TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Facing the dilemma of having to turn away those seeking help at its emergency shelter, the Refuge House is aiming to raise $4 million dollars to build a new facility that can match a growing demand for its services.
- Executive Director Emily Mitchem says they have to turn away about 100 people per month due to limited space.
- The current facility, located in Leon County, only has 23 beds but serves six counties across the Big Bend.
- Watch the video to hear what a new, additional shelter could do for those in need.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
An expansion is needed for the Refuge House.
That’s according to Executive Director Emily Mitchem, who tells me their running out of space in their current emergency center.
“Our current Leon County Emergency Shelter only has about 23 beds,” she said.
The Refuge House serves as one of the only state certified domestic violence centers serving six counties in the Big Bend, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families.
That’s 6,000 to 7,000 people served per year.
But about 250 people are housed in the center because of limited space.
Across the state, the Florida Domestic Violence Hotline received about 14,950 calls during the 2023-2024 fiscal year, according to the Florida DCF’s Domestic Violence Annual Report.
It’s about a thousand more calls than the previous year.
“But what the lack of bed space is creating is a dilemma for us in that we have to turn away about a hundred people every month,” Mitchem said.
The new shelter will cost about $4 million.
Mitchem says it will allow for six months of stay in private living quarters and be sensory friendly.
They’ve already gotten some grant funding to cover furniture and staffing.
But they are relying on donations to help cover construction costs.
“We want to kind of turn the needle a little bit, if you will, on how we are addressing domestic violence and understanding that it's interwoven with poverty, with sometimes mental health issues, substance use disorders,” she said.
Mitchem tells ABC 27 they’re hoping to raise enough money to break ground on a new facility in the next three years.
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