
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Keeping equity as a central consideration in everything our network does.
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Working to ensure that all who engage with the network are also engaging in the core challenge of advancing equity for our communities.
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Working collectively as a network to multiply our impact and achieve more than a single individual or organization can achieve alone.
Supporting our community
"You are very good at what you do, it takes special people like you to help people in a crisis situation and again, I couldn't have made it out without you!"
"We are happy to support organization like yours, dedicated to the healing of victims of crime, where you provide a safe refuge and support for victims of violence."
"Bless you for being so kind. You sure are good at what you do. The entire FSN staff have been so helpful and kind and I am so grateful. Although the reason for our meeting was unfortunate, I am fortunate to have net such a kind soul and I am sincerely thankful!!"