The Southern Valley Alliance for Battered Women was started by the late Maxine Kruschke, herself a victim of battering.

	Maxine Kruscke founded The Alliance after leaving a 32-year abusive marriage.

    Five years after leaving a 32-year abusive marriage, Ms. Kruschke and a group of volunteers began talking to a few people about the issue of domestic violence.

    In 1982, they offered direct support to five victims of battering, becoming the first group to do so in Scott County, Minnesota or Carver County, Minnesota.

    In 1983, the organization received initial funding, enabling it to become incorporated and provide both individual advocacy and support groups to victims of battering. Since then, The Alliance has assisted over 11,000 women and their children, in their struggle for a violence free, healthy family life.

Timeline of Accomplishments:

Maxine Kruschke founds the Southern Valley Alliance for Battered Women

SVABW officially incorporates. Crisis phone line opens and serves five women. Women's support groups and Community Education programs begin.

Legal Advocacy services begin. Safe homes are introduced. Presentations begin in local schools.

SVABW is funded by MN Department of Corrections, and is designated the official program serving Scott and Carver Counties.

SVABW is accepted as an affiliated agency of the United Way.

Maxine Krusche, founder and executive director, dies of cancer.

Children's Support Groups begin.

First annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser is played

The Carver County Criminal Justice Intervention Project begins. "Living Violence Free" classes for juvenile offenders begin. Support groups at the MN Women's Correctional Facility in Shakopee begin. Sheila Wellstone visits several times to analyze the "state-widerole model" for safe home programming.

Completed an extensive program evaluation, developed and compiled by an MSU graduate student for her Master's Degree thesis.

SVABW completes capital campaign, raising $550,000.

i'M o.K. Children's Visitation Center opens.

Hospital Advocacy Project developed and implemented at St. Francis Regional Medical Center. First Annual Poinsettia Fundraiser is held. Begin training Custody Evaluators and Mediators throughout the State of MN upon the request from the MN Association of Custody Resolution Specialists.

Scott County Criminal Justice Intervention Project begins.

First Annual Silent Auction & Dinner Fundraiser is held. SVABW and Scott County recieves the NACO award in recognition of our collaborative efforts of the VINE program.

Expanded Hospital Advocacy Project to Ridgeview Medical Center. "Beyond the Crisis" support group begins.

Marcia Wellstone visits us at our ADVAM (Anti Domestic Violence Month) Open House along with candidates and elected officials from the local, state and federal levels. Three weeks later Marcia, her mother, Sheila and her father, Paul were killed in a plane crash. May the work Sheila did on behalf of battered women live on in all of us.

Our 20th Anniversary!
We held our “Journey of Hope” celebration at Cedar Lake Farms in New Prague. We kicked off $20 for 20 Years of Service Campaign
We held a candle light vigil at our office in memory of all the victims who have lost their lives in the past twenty years and in celebration of all the survivors we have worked with since 1983. Held our 1st annual 5k Fun Run/Walk Fundraiser during Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Loss of funding forced us to eliminate our Carver County Criminal Intervention Project and our Children’s & Youth Program.

The Alliance was the recipient of the proceeds from the Scott County Fair 5K Race/Walk organized by Doug Krohn.
We received funding from the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board to create a Junk Mail Tree.

Funding allowed for the Carver County Criminal Intervention Project and Children’s/Youth Programming to be reinstated.

Best year ever for our Bachman's Poinsettia Fundraiser! We sold over 860 plants and netted over $16,000.

Expanded our services to include a Latina Advocacy Program.