Partnering with Safe Avenues to Build Strong Communities
July 2020
During these challenging times, Duininck, Inc. is finding ways to give back to the communities in which they serve. Duininck believes in building strong communities and sought out an organization striving towards the same goal.
“We know COVID-19 has changed the dynamics of our communities. As a company, we had to ask ourselves, how can we make a difference?” explains Chris Duininck, President of Duininck, Inc., “For us, Safe Avenues is a partner in our efforts to build strong communities. We appreciate all the work they’re doing.”
Dawn Lindahl, Quality Control Manager at Duininck, Inc., joins Chris in presenting the Safe Avenues donation, “I’m proud to represent my work family as we contribute to Safe Avenues. We’re about families helping families.”
Safe Avenues provides domestic and sexual violence victim advocacy to eight primary counties in Southwestern Minnesota. Out of these eight counties, seven of them are home to many Duininck, Inc. employees and their families. Within these shared counties, Safe Avenues has seen significant impacts in their programs due to the economic and health crisis.
“Since COVID-19 started, throughout our counties we have seen roughly a 30% increase in sexual assault cases and an increase in the number of people asking for protective orders,” explains Jen Johnson, Safe Avenues Executive Director.
In order to serve the people in their programs, Safe Avenues relies on the generosity of others. As major grant funders allocate resources towards COVID-19 related emergencies, and small businesses face challenges of their own, Safe Avenues counts on the relationships they build within the community to provide program funds.
Jen shares in her gratitude, “We are very blessed to be in Kandiyohi County. As a whole, it’s a very giving community and I am very thankful. They hear of a need, just like Duininck, and give before we even need to ask…that’s amazing.”
Duininck, Inc. is proud to support the mission of Safe Avenues in their effort to fight against domestic and sexual violence in the communities we both call home.
