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Jenna Perez Named Executive Director of The Dwelling Place
Following an extensive search and interview process, Jenna Perez was unanimously selected by the Board of Directors to be the next Executive Director of The Dwelling Place. Jenna will formally assume the role in October 2023.
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, Minn. – Following an extensive search and interview process, Jenna Perez was selected by the Board of Directors to be the next Executive Director of The Dwelling Place. Jenna will formally assume the role in October 2023.
Perez served as the Director of Programs at The Dwelling Place since 2022. She graduated from North Central University with a degree in Intercultural Studies and Theology. Perez was a missionary in Venezuela facilitating a children's home, sheltering an average of 80 children fleeing abuse or neglect. She moved back to the United States and worked for Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota for nine years, ending her tenure as the Senior Program Manager before joining The Dwelling Place.
“I want to see us continue to do the incredible work we are doing! We have the strategic plan for the next three years already mapped out, and I cannot wait to step into this role and work on getting the strategic goals realized,” said Perez. “This is the Lord’s ministry, and He will continue to provide the resources, volunteers, and miracles in our women and children that we get to see every day at TDP. I truly believe our best years are yet to come!”
"Jenna is a collaborator, motivated to create systems that allow people to do what they do best, and cares about people," said Alexandra Bartolic, Chair of the Board of Directors. "She is a problem solver and can bring a vision to reality and help everyone see their role in the process."
Perez met her husband, Jose, while serving in Venezuela, and they now have three children. Together, they planted a bilingual Spanish/English church to reach the Hispanics in Columbia Heights, and Jose continues to serve as the lead pastor. Perez enjoys family bike rides, going on walks, having friends over, and game nights.
Perez follows LeNae (Williamson) Paulsrud, who led The Dwelling Place since 2020 and announced her intentions to step down from the position in July 2023. Paulsrud will serve as an advisor throughout the transition.
The Dwelling Place is a Christ-centered ministry providing healing and hope to victims of domestic abuse through supportive services and a safe, transitional place to call home. For more information, visit tdpmn.org.
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New Children’s Space Doubles Programming Capacity
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, Minn. – On Wednesday, August 30th, The Dwelling Place, a local domestic abuse shelter and recovery organization, celebrated the grand opening of the Belva’s Children’s Programming Space. The new facility doubles the previous children’s space capacity and makes it possible for programming to be tailored to age-sensitive activities.
The Children’s Program helps children escaping and recovering domestic violence. Along with their mothers, children are finding healing and breaking generational cycles of abuse. The program includes age-sensitive therapy, support groups, one-on-one tutoring, socio-emotional skill building, and learning about Jesus Christ.
The Dwelling Place outgrew the small play area for its Children’s Program. Infants to 12-year-olds frequently needed to use the same area.
“The need for expanding program spaces was clear, but the funding was largely unknown until Northeast Bank stepped in to fund our Children’s Program space expansion,” said Meagan Struck, Director of Development at The Dwelling Place.
Now, freshly stocked with scooters, jump ropes, and a jumbo Connect 4, Belva’s provides a space conducive for school-aged children while programming for toddlers can remain in the original space.
Northeast Bank has a long-established partnership with The Dwelling Place and provides banking services and financial classes for their residents. The children’s space was named after the bank’s foundation president, Belva Rasmussen, who formed the foundation to carry out community-building work and is passionate about children, laughter, and play.
“We are honored to name this new children’s space after a woman who has been such a strong advocate for women and children,” said Struck. “What a legacy! The children at The Dwelling Place have an additional space to feel safe and loved.”
The Dwelling Place is a Christ-centered ministry providing healing and hope to victims of domestic abuse through supportive services and a safe, transitional place to call home. For more information, visit tdpmn.org.
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New Leadership Announced for The Dwelling Place, Columbia Heights, MN
The Dwelling Place (Columbia Hts, MN) is a Christian ministry that for 22 years has provided healing and hope to victims of domestic abuse through supportive services and a safe place to call home. After a nine-month process, a Search Committee and the Board of Directors unanimously selected LeNae Williamson to serve as the next Executive Director for The Dwelling Place.
The Dwelling Place welcomes LeNae Williamson as new Executive Director!
The Dwelling Place (Columbia Hts, MN) is a Christian ministry that for 22 years has provided healing and hope to victims of domestic abuse through supportive services and a safe place to call home. After a nine-month process, a Search Committee and the Board of Directors unanimously selected LeNae Williamson to serve as the next Executive Director for The Dwelling Place. Ms. Williamson follows The Dwelling Place Executive Director, Linda Wiza, who first served as a board member (six years) before taking on the role of Executive Director in 2015. At the beginning of 2020, Ms. Wiza announced her plan to retire from this position by the close of the year. Ms. Williamson begins as Executive Director on August 31st and will have the benefit of a three-month transition period with Ms. Wiza.
Under Ms. Wiza’s faithful leadership, The Dwelling Place established a strong foundation for ministry and service, expanded its capacity with the addition and renovation of two safe transitional houses, increased staff, and strengthened relationships within the community with partners and supporters that encompassed churches, county agencies, area businesses, and individuals.
Prior to joining The Dwelling Place, LeNae Williamson served as Development Manager at Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities for the past 6 1/2 years. Her responsibilities included the Major Gifts Team and sharing the story of Union Gospel Mission out in the community. She is originally from Minnesota and earned her BA degree in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of St. Thomas.
Ms. Williamson is passionate about helping women discover and become their authentic selves through trauma informed care and bringing the love of Jesus into every situation. She loves collaboration and team building and is constantly striving to help others utilize the gifts and talents that God placed within them. The Dwelling Place anticipates Ms. Williamson will bring her extensive experience and skills in business and nonprofit leadership along with her passion to serve women and children harmed by domestic abuse.
Roy Anderson, The Dwelling Place Board Chair stated, “We are so grateful for Linda’s strong leadership over the past five years as Executive Director that followed six years with The Dwelling Place Board. Linda’s love for The Dwelling Place is unmistakable! The Lord used her to advance and strengthen the ministry in such a meaningful way, and we are encouraged to know that she will continue to be involved in the future as a volunteer supporter.”
Mr. Anderson continues, “LeNae Williamson joins us with a good balance of private business and nonprofit experience. We are encouraged by her heart for our mission and her proven ability to develop and nurture strong partnerships. LeNae’s faith and dependence on the Lord immediately attracted us to her. She is an accomplished and gifted leader and we have every confidence that she will continue to develop and grow The Dwelling Place ministry to fulfill its mission to transform lives through Christ’s love.”
On October 9, The Dwelling Place will host its 22nd Annual Gala (a 45 minute virtual event) where supporters will hear from LeNae Williamson for the first time during this special “Light, Shine Bright!” time of celebration. Gala registration information is provided at http://www.thedwellingplaceshelter.org/events-calendar.
Services Provided and Accomplishments Achieved
Through Covid 19 and the racial tensions and civic unrest, cases of domestic abuse continue, creating needs of homelessness and trauma for women and children. Gratefully, all women and families at The Dwelling Place remained safe from the virus and from abuse to date.
Through Covid 19 and the racial tensions and civic unrest, cases of domestic abuse continue, creating needs of homelessness and trauma for women and children. Gratefully, all women and families at The Dwelling Place remained safe from the virus and from abuse to date. This is a gift of God. We have also seen many women complete all of the necessary processes equipping them to move to homes of their own since May of 2020. This is an incredible achievement for each woman and an amazing opportunity during such uncertain times. The Alumni Program, started in 2019, provides each woman now living “on her own” to still have support and connection with our team and with women they came to know while living in the homes.
The Dwelling Place provides four homes (Sandy’s Place, Ruth’s Place, Esther’s Place, and Lydia’s Place) with a capacity to house 57 women and children at one time. We are blessed and grateful to provide a safe place to call home and well-defined support services for women and children who are homeless and traumatized because of domestic abuse.
In 2019, we successfully housed and served 29 women and 43 children (23 of the women are mothers). We received calls for help from 414 women with 299 children—all victims of domestic abuse. All women left domestic violence successfully and detached from their abusers. The women and children found safety and remained safe within our program. 72 women and children received 10,717 nights of safety; with the average stay of 10 months. (Average length of stay of those graduating in 2019 was 13 months). (In 2018, we served 20 women (16 of the women were mothers) and 25 children. The average length of stay for a woman at The Dwelling Place was 8 months.) Time is a gift that is essential for a woman to heal, make plans, and become equipped for a future free of abuse. Thank you for providing a safe place to call home and the support each woman and child needs in this critical season of their life.
Our graduates step into a future financially independent, abuse-free living, dependent on Jesus Christ and surrounded by God's people. Lives are being transformed by God's grace and the love and labor of His people. Thank you for supporting the women and children we serve!