Prior Lake, Minnesota - The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community today announces a donation of $15,000 to the Domestic Abuse Project of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

For 27 years, the Domestic Abuse Project has provided therapy and advocacy services to family members in homes experiencing domestic violence. DAP advocates attempt to make contact with all victims of domestic assault in the city of Minneapolis, whether or not there is an arrest. Advocates are also available to assist victims/survivors with orders for protection, safety planning, help finding community resources like food, safe housing, and transportation to court as well as simply listening and offering support. All advocacy services are available in Spanish, Somali, Oromo, and Ki Swahili.

The SMSC grant will help the Domestic Advocacy Program serve more than 1,000 men, women, and children each year in domestic violence prevention and intervention programs at the Little Earth of United Tribes Community in Minneapolis.

The Domestic Abuse Project does not charge a fee for legal advocacy assistance and therapy help for its clients. "It is contributions like yours that allows DAP to continue our work to provide help to everyone who needs it, regardless of their ability to pay," wrote Executive Director Carole Arthur.

"This is a worthwhile project, and we felt it was important to support it," said SMSC Chairman Stanley R. Crooks.

As part of their violence prevention initiative, during the 2005-2006 school year DAP worked in partnership with Anwatin Middle School, Anishinabe Academy Elementary, and a theatre arts consultant to work with 25 fourth, sixth, and eighth graders to produce 'Voices for Peace.' The children wrote and performed two different plays about non-violent conflict resolution, family and child abuse, and how to be safe. Their play was presented to more than 500 students, teachers, parents, and siblings from the schools. "In the words of one student, 'I learned that the world needs to be a better place and how to help people. Go and tell someone you trust to help you and don't keep it a secret,'" Arthur continued in her letter. "Making a contribution to an organization you believe in is an act of faith signifying that what people do to help each other does, in fact, make a difference. Thank you for your faith in our work and for supporting our outreach office at Little Earth. Together we are changing lives in our community and ending the intergenerational cycle of violence," she concluded.

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