Battered Womens Shelter Opens in Akron!

 
As you know, our Rotary Cluster group participated in the furnishing of two full rooms of furniture in the new Battered Womens Shelter in Akron.  The clubs helped with some of the construction demolition and also assembled furniture when it was delivered. The facility is now open and serving the women, men and children of Summit and Medina Counties.  The following is from the Akron Beacon Journal Article dated February 1st, 2017.
 
 

Battered women’s shelter will open doors this month

with meal dilemma solved

By Marilyn Miller
Beacon Journal staff writer

A number of delays, including nowhere to prepare meals, won’t stop the new Summit County Battered Women’s Shelter from opening by mid-February, its director said Tuesday.

Terri Heckman, the director of the shelter, said the delays created a financial dilemma, but they will not stop progress………..

 “I really had to make a decision. Do I leave the three buildings open and operating, which is not a financially smart thing to do, or do I close the old two shelters that are on their last leg, the whole reason why we built the new building, or should I move all the residents into the renovated facility and figure out a way to feed the residents, until our kitchen opens,” she said.

She chose to bring the residents to the new building, and work on a meal plan — finding meals for 90 days.

 “The word is getting out, we have some real creative people. One man called and said he’d donate money or just call in 20 pizzas,” Heckman said. “People like doing hands-on work too. My mom is 83 and she asked if a bunch of her friends can get together and just make dinner one day and we pick it up. I said absolutely. It makes them feel good and it serves a huge purpose for us.”

Heckman said the agency will close one building at a time, so some clients will come in February and others will come in March so the number of people served will increase next month.

There are currently 70 residents in the two shelters and 154 beds available at the new facility, dubbed the Center for Hope and Healing.

“Considering where this building started and the new life we have given it in East Akron I really think it’s going to be a testament for a long, long time and give the community something to be proud of when it comes to domestic violence,” Heckman said.

 

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