Mission: To provide a safe place for victims of domestic abuse and to achieve systems change that reduces violence.

Description:
Programs and Services: Anna Marie's is a 24 hour emergency shelter for battered women and their children. The shelter is a safe place where victims receive advocacy, information, and referral services. The shelter serves nine counties: Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, Wright, MilleLacs, Kanabec, Isanti, Chisago, and Pine counties. Other programs and services include the Jill Eckhoff Transitional House, the Hospital Based Advocacy Program, Children and Youth Services, a School Youth Program, Criminal Justice Intervention, Community Education, After-care Services, and Volunteer Services.

History:
Now in its 29th year of service, Anna Marie's Alliance continues non-profit advocacy work to decrease domestic violence and to provide advocacy, safe shelter, education, support, and referral services for victims of abuse.

The agency was created by a small group of dedicated volunteers. Volunteers continue to a driving force. The battered women's shelter was first known as Woman House, and now as Anna Marie's. It first opened its doors to battered women in 1979. On January 15, 2000 the new shelter for battered women and their children, Anna Marie's, was dedicated. The new shelter is named after the mother of our principal benefactor. A new addition was completed in March 2006 that provides conference rooms, a large children's play area and an advocate office, as well as a Clinic staffed by a Nurse Practitioner and part-time nurse.

In 1983, the St. Cloud Intervention Project opened to provide criminal justice intervention advocacy, policy, and interventive measures in the criminal justice system. It closed in 2004 due to decreases in state funding for domestic abuse programs.

By 1994 funding and operations were available to open the Jill Eckhoff Transitional House for women and children. Finally, in 1996, two years of collaboration and brainstorming between the St. Cloud Hospital and Anna Marie's Alliance came to fruition with the St. Cloud Health-care Based Advocacy Program. This program provides direct services to victims of domestic violence; education and intervention to area medical professionals.

The Community Education program manages the Speaker's Bureau, Workplace Violence Intervention and Prevention Training, publications, promotion, and community events. Since its inception, Anna Marie's Alliance has made a commitment to working for systemic change through engaging citizens in the work of public awareness and by providing direct services to victims of domestic violence.

Shelter for victims will not end the problem of abuse. Legal, criminal, social service, education, medical, and other systems must work to create procedural standards through which the rights of victims are recognized and perpetrators of abuse are held accountable for their actions. Anna Marie's Alliance is committed to continuing its mission to eliminate domestic abuse in Central Minnesota by increasing proactive, preventative programming to stop domestic abuse before it starts. For example, the School/Youth advocates conduct education/group services to area schools. Now, in the 18th year of service, there are over 30 fifteen-week groups for at-risk youth in area schools. These groups provide social skills and relationship-building education, support, mentoring, and validation for young people. Anna Marie's annual, online Bids For Kids Auction (Spring) raises funds to help support the School/Youth Program.

Contact people:

Judith Gay, Coordinator Volunteer Services, (phone), (email) Kate Frantesl, Facilities Manager, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: 320-253-5563

Address:

PO Box 367 St. Cloud, MN 56302

Web Site: http://www.annamaries.org

Directions:

Confidential.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Confidential.   Nearest Bus Stop: Confidential.