History

Crisis Response Need Identified

Survivor Resources was established at the request of Lieutenant Joe Corcoran, a retired Commander of the St. Paul Police Homicide Unit. Initially founded as the Victim Intervention Project, Inc. (VIPI), Survivor Resources came as a result of the fact that families of homicide victims did not receive help until their case was charged. In the instance that the case was never charged, some families never received help. The Twin Cities Metro area needed crisis response in these instances, so Corcoran consulted with Margaret McAbee from Family Service, Inc. Eventually, a collaboration of efforts was formed that included:

  • history, st. paul policeThe St. Paul Police Department, The St. Paul Police Chaplains
  • The St. Paul Area Council of Churches
  • Parents of Murdered Children
  • Family Service, Inc.
  • Ramsey County Sheriff
  • The St. Paul Interdenominational Black Ministerial Alliance
  • The Ramsey County Attorney Office Victim Witness Division
  • The Suburban Police Chaplains Corp

Steady Growth

With assistance from Family Service, Inc., plus additional funding from the United Way and the Emma B. Howe Memorial Foundation, the project made its official debut in May of 1995. A board of directors was established, McAbee was hired and volunteers were trained. And in 1997, VIPI became an independent non-profit organization. In its first year alone, 428 individuals were assisted.

Later, the Minneapolis Homicide Unit requested that services be offered in Minneapolis as well. In 2007, the organization was readily on hand to provide crisis response to both survivors and families of victims of the I-35 bridge collapse incident. After 10 years serving the Twin Cities Metro area, a rebranding initiative renamed the Victim Intervention Project, Inc. to, “Survivor Resources.”

Survivor Resources Today

history, St. Paul Police DepartmentSince its inception, Survivor Resources has served tens of thousands of clients. It has continued its dedication in helping families not only affected by homicide, but other violent, unexpected incidents including suicide, accident and overdose death.

Survivor Resources proudly offers eleven different weekly support groups at four locations throughout the twin cities metro (St. Paul, St. Louis Park Apple Valley and Forest Lake). Survivor Resources serves clients of all ages and offers translation services to their non-English speaking clients.