At the center
Quiet conversation filled the halls of the McLean Family Resource Center on April 1 as Executive Director Lisa Gusewelle led visitors through the building she and her staff call home base.
During the first tour of the day, she walked Seth O’Neill and Victoria Jane Welk of the North Dakota Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition past the pantry shelves, the common kitchen area and a hallway lined with inspirational quotes and planning boards. The tour continued through offices and the thrift store, where visitors paged through decades old scrapbooks, before the group stopped to visit with local law enforcement officers, chatting over coffee and slices of cake as they marked the milestone together.
The all day open house drew 47 visitors and marked 45 years since the organization first opened its doors April 1, 1981. The center, originally founded as McLean County Women’s Outreach under director Rita Ruona, has served as a resource for survivors of domestic and sexual violence across the region since its earliest days.
The North Dakota Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition, which O’Neill and Welk represent, is a statewide organization that supports local advocacy programs, provides training and technical assistance, and works to strengthen the statewide response to domestic and sexual violence.
The center began with a focus on supporting women experiencing violence in rural McLean County. Over the decades, its services expanded, and the organization became the McLean Family Resource Center, reflecting a broader mission to support survivors and families.
Gusewelle said recent changes have focused on reducing barriers for families seeking help. One of those changes involves access to food pantries.