LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A problem that we've seen across the nation is domestic violence shelters being at capacity— leaving thousands with no place to go.
However, Women and Children First, a non-profit organization in Little Rock, plans to address that issue after they announced that they've received over $12 million in grants to help build a new facility.
"We applied for all those three grants from HUD, and we got all of them, which gave us a little over $8 million altogether, and then the second one we received a $4 million match grant from the Wind Gate Foundation last year. Our current building is 115 years old and we keep putting band-aids on it. [It] costs a lot of money yearly so the board kind of just made a decision that we really needed to work on in transitioning out," said Angela McGraw, Executive Director of Women and Children First.
According to the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the state of Arkansas typically ranks in the top ten states for domestic violence rates. And as those numbers go up McGraw explained that there's a dire need for shelters like theirs.
"Women and Children First have had to move on three different locations since the time they birthed in 1978 and it's always been because we've run out of room. This facility will go from 54 beds, which we're in now, and have 132 when we move into that new one," McGraw described.
The new location also plans to have personal bathrooms in each room, as well as a small refrigerator and microwave. Though most importantly it will be a central location to offer more resources to victims.
"We're also going to be housing the Force of Hope Family Peace Center, which will be co-located agencies underneath one roof. We'll be providing services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking all underneath one roof," she added.
McGraw said the new shelter will also eliminate the group's pet rule, and allow more victims to stay without having to choose between themselves and their pets.
"We are going to have a dog kennel for the dogs and area, you know, where people can bring hamsters or wherever they need to bring them. I think that will be really helpful for those who fear leaving those behind," McGraw said.
She said their doors are open to anyone in need and expressed how she's thankful Women and Children First can continue to be a resource for those in need.
"We offer counseling and support groups, and case management, transitional housing. We try the best we can here and to provide the wraparound services that we can and those that we can't do inside we refer out to our partners that we work with so closely," she said.
Though they're only in the beginning phase of the breaking ground process, they're still accepting more donations to keep the project moving forward.
The new facility is expected to be done by the second quarter of 2024.