Hands of Hope Resource Center
We envision homes and communities free from crime and violence.
24 hour Access to an advocate
320-632-4878 or 888-454-4878
For Todd County 800-682-4547
Hands of Hope Resource Center advocates, educates and promotes societal change for those affected by crime and abuse. Our agency provides free and confidential services for those affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and general crime in Morrison and Todd counties.
housing
Emergency safe housing is short-term temporary housing provided by Hands of Hope Resource Center that is used under the following circumstances:
- domestic violence shelters are full
- the shelter does not accept male victims and/or male teenagers
- law enforcement is looking for your abuser to make an arrest and it is unsafe for you to stay in your home
- you are waiting for an Order for Protection or Harassment Restraining Order to be served upon your abuser.
Emergency housing for domestic violence victims for a longer period of time
Domestic violence shelters are scattered around the state for victims of domestic violence that are feeing an unsafe situation but need a longer term solution until they can secure long-term housing. Hands of Hope Resource Center can assist you in finding an available shelter bed in the state, however, the shelter will want to speak to you and complete their own screening process.
Coordination of long term housing with shelters
Long-term housing solutions are sometimes scarce. There are programs that can assist with housing subsidies, rental assistance, and such if you find a place to rent. An advocate can work with you to find these resources and make referrals as needed.
Legal Support
Support during criminal justice and emergency legal court proceedings.
Criminal justice advocacy is informing victims of their rights, support during law enforcement investigations and statements, attendance at court hearings with or on behalf of a client, updating clients after a court hearing with results, educating clients on the criminal process, attendance at meetings with the prosecuting attorney, and trial preparation.
Emergency legal advocacy is assistance in filing OFP and HRO applications, modifications, extensions, or dismissals of these orders as well as accompaniment to related hearings.
Recovering Financial Losses
If you have faced financial losses resulting from crime or abuse, an advocate can assist with completing the necessary forms to receive financial assistance through:
Minnesota Crime Victims Reimbursement Program is a government funded program specifically for crime victims.
Restitution is a court-ordered monetary reimbursement from the offender.
Other Legal Assistance
Referrals to legal aid and private attorneys.
Assistance Through the Criminal Justice Process
The criminal justice process begins with reporting of a crime to law enforcement. This can be done by calling 911 or be done later at the Sheriff’s Office or Police Department depending on where you live. An advocate can go with and assist you with reporting a crime to law enforcement.
Next, the police report will be sent to the County Attorney’s/ prosecution office where it will then be decided if the State will press charges or not. If charges are being perused, the criminal justice process will begin.
The criminal process has many different types of hearings and can take a significant amount of time before a case is settled or closed.
Advocates can track and attend criminal hearings on behalf of the victim, or with them, from the first hearing all the way through sentencing. At sentencing, the victims of the crime have the right to do a Victim Impact Statement. This statement is read to the court by the victim, the prosecutor, an advocate or the Judge can read it amongst themselves. A Victim Impact Statement gives the victim the chance to describe the effects the crime has had on their life and share their thoughts on the proposed sentence in open court.
When someone is the victim of a crime there can be expenses that go with it. As advocates, we can assist in filling out forms for restitution and/or reparations. Restitution is payments directly from the defendant through a criminal case to cover the costs of property damage, medical expenses, and/or other out-of-pocket expenses as a result of the crime. Reparations are payments that come directly from the state, Minnesota Office of Justice Program. Reparations can help cover funeral costs, medical bills, therapy, and most services that come after being a victim of a crime.
Safe at Home
Safe at Home is a statewide address confidentiality program administered by the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State. It is governed by state law that requires others to accept a special assigned address that is different from your real address.
If you are someone who fears for your safety, such as a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, Safe at Home can help you by establishing an alternate address that public and private entities must accept as your true address. This allows you to go about your daily life without the risk of the person you fear discovering your actual residential address.
How Can Safe at Home Help?
Safe at Home gives you a substitute address that you can use instead of your real address. It helps keep your home, work, and school addresses confidential. Safe at Home forwards your First Class Mail to you without charge, and can receive legal documents for you on your behalf.
