Cornerstone Advocacy Service

Cornerstone's ultimate goal is to reduce the prevalence of interpersonal violence. Healthy futures are possible when we coordinate an effective crisis response, implement trauma-informed services, mitigate the impact of violence on children and youth and confront the roots of violence. Our continuum of service helps to create communities where individuals and families are safe and children thrive. We educate, advocate and lead the way to social change.

Since Cornerstone's founding in 1983, we have always been an innovator in our field. Over the past three decades, Cornerstone has developed a broad continuum of services ranging from prevention to intervention.
Prevention Services:
Cornerstone believes that it is critical to engage in effective prevention services in order to eliminate violence, as well as mitigate the long-term impact. Cornerstone has had a long history of working with children and youth who have been exposed to violence to mitigate the effects it has on their young lives and futures. Children who are exposed to violence in their homes are not only more likely to perpetuate the cycle of violence as victims or perpetrators, they are also more likely to have other negative outcomes- both physical and mental-including a higher likelihood of attempting suicide, abusing drugs and alcohol and running away from home. Early intervention through Cornerstone programming like School-Based Services and Clinical Services for youth can help change these children's futures. Cornerstone also provides educational programming and workshops aimed at helping to understand the interconnection between violence and oppression.

Intervention Services:
Safety: Cornerstone works to address the immediate safety concerns of those experiencing violence. The need for safe, immediate and accessible shelter is critical. Anyone in imminent danger of violence can access our Emergency Services programming, which includes 24 hours/7 days a week hotline, crisis intervention and advocate support, a 35-bed Emergency Shelter, a Hotel/Motel Partnership and all basic needs. Cornerstone's statewide program, Day One ® ensures that victims across the state get connected to safety and services with just one call. Day One is a unique collaboration supporting a network of over 80 Minnesota domestic violence, sexual violence, anti-trafficking, youth advocacy and general crimes agencies.
Stability: Cornerstone first ensures that families are safe and then works with them to move toward financial, emotional and housing stability. We offer individual and group supportive services, asset building, financial literacy, safety planning and educational groups for victim/survivors and their families. Cornerstone also offers two years of transitional housing and intensive supportive services for up to 13 families. Staff also work on-site at a low-income housing complex, ensuring families have access to support and resources to maintain stable housing. To address our participants' emotional and mental health, Cornerstone provides specialized, trauma-informed affordable therapy to adults and children affected by interpersonal violence.

Cornerstone has been working with families and individuals affected by domestic violence since 1983 and in that time, we have become more highly skilled as individuals and as an organization. As we develop new programming and improve upon our existing programming, we utilize research-driven best practices and evidence-based models. Our leadership team brings many years of experience in the field of domestic violence and nonprofit leadership to Cornerstone: