Community Referral Agency Inc

"Our mission is to eliminate domestic and sexual violence and it's negative effects in our community by providing shelter and services that promote peace, justice and safety.”

For more information about Community Referral Agency, please go to our webpage at: crashelter.org 

For up to date information regarding our other fundraisers, please LIKE our Facebook page.

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Community Referral Agency offers the following  FREE & confidential services:

• Safe Temporary Shelter
• Crisis Line 24/7
• Weekly Support Groups
• Safety Planning
• Advocacy and Support in legal, medical, human service and other agencies
• One on One Sessions
• Restraining Orders
• Provides Education to Community Groups and Schools

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The Community Referral Agency, Inc. (CRA) began in 1979 as a grassroots, all volunteer organization to provide shelter and advocacy services to the rural communities in Polk and Burnett Counties, of Northwestern Wisconsin.  For the first six years, CRA operated out of our volunteer’s homes; in 1986 we received our first state award grant which made it possible to fund a professionally staffed emergency shelter/agency.  We were first located in Balsam Lake, WI, but we quickly outgrew this space and thanks to HUD and WHEDA funds, we were able to purchase a home in Milltown, WI which could accommodate our participants, staff and offices. After outgrowing this home, CDBG funds combined with contributions from the Bremer Foundation, H.J. Andersen Foundation, the Denver Foundation, the St. Croix Tribe, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, and the generosity of the community members and communities that CRA serves; CRA was able to open it's doors “mortgage free” to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in December of 2001. CRA offices and shelter continue to be located in Milltown.  Polk County is the primary service area. Secondary service areas are Burnett County with a satellite office in Siren and Barron County with a satellite office in Rice Lake.

Our vision and values are:

1. To work toward ending all violence.
2. To provide a safe shelter for victims of violence and their children.
3. To provide personal and systems advocacy to empower victims and to eliminate re-victimization.
4. To provide on-site all services necessary for victims to heal from crisis.
5. To work toward the elimination of personal and prevailing public values that may perpetuate and condone violence.
6. To provide children and youth advocacy for shelter and outreach clients.
7. To work toward the elimination of the cycle of violence.
8. To provide public education regarding violence as an outcome when force or threat are used to maintain power and control over others. This includes all violence including domestic violence and sexual violence.
9. To provide transportation when needed for medical and legal advocacy.
10. To provide support groups for shelter and outreach clients.
11. To assist shelter clients with housing and employment options.
12. To assist shelter clients with life skills assessment and classes including financial management and budgeting.
13. To continually evaluate and improve service delivery to clients.
14. To work collegiality with other service providers in the area.
15. To be responsive to individual concerns and needs while balancing the good of the whole organization.

With this mission and value statements in mind CRA provides: a community based temporary shelter, a 24-hour help line, advocacy with community resources, support groups referral information and community education.