To Be Eligible Apply You Must:
- Be a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking or are afraid for your personal safety for another reason; and
- Reside in Minnesota; and
- Be at least 18 years old, or have a parent/legal guardian apply for you on your behalf; or
- Have a legal guardian apply for you if you are an incapacitated adult.
For more information about Safe At Home, click below.
Crisis Line
(320) 632-4878
(800) 682-4547
How Does a Person Enroll?
Currently, the only way to apply to Safe at Home is with the help of a Safe at Home Application Assistant – a victim advocate who has been specially trained to assist eligible people in applying to Safe at Home. A person who wants to enroll meets face-to-face with an application assistant to discuss their safety concerns, how the program works, and then together determine whether applying to Safe at Home is a good safety step to take. If it is determined that joining Safe at Home is appropriate, the application assistant helps with the application paperwork.
How Will You Get Your Mail?
Upon enrollment and certification, Safe at Home assigns the new participant a common P.O. Box address and a unique Lot Number. As a program participant, your First Class Mail will go to this P.O. Box and is then forwarded to your real address by Safe at Home staff. In Minnesota, all public and private entities must accept a participant’s assigned Safe at Home address and a participant cannot be required to disclose their real address. You are responsible for notifying people of your new Safe at Home address, including your bank, utilities, schools, family, and friends.
Is Participant Data Private and Secure?
Other than a Safe at Home participant’s name and assigned Safe at Home address, all Safe at Home participant information is classified as private data and maintained by the Safe at Home office. Measures are in place to secure participant data, which is extremely sensitive.
Peer Support Groups
Hands of Hope offers a weekly one-hour virtual domestic violence support group. If you are already a client of Hands of Hope, ask your advocate about doing a referral to join the support group. If you are not already a client, you can email [email protected] for information about joining the group.
Our one request is that all attendees must be able to provide a quiet, confidential place in which to take part in our meeting. Like all of our services, confidentiality is a must.
Support group is an informal opportunity to
- share concerns and feelings
- learn coping mechanisms
- hear from others who have similar feelings and have experienced similar events
- talk about safety concerns and safety planning
- talk about other subjects important to attendees
Advocates
An advocate is there is listen to what your needs are, help you find possible solutions for the issue you are dealing with, and assist you in getting connected to the resources you need to move forward.
You can reach an advocate by:
- calling the 24 hour hotline
- calling the office during the day
- emailing through our advocates account
- sending a message through our Facebook page
Safety planning
Victims of domestic violence need to think of safety planning when staying in an abusive relationship, when leaving an abusive relationship, when at work and when children are involved.
When children are involved
Discuss a safety plan with your children for when you are not with them. Make sure they know of a safe place to go in an emergency. Devise a code word or name to use with your children when you need the police. Give your children’s school a copy of the Order for Protection if one is in place.
When you are staying in an abusive relationship
Think about what you can do to keep yourself and your children safe, particularly at times when your partner becomes abusive, or you sense the situation is escalating. Tell kids to go to a safe place if a fight starts. Stay away from rooms with potential weapons like kitchen knives, baseball bats, objects with sharp or pointy edges. If possible, move to a room that allows you an escape route or ability to lock the door or call for help. Always have a “go” bag with essentials ready.
When you are leaving an abusive relationship
As a result of concerns for victim safety, the courts have established the following safety planning procedures to be used in the event that a victim of domestic or sexual violence wants a DANCO or no contact order removed.
CONTACT AN ADVOCATE TO HELP YOU DEVELOP A SAFETY PLAN TAILORED TO YOUR SITUATION
Crisis Line
(320) 632-4878
(800) 682-4547
When you are at work
Make sure your supervisor and/or other colleagues are aware of your situation. Give your supervisor a copy of the Order for Protection if one is in place. If possible, provide a picture of batterer and have someone screen your phone calls. Devise a safety plan for leaving work like having someone walk you to your car and using different routes to go home.
