Working Against Violence tells commissioners it served 1,590 survivors in 2025 and seeks $47,000 in county support

Representatives from Working Against Violence (Wavy) requested $47,000 in county funds and continuation of marriage/divorce‑fee support to sustain shelter, advocacy and crisis services.

Carrie Bard, Wavy’s chief financial officer, told the board that ‘‘approximately 80% of the individuals served by Wavy are residents of Pennington County,’’ and Linda Schro, CEO, said Wavy provided more than 45,000 free services in 2025 and nearly 14,000 nights of shelter. Schro emphasized the local concentration of clients and argued county support preserves shelter and court‑based advocacy when federal dollars are insufficient.

Commissioners discussed current fee revenue and how agency funding is coordinated across county departments. The board requested more granular data on the county residency of clients and the marriage/divorce fee revenue stream used to support Wavy.

Quote attribution: Linda Schro said, “In 2025, Wavy served 1,590 unduplicated survivors and provided more than 45,000 free of charge services.”