The foundation of the Rotary Club of Edina recently awarded a grant of more than $2,300 to Cornerstone Advocacy Service.
Cornerstone’s emergency services program provides life-saving safe housing for victims of domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking in imminent danger. The program includes crisis intervention and advocate support, a 35-bed emergency shelter, a hotel/motel partnership, pet protection, transportation, translation and all basic needs. The emergency services program houses approximately 250 children, youth and adult survivors per year. The grant will be used to purchase mattresses, pillows and cot frames for Cornerstone’s emergency shelter.
 
“Our emergency shelter was built in 2004 and is at full capacity at least 95 percent of the time and experiences high levels of wear and tear,” said Executive Director Meg Schnabel in the grant application. “In 2019, Cornerstone made it a priority to repair and renovate many spaces within our apartment-style shelter; these projects are outside the scope of our annual budget. … This project will focus on continued bedroom needs, including worn-out mattresses and pillows as well as broken cot frames.”
 
Money for grants awarded by the Edina Rotary Foundation is raised at an annual fall fundraiser and gala and donations made throughout the year.