The Sexual Violence Center, a nonprofit rape crisis center in Minneapolis, provides free support services to individuals impacted by sexual violence in Hennepin, Scott and Carver counties. The center is one of four Community Choice SEED recipients, which our owners and shoppers voted to select.
To make a donation to the Sexual Violence Center (SVC), round up at the register at all Seward Co-op locations throughout April. The center will use the SEED grant funds to help build a gender-neutral bathroom at its office.
About Seward Co-op’s SEED Grant Program
For more than 45 years, Seward Co-op has been committed to giving back to our community. In 2011, we introduced SEED, a new way for customers to participate in this commitment. This simple yet powerful community giving program allows customers to round up their grocery or Seward Co-op Creamery Café bill for recipient organizations that share our commitment to a healthy community. As part of the staff-led selection process for 2019, owners and shoppers were invited to contribute further by voting for Community Choice SEED recipients. Learn more about becoming a SEED grant recipient here.
About Sexual Violence Center
The center’s mission is to eradicate sexual violence and abuse by:
•Challenging the systems and individuals that promote privilege, oppression and domination
•Educating those that will join us as advocates and catalysts for change
•Supporting those who have been victimized, empowering them to not only survive but thrive, finding power and movement in our collective voices
Since 1985, the Sexual Violence Center has been serving youth and adult victim/survivors of sexual violence 12 years of age and older. The center works in Hennepin, Carver and Scott counties, with services coordinated out of its office in Minneapolis. The center will never turn anyone away from service if they live outside of these counties, but it can often refer people to a local agency that has connections with more specific resources to help.
All of the center’s services are provided by sexual assault advocates. The role of an advocate is to provide information, offer options and support victims and survivors in their decisions. Services include:
•24-hour crisis support telephone line staffed by trained advocates
•Individual, in-person counseling giving intensive, directed support to victims and survivors
•Support groups for victims and survivors, as well as friends and family of victims
•Crisis support in hospitals
•Legal advocacies through which the center advocates that victim/survivors have the resources they need to file restraining orders, navigate the criminal justice system and get connected to legal representation
Where is SVC located?
In northeast Minneapolis (2021 East Hennepin Ave., suite 418 in the Hennepin Square Building)
What will donations to SVC be used for?
Funds raised by the community allow SVC to keep services free and support its ability to
• Print materials to spread the word about services
• Purchase art supplies for support groups
• Serve food to volunteers at its 40-hour advocacy training
• Make services more accessible to victim/survivors of all genders and abilities
Does SVC need volunteers?
Yes! SVC has a peer-based advocacy model. The majority of services are provided by volunteers who’ve gone through SVC’s 40-hour training to become certified sexual assault advocates under Minnesota state statute. The next training cycle starts May 7. Contact SVC for more information.
Learn more about Sexual Violence Center at sexualviolencecenter.org.
