Louise Evans delivered 25 years of advocacy during her 360 Communities career The closing of our Hastings Lewis House coincided with the sunset of an impactful career. For more than two decades, Advocate Louise Evans has been the guiding light for those navigating the darkest of times, offering unwavering support, a compassionate ear, and [...]
Closing the doors of our Hastings Lewis House shelter For over two decades, 360 Communities has operated two shelters for victims of domestic and sexual violence in Dakota County. In November, we were forced to close our Lewis House shelter in Hastings. We could not operate two shelters due to the stagnant nature of [...]
360 Communities to close Hastings Lewis House 360 Communities will close its Lewis House domestic and sexual violence shelter in Hastings and reduce staffing in its violence prevention and intervention program by mid-November 2023. “Resource constraints led us to this difficult decision,” says 360 Communities President & CEO Jeff Mortensen. “Unfortunately, at a time [...]
It's about connection a message from President & CEO Jeff Mortensen “360 Communities saved my life. I stayed in an abusive relationship for 12 years, and now I’m free and looking to inspire someone facing a similar situation to let them know that there is hope,” says domestic violence survivor Cheryl. “I am grateful to [...]
Volunteer Spotlight: Rich Wirt 360 Communities honored Rich Wirt at the 37th Annual Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Luncheon with a Community Caring Award for his work to support abuse survivors. Rich has given 20 years of volunteer service at the Lewis Houses and the Rosemount Resource Center and Food Shelf. Last year, Rich donated 215 hours [...]
Introducing the Dakota County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) SART is a collaborative effort between Dakota County Government, Dakota County Sheriff’s Office, Apple Valley Police Department, Burnsville Police Department, Allina Health, M Health Fairview, and 360 Communities. Together, we promote supportive outcomes for victims/survivors after they experience a sexual assault and need help. We recently [...]
360 Communities works upstream to prevent violence and promote healthy relationships February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, an excellent time to spread awareness and share tools to help young people navigate relationships as they mature. Domestic Violence Advocate and Community Educator Molly Hayes delivers presentations throughout the community about these often complex topics. She [...]
Safe, affordable, stable housing is a foundation for having strong families and communities. But far too many Dakota County residents either lack or are at risk of losing this vital and most basic need of shelter. On any given night in Dakota County, there are more than 300 people who are homeless and without adequate [...]
Enduring violence Heather remembers almost passing out as her estranged husband choked her in a rage, with her eight-year-old daughter asleep in the other room. She hit him with her phone, escaped to another part of the house, and locked herself in a room. She called 9-1-1. Police arrested him that night and took him [...]
A message from Jeff Mortensen, President & CEO I once heard someone say that humans are the most adaptable creatures on earth…when forced to be! Human history is full of all kinds of crises, periods of growth, and steep recessions. These experiences, and the accumulated lessons learned, help us innovate and transform if we also inspire [...]
