Our new shelter turns 1!

(January 23, 2008) We are proud to announce that after years of hard work, planning and fundraising, the new SafePlace shelter has been open for a year.

The new facility has allowed SafePlace to nearly double our capacity to house survivors. It includes ten bedrooms, 28 beds and approximately 5,500 square feet of space. “The space is bigger, but more importantly it is a space designed with those we serve in mind,” said Trisha Smith, residential services director. “We have private bedrooms for a single person, or a mother and one child, bedrooms for three person families, and at least one bedroom for a family of six,” she explained. All rooms in the shelter are fully ADA accessible.

Since it’s opening in January 2007, SafePlace has provided shelter to 311 individuals and families, 154 of whom were children under the age of 17. As a result of our growth in beds, SafePlace turned away nearly 30% fewer people then in 2006.

The new shelter also offers work space to allow staff growth and the enhancement of services. This means a new and improved play space for children, private space for support groups and individual counseling, a large common space for group activities and a double kitchen. Additionally, advocates and volunteers have a more effective space to work in, reducing stress and allowing for better service provision.

We offer sincere thanks to the many individuals and businesses who helped to make our new shelter a reality. We could not have come this far without the generous support from our community. Thank you